OpenSky is a registered trademark of
Harris Corporation
Harris Corporation was an American technology company, defense contractor, and information technology service (economics), services provider that produced wireless equipment, tactical radios, electronic systems, night vision device, night visi ...
and is the trade name for a wireless communication system, invented by
M/A-COM Inc., that is now a division of Harris RF Communications. OpenSky technology applies
voice over IP
Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP), also known as IP telephony, is a set of technologies used primarily for voice communication sessions over Internet Protocol (IP) networks, such as the Internet. VoIP enables voice calls to be transmitted as ...
transport to radio communications applications in a unique architecture.
In the mid-1990s
FedEx
FedEx Corporation, originally known as Federal Express Corporation, is an American Multinational corporation, multinational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate holding company specializing in Package delivery, transportation, e-commerce, and ...
invited proposals for a data and voice network to the vehicular level. As the world's largest shipper, FedEx was a key opportunity, and major market players presented their existing product offerings over some time.
M/A-COM presented their concept, and won the business. They delivered a standards-based infrastructure that attempted to leverage open systems to the largest degree possible, while adapting specific input/output to meet the customer's exact requirements.
OpenSky received the direct attention of
Tyco Electronics
TE Connectivity plc is an American-Irish domiciled technology company that designs and manufactures electrical and electronic components. It serves several industries, including automotive, aerospace, defense, medical, and energy.
TE Connecti ...
when they acquired it along with
AMP Inc. Tyco Electronics funded the company to acquire the
EDACS
The Enhanced Digital Access Communication System (EDACS) is a radio communications protocol and product family invented in the General Electric Corporation in the mid 1980s. The rights were eventually bought by Harris Corporation, which eventual ...
radio system team and product line. The OpenSky system has since been sold into a number of important footprints, including the entire State of
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania, officially the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, is a U.S. state, state spanning the Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic, Northeastern United States, Northeastern, Appalachian, and Great Lakes region, Great Lakes regions o ...
, and the State of
New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
.
On January 15, 2009, the State of New York terminated its contract with M/A-COM due to ongoing and unresolved deficiencies with the OpenSky system. On February 13, 2009, Tyco Electronics filed a complaint against the New York State Office for Technology (NY-OFT), in the New York State Court of Claims, disputing the claims made by the OFT. In the complaint, Tyco Electronics disputed many of the NY-OFT's public criticisms of both the company and the system, maintaining that SWN (which included OpenSky) ‘worked as contracted.’ The complaint also claimed the state hindered the company's ability to build the system in a timely manner, defamed the company by stating that its technology did not work, and that the state inappropriately drew $50 million from the standby
letter of credit
A letter of credit (LC), also known as a documentary credit or bankers commercial credit, or letter of undertaking (LoU), is a payment mechanism used in international trade to provide an economic guarantee from a creditworthy bank to an exp ...
the company established for the project.
On May 29, 2009, Harris Corporation purchased Tyco Electronics Wireless Systems, including its OpenSky and other wireless communication technologies, from Tyco Electronics for
US$
The United States dollar (Currency symbol, symbol: Dollar sign, $; ISO 4217, currency code: USD) is the official currency of the United States and International use of the U.S. dollar, several other countries. The Coinage Act of 1792 introdu ...
675 million.
As of the end of 2014, it was announced that, due to ongoing problems faced by the State Police and other users, the Pennsylvania Statewide Radio Network will be replaced by a Project 25 Phase II system. It will be VHF/UHF/800 multi-band and is expected to be fully operational by the end of 2021.
References
External links
M/A-COM Wireless SystemsPennsylvania Statewide Radio Network
{{Trunked radio systems
Trunked radio systems