Friday fragments - comms news from around the web for 27 March 2015

A round-up of the week's critical communications and public safety radio news for Friday, 27 March 2015.

Mobile broadband study terms released. The federal government has released the Terms of Reference for the Productivity Commission's cost-benefit analysis on the best way to deliver a mobile broadband capability for public safety agencies.

FirstNet RFP still delayed. The US First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) board has delayed for “several weeks" approving the release of a draft comprehensive network request for proposals, in order to provide additional time to answer questions raised by members of its Finance Committee.

Huawei not a security risk. A report from a UK board set up in 2010 to assess the potential security risks of using Huawei equipment in the UK's national critical infrastructure has concluded in its latest report that use of the company's gear is not a concern.

Replacing whip antennas. A US researcher has been granted half a million dollars to develop flat antenna technology that could replace the standard whip antennas used throughout the military and other sectors.

Global ham conference in June. The Global Amateur Radio Emergency Conference (GAREC) will be held in Tampere, Finland, on 23-24 June. The theme of the event will be 'Cooperating with Authorities'. GAREC 2015 has extended an invitation to all involved in emergency communications around the world to attend