In our opinion, there is a case to be made for using government funds to help carriers expand their wireless services into critical or strategic areas around the nation identified by local and regional emergency service organizations.
Although there are serious concerns nationally related to coverage issues for wireless services, several companies have made available technology that can extend wireless coverage to virtually any location in the world. For example, TGA Technologies, Inc. (www.tga.com), located in Atlanta, Georgia offers a “mobile” wireless network in their transportable RD1000 technology. This system enables its users to set up a two-way wireless messaging network anywhere it is needed.
TGA has gone one step further in making their equipment compatible with all commercial providers of ReFLEX technology such as WebLink, Arch and SkyTel to extend beyond just the coverage of a local area wireless messaging network. If it is unlikely that commercial network providers will ever provide coverage for more rural areas, a more permanent system of this type can provide an extremely robust alternative.
It is our belief that in light of limited budgets available for any new technology with many of the agencies we spoke to, there is a strong case to be made for emergency service organizations within a state or region to pull resources to invest in this type of technology. As needed at an existing or unfolding emergency, the RD1000 could be set up and running literally in a matter of seconds once deployed to the needed location.
A variety of other features were requested by participants. For example:

Ability to have the Reports sent to an e-mail or Fax during the Call-out .
Bill Dunn, Communication & Information Resource Office
Metro Boston Disaster Medical Assistance Team MA-1

There needs to be a way that you can check status of the transmit capability right away either by a button or a menu item on the vital signs menu. Difficult to open the wireless device with one hand, if carrying briefcase, driving etc. Flip-open screen could break if dropped on a hard surface.
Thomas Newell, Facilities Engineer
MI State Police, Emergency Management Division