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Looks like Motorola finally lost one.....


M/A-COM AWARDED $4.5 MILLION PURCHASE CONTRACT TO PROVIDE LAND MOBILE-RADIO COMMUNICATIONS FOR WASHINGTON STATE PATROL

M/A-COM To Deliver Reliable, State-Of-The-Art Communications As an Approved Vendor by the Western States Contracting Alliance

LOWELL, Mass., JULY 26, 2004 - M/A-COM, Inc. a business unit of Tyco Electronics and leading manufacturer of critical radio systems deployed around the world, has been awarded a $4.5 million purchase contract to provide land mobile-radio communication for Washington State Patrol. As part of the purchase contract, M/A-COM will provide in-band, dual-receive M7100IP mobile and P7100IP portable radios with the capability to connect to an Internet Protocol (IP) network. This will enable Washington State Patrol troops to communicate using disparate radio systems via a network-based solution, such as M/A-COM's IP based NetworkFirst.

"We were looking for a partner that would give us the capability to enhance communications for our troopers in the field," said Chief Lowell M. Porter. "The combination of increasing officer safety as well as public safety through effective and enhanced communication capabilities is vital to the Washington State Patrol."

In addition to being able to deliver reliable, state-of-the-art radio communications with IP capability, M/A-COM was selected because of its qualification as an approved vendor under the Western States Contracting Alliance (WSCA). The Washington State Patrol contract was part of the State of Washington's radio communication contract, which fell under the purview of WSCA, established to ensure a multi-state, competitive-bidding process for participants.

Additionally, M/A-COM's selection by Washington State Patrol was approved by the Washington State Interoperability Executive Committee (SIEC), which is chaired by Chief Porter and pursues and promotes statewide interoperability policies and standards to ensure interoperable public safety communications. Interoperability refers to the ability of disparate systems to communicate with each other.

"Washington State Patrol's choice of M/A-COM is a direct reflection of our willingness to listen to our customer's needs and deliver, flexible interoperable communications solutions," said Kit Eldredge, Northwest district sales manager, M/A-COM. "Washington State Patrol and, by extension, the SIEC, clearly recognize the importance of interoperability when it comes to public safety communications. By selecting M/A-COM to provide this solution for them, Washington State Patrol and SIEC are affirming their belief that M/A-COM can provide solutions to meet their present and future needs."

About M/A-COM
M/A-COM, Inc., a business unit of Tyco Electronics, is a leading supplier of critical communications systems and equipment for public safety, utility, federal and select commercial markets. Products range from some of the most advanced IP-based voice and data networks to traditional wireless systems to offer customers the highest levels of reliability, interoperability, scalability and security. M/A-COM is also a recognized leader in the design and manufacture of radio frequency (RF), microwave and millimeter wave solutions for the commercial wireless telecommunications, aerospace and defense industries. Headquartered in Lowell, MA, M/A-COM has offices and manufacturing facilities worldwide. Information about M/A-COM can be found on the Web at http://www.macom.com or http://www.macom-wireless.com


About Tyco Electronics
Tyco Electronics, a business segment of Tyco International Ltd., is the world's largest passive electronic components manufacturer; a world leader in cutting-edge wireless, active fiber optic and complete power systems technologies; and is also rapidly developing extensive networking and building technology installation services. Tyco Electronics provides advanced technology products from over forty well-known and respected brands, including Agastat, Alcoswitch, AMP, AMP NETCONNECT, Buchanan, CII, CoEv, Critchley, Elcon, Elo TouchSystems, M/A-COM, Madison Cable, OEG, OneSource Building Technologies, Potter & Brumfield, Raychem, Schrack, Simel and TDI Batteries.

· M/A-COM, Tyco and NetworkFirst are trademarks.
· Other products, logos and Company names mentioned herein may be trademarks of their respective owners.

To obtain a copy of the WSCA Public Safety Communication Contract 02702 go to:
http://www.ga.wa.gov/purchase/
or
http://www.aboutwsca.org

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I generate Board Warnings

So.... are we looking at a completely new system here? What are we talking for possibilities... Trunking? Digital? Encryption? Anybody willing to throw out their thoughts on this? My bet is that it is almost certainly going to be up in the new 700mhz Band.

It appears to be for VHF mobiles and portables so far. No infrastructure. If it was, the cost would be in the mega millions. Kinda of funny, since they just bought so many new quantars.

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I generate Board Warnings

Many years ago M/A com supplied me with about a half dozen free samples of a 24 ghz low power <10mw gunnplexer modules. $$$ if I bought them. They got my vote!

"Washington State Patrol's choice of M/A-COM is a direct reflection of our willingness to listen to our customer's needs and deliver, flexible interoperable communications solutions," said Kit Eldredge, Northwest district sales manager, M/A-COM.


uh, yeah, sure. WSP should have invested in a BS-detector before speaking with M/A-Com. Look what happened in Pennsylvania:


M/A-Com Inc. of Lowell, Mass., won the contract primarily because it promised to implement the system in less than two years.

Motorola alleges that the "Open Sky" platform M/A-Com built for the statewide radio system does not work properly and is not being used extensively by state public safety agencies.

"The project to be completed within 20 months is now approaching the five-year mark -- over three years late with no foreseeable end," wrote Ken Denslow, corporate vice president and general manager of Motorola Commercial, Government and Industrial Solutions Sector's Northern Division, in a June 1 letter to Gov. Rendell.

http://www.washingtontechnology.com/news/19_8/telecom-it-infrastructure/23990-1.html

Seems M/A-Com has a history of choking on state radio system contracts.....

Hope WSP was sure to include a clause in the contract, saying that if the project is not completed on time, WSP receives a full refund! :) Ha Ha. Not likely.

I wonder why they even entertained bids from M/A Comm. They've had nothing but bad press. Especially since the PA story broke.

It will be interesting to see how this plays out.... how long it plays out!

Keep in mind it's only portables and mobiles. They can't go digital because of the base stations. They could go digital on simplex, but not to dispatch....yet.

I hope Motorola takes the groin shot well, and comes back to the table with a little more competitive pricing.

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I generate Board Warnings

To all-

Note that the Quantar base stations WSP bought from Motorola are upgradable to P25 conventional operation (note also that DNR has replaced many of its repeaters with Quantars or Daniels P25-capable repeaters). The MACOM radios are also P25-capable. State fish and wildlife have been using RACAL (now called Thalies) P25 radios (and using encrypted P25 on some simplex channels for security). All this activity is on VHF, not 700 MHz.

Finally, state agencies are now required to buy P25-upgradable radios.

Sounds like the next step would be to start programming radios for P25 conventional operation to me...

Looks like a digital VHF environment at least for these agencies. DOT may be more interested in 700 MHz (and the state has a statewide 700 MHz license now). VHF trunking would be a future option if the spectrum issues could get ironed out...

Spencer Smith

adding 2 more cents...

The new radios were purchased to replace the aging "dual-head" systems in WSP line cars and to upgrade our older Motorola portable radios. I was issued a new MACOM portable for NGA and it seems to work pretty well -the only complaint I've heard so far is the MACOMs are a little heavier than the Kenwood and Motorola portable radios.

It's my understanding that MACOM was one of the only companies willing to 'step up to the plate' and design a system where two radios can be operated with one microphone and to build in a portable repeater into the system (similiar to the PAK-RT system).