COMMUNICATIONS GUIDE
Wireless Communications
Hardware Becoming Less Expensive and More User-Friendly
tethered communications soon will become a reality for federal agencies when the General Services Administration awards the multimillion-dollar Federal Wireless Telecommunications Services contract this month. The eight-year proposal for analog and digital wireless services will cover monthly access fees, airtime and roaming charges. It will include equipment ranging from mobile phones and battery chargers to external modems. Originally intended as an interim contract, the wireless procurement now is expected to be woven into the post-FTS 2000 follow-on program.
As wireless network standards emerge, hardware is becoming less expensive and more user-friendly. And although technologies such as digital cellular, two-way paging and infrared will never be as fast or powerful as wired networks, they do provide instant communications anywhere, anytime.
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