Chicomm Blog

Commercial alarm systems don’t just protect the safety and security of your staff and property, they’re an important investment in your peace of mind. The right alarm system can make all the difference when it comes to preventing, handling and reporting incidents.

When you’re choosing the right system for your business or property, keep in mind what level of sophistication and convenience you need. As you’re conducting your search for a commercial alarm system, here are some features to look for:

Whether you’re considering upgrading your facility management software or investing in it for the first time, it can be daunting to start researching software options. As with any technology investment, it's crucial to have the right information so that the choice you make results in increased efficiency and profitability.

As you’re researching your facility management software options, there are a few key considerations to keep in mind:

Full suite of features and functionality

In Chicago, logistics professional training is set to get a big boost with construction of a high-tech transportation, logistics and distribution (TDL) center at Olive-Harvey College. Work on the $45 million facility recently restarted after stalling last year amid Illinois state budget woes.

Industry Partnership to Fill Surge of TDL Jobs

The center is designed to help prepare students for 110,000 TDL jobs that are expected to come to the region in the next 10 years. The project was 60 percent done when work halted, and officials are hoping to finish construction in time for the Fall 2017 semester.

The facility is the first of its kind in Illinois and is a significant step forward for Olive-Harvey’s TDL programs, which focus on air, rail and road transportation. With a commitment to hands-on training, the program’s curriculum is being developed with industry partners and will serve an estimated 3,000 students.

There’s exciting technology news from Down Under: A newly announced pilot program in Australia by Motorola Solutions and Ericsson is looking to bring next-generation push-to-talk communications to mobile radios, starting with the quickly evolving public safety market. The project builds on the major role Motorola mobile radios and Ericsson communications technology have played in the communications marketplace.

The trial technology is a key to forging a way for traditional radio voice communications to integrate and expand via mobile broadband.

Ericsson and Motorola are working alongside Telstra, the leading telecom and information services company in Australia with nearly 17 million mobile subscribers. The trio is also collaborating on creating global standards for a solution that would meet the unique needs and requirements of public safety users.

During an emergency, seconds can feel like hours, especially when it comes to locating workers to make sure they’re safe or dispatching help when they need it. Eliminating any blind spots in your ability to track employees cuts both your response time and precious time spent looking for workers who don’t need assistance but can’t immediately be found during an accident or emergency.

The new Real-Time Location System (RTLS) Indoor & Outdoor Positioning System from Teldio for Motorola MOTOTRBO radios blends Bluetooth technology and GPS to give up-to-the-minute information on workers’ locations via a web browser that can be accessed on a computer or mobile phone.

Today, it doesn’t matter if you have a private WiFi network for your business, or, if you host a public network on a school campus or in a shopping center - your network needs to be secure. Hackers are always on the lookout for subpar security in order to quickly get in and get out with the information they came for.

Second, it is a great idea for you to become familiar with the most popular wireless networking security terminology so that if an issue comes up, you are well-versed enough to discuss or understand the problem. Here are 10 of the most common wireless networking terms:

Using a digital two-way radio is pretty start forward. You go the the docking station and grab a handset. From there you turn it on and make sure that you’re on the right channel to begin or join a conversation. After double checking the volume and receiving a message, you hold the Push to Talk Button while you share your response.

The first time that you used a two-way radio, you probably didn’t need detailed instructions to operate the device. Although using this system is simple and doesn’t require any technical training, understanding the science behind the technology is slightly more intricate.

Radio Frequency

If you have a fear of technology, your worst nightmare may be coming to fruition sooner than you may have hoped thanks to the Internet of Things. Although this major up and coming telecommunication advancement raises questions about artificial intelligence, it is expected to improve efficiency across all sectors of business and matters of personal life.

What Is the Internet of Things?

The Internet of Things (IoT) will use wireless networks to connect most devices, particularly those that collect data that can be shared. These items act as sensors, detecting activity that can be transmitted to other devices in the network. For example, your smartphone will communicate with your coffee maker, your car with your smart watch, and even your laptop with your refrigerator. 

Using the internet is pretty easy. With younger generations growing up with the internet and older ones adopting the technology, it seems as if everyone understands the basics of using the internet, but in reality, very few know how the internet actually works.

What is Broadband?

Internet service is made accessible by broadband networks. Broadband, in its simplest form, is a high-speed network that allows multiple forms of technologies to transmit their signals. The frequencies are carried over either wired or wireless connections.

Is your city safe?

Many cities are asking this question. Safe City initiatives are on the rise around the world due to unique, ever-evolving and complex threats. As populations grow, so do the size and intricacy of the infrastructure required to support them. Municipalities must be able to respond with a citywide, unified approach to safety and security.

Implementing comprehensive command-and-control solutions to improve situation awareness, gather actionable intelligence and more effectively respond to incidents have become essential to growing urban populations such as those in Surat City, India, and Guayaquil, Ecuador.