Optus has confirmed that its latest, state-of-the-art Optus 10 satellite is scheduled for launch from the Guiana Space Centre in Kourou, French Guiana, on Friday, 12 September. [ + ]

FirstNet wants to use off-the-shelf tech; Adelaide Uni to research SDN; Students develop radio software bridge; Hoax spurs police beacon chase.

ASTRID, the Belgian TETRA network, registered twice the normal amount of radio traffic during this month's WWI memorial ceremonies. [ + ]

Following the 6.5-magnitude earthquake in Yunnan, China, on 3 August, Hytera donated emergency communications equipment and sent a team of engineers for communications support. [ + ]

Comms Connect Melbourne will this year feature three concurrent streams of speaker sessions and panel discussions, with the addition of a Public Safety & Emergency Management stream. [ + ]

A wearable gadget that tackles an individual's communication, safety and wellbeing requirements has won a Red Dot Design Award 2014 in the category of Design Concept. [ + ]

Documents obtained under freedom of information laws show that radio black spots remain on Sydney's rail network, more than 11 years after the Waterfall train disaster. [ + ]

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade today released a Request for Tender for its first major procurement under the International Communications Network (ICN) Program. [ + ]

Emergency centre behind schedule; UK may block comms sales to Israel; FCC streamlines tower regulations; Busy day for beacons; Innovation centre for LTE-A and 5G.

Four panel discussions featuring local and international experts will be held during the Comms Connect conference in Melbourne at the beginning of October. [ + ]

Chongqing's Public Security Bureau has recently contracted Hytera to complete a PMR project that will result in a Hytera DMR Trunking Pro system being installed across the city. [ + ]

Radio Spectrum Management New Zealand is reviewing the Radiocommunications Act and has extended the deadline for the phase-out of 25 kHz LMR channels by four years. [ + ]

Rod Gilmour, chairperson of the NSW Telco Authority, has released his latest communiqué to update industry on Authority developments. [ + ]

oneM2M, the global partnership developing standards for M2M comms and the Internet of Things has made its initial Candidate Release of Technical Specifications available for comment. [ + ]

Critical Comms' latest issue out now; Comms Connect Melbourne 2014; FirstNet Acting GM blog post; Critical Communications Middle East; M2M winners.