0 Persons are tagged with #communications

#communications

danie10@squeet.me
Danie

First time a satellite operator and a wireless carrier have received FCC authorization for a Direct-To-Cell service

Rear of a smartphone. In the background is a view of the night sky with a satellite in orbit.
Satellite connectivity on smartphones can be an incredibly important safety feature, and both phone makers and carriers are working to expand its availability. Now, Starlink’s direct-to-cell service that will be used by T-Mobile now has FCC approval.

The big promise of direct-to-cell satellite service is that you will be able to connect to a satellite just like you currently connect to a cell tower, with your current smartphone, whenever you find yourself in a dead spot. It’s like putting a cell tower in space that you can access at all times.

So, this is actually a huge event. Any ordinary cellphone user, stuck in some rural area (or at sea) where these satellites have coverage, could establish communications as if there was a cellphone tower in range.

It will be very interesting to see how these pan out in terms of more congested areas, and how operating costs compare. I’m thinking too here of some of the extreme electricity load shedding that South Africa experienced, where cell towers had no grid power for up to 6 hours at a time. South African operators have also had very expensive backup batteries being stolen on a regular basis from their terrestrial sites.

When one factors all this in, how do a few satellite units compare? Even for rural communications, due to the reach of the towers, how many towers and interconnectivity infrastructure are required to cover a 200 square kilometre area vs by satellite?

See howtogeek.com/starlink-direct-…
#Blog, #communications, #satellite, #technology

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kcemorg@diaspora-fr.org
L'intrus

RiseUp

Riseup fournit des outils de communication en ligne pour les personnes et les groupes qui militent en faveur d'un changement social libérateur. Nous sommes un projet pour créer des alternatives démocratiques et pour pratiquer l'auto-détermination en contrôlant nos propres moyens de communication sécurisés.

#communications #web #riseup #alternatif

Home - riseup.net

Riseup provides online communication tools for people and groups working on liberatory social change. We are a project to create democratic alternatives and practice self-determination by controlling our own secure means of communications.

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tina@diaspora.psyco.fr
Fifi

📞 03 89 74 11 53

Qui utilise la dernière cabine téléphonique de France ? Elle est située à Murbach (Haut-Rhin), dans un petit village alsacien niché dans un vallon et réputé pour son abbaye fondée en l'an 800.
Elle sonne régulièrement. Dans le vide. Il arrive qu’un passant réponde...
Quant aux appels sortants (moins de cinq par mois), ils relèvent du mystère ! Car les cartes à puce ne sont plus vendues. Seule une carte téléphonique dématérialisée possédant un code à gratter permet d’utiliser encore les services de cette cabine téléphonique.
"Le mystère reste entier" s'amuse l’adjointe au maire de Murbach.

#société #insolite #Alsace #communications #téléphone #cabine-téléphonique

"Nous cherchons vivement la personne qui passe ces appels", qui utilise la dernière cabine téléphonique de France ?

Il n'existe plus qu'une seule cabine téléphonique opérationnelle en France. Elle est située dans un petit village alsacien niché dans un vallon et réputé pour son abbaye fondée en l'an 800. Les touristes décrochent parfois...

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escheche@diasp.org
Sylvia J

Reviving the Dream of a Free Flow of Information

#VijayPrashad

https://consortiumnews.com/2023/05/22/reviving-the-dream-of-a-free-flow-of-information/

'If the Global South tries to put peace and development on the agenda, the West answers with war and debt. In the hands of Western media monopolies, the #communications order is not used to promote #world #peace, but to exacerbate human division and the risk of war.'

#free-flow #information #unesco #international-commission-for-the-study-of-communication-problems #editors #journalism #journalists #censorship #GlobalSouthInternationalCommunicationForum.

Reviving the Dream of a Free Flow of Information

Vijay Prashad showcases the closing statement issued by hundreds of editors and journalists who gathered in Shanghai in early May for the Global South International Communication Forum. By Vijay Prashad Tricontinental: Institute for...

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diane_a@diasp.org
𝕕𝕚𝕒𝕟𝕖𝕒

May 13, 1946, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted Southwestern Bell a license for radio-telephone service, which enabled those in St. Louis to be the first in the nation to make and receive phone calls in their car.

Covering a 75-mile radius of downtown calls to an auto had to be placed through a mobile operator at 2654 Locust. This was transferred over normal telephone lines to the office at 1010 Pine, where the call went out over VHF radio from the 250-Watt transmitter on the building's roof.

Service cost $15 a month, after a $25 installation fee. There was an additional charge per call, depending on time. As seen in this photo, necessary equipment took much of the trunk space. The first radiotelephone call was placed in St. Louis on Jun 17, 1946.

[sources: John Sarkis & Missouri Life]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Radiotelephone

#vintage #electronics #radio #communications

Radiotelephone - Wikipedia

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danie10@squeet.me
Danie

AM Radio is already being phased out of some new vehicles, and that is very bad for Emergency Broadcasts and Disaster Management

Old fashioned looking portable radio receiver with antenna extended, and a solar panel on top
According to Markey, AM radio operates at lower frequencies and longer wavelengths, enabling it to pass through solid objects and travel further than other radio waves — a feature not shared by FM broadcasts. As a result, FEMA’s National Public Warning System — through which FEMA delivers critical safety alerts to the public — operates through broadcast AM radio stations.

“Ford said there were other technologies available, such as internet streaming, HD radio delivered on FM bands, or some apps that provide AM content, that will make up for the absence of AM radio in its vehicles.”

The problem here is car manufacturers (and most listeners) are thinking of the perfect urban world. The reality is we still have regular disasters, and the fact is that cellphone towers, the Internet, etc all only last about 4 to 6 hours on battery backup.

FM does work well (along with its Traffic Announcement alerts and RDS data display) but it is shorter range. But even FM for emergencies and disasters is at risk by listeners themselves, as many today only have a radio in their vehicle. Even broadcast TVs are often no longer found inside homes, as everything has moved to streaming over the Internet.

Take South Africa with its already up to 4 hour power outage load shedding. There is not enough time typically for batteries to recharge, so at extended Stage 6 and above load shedding, the Internet as well as some cellular coverage gets lost for many hours. This has already even affected emergency services own radio communications via repeaters.

The final fallback, is to broadcast AM and FM radio stations (yes and Amateur Radio, but that is not receivable by all citizens). But as a citizen, you can still ensure that you have at least one radio receiver kept at home. An example is the photo with this post, which costs around $17 (ZAR330) and has solar charging for its rechargeable batteries.

The more we digitise and get smarter, the more dependent we are on vulnerable electrical systems… Plan for the future, keep Retro.

See https://www.theverge.com/23633932/am-radio-discontinue-ford-tesla-markey-fema-fcc
#Blog, #communications, #disasters, #emergencies, #radio, #technology

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psych@diasp.org
Michael

For #media / #socialmedia / #communications fans

Here's something I came across, its title promising enlightenment about "how social media platforms fail".
I thought for sure, even after reading the abstract, it would be about the assault on #Twitter users and advertisers
But silly me, Twitter is so old-school! Now the next has-been (or one to beat) isn't Twitter of #MuskVirus ruination, but .. #TikTok

How, exactly, platforms die

The ‘Enshittification’ of TikTok

Or how, exactly, platforms die.

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psych@diasp.org
Michael

SCOTUS news Monday, 1st day of a new term, a new Justice, & historic devastation in Florida (and a hurricane too!)
Plus some "unhinged" posts/threats by Lord #TrumpVirus. Very little to joke about or bring a smile. Despite 2 small reprieves....

Supreme Court to hear challenge to Big Tech’s Section 230 liability protections | The Hill

Thin slice: #SQOTUS/ #SCOTUS, the terrific Court of the Orange Thing (apologies, King Crimson!) has decided not to inject itself into a suit against the DOJ's use of secret-material screening in an expeditious (and legal) way. AND they won't hear an appeal of a law banning bump-stocks.

But THIS may re-do the entire world of #Media and especially #SocialMedia as we know it, UN-protecting rights of actual journalists(?) not to mention igniting the culture wars, politicizing #FreeSpeech & #truth. #Sect230 #Sect203 #Communications ⚠

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