Intercepts

FIRST INITIAL * Nipping at NIPRNET. MCI seems less than pleased with the Fedsim/Pulsar/Sprint trifecta that will result in DISA moving NIPRNET traffic off the AT&T DCTN net and onto a high-speed non-FTS 2000 Sprint network that could eventually sport ATM under the hood. I am picking up signals that MCI probably would not have objected to an FTS 2000 solution but has a tough time with the Fedsim/Pulsar deal. Dianna Gowen MCI Defense honcho says she's pondering her options.

* Turbo-charge Fort Bragg? The Interceptor had his mobile rig down at Fort Bragg all last week where until this month the base WAN which could handle gigabits of data on an OC-3 backbone had to plod along with a 56 kilobit/sec NIPRNET connection to the rest of the world according to Lt. Col. Dave Smith commander of the 1112th Signal Battalion. DISA has upgraded one Fort Bragg pipe to 512 kilobit/sec and plans to boost the other to the same speed real soon. Maybe the new NIPRNET trifecta will offer some relief for the 82nd Airborne and other key Warfighter units stationed at Bragg.

* Antenna angst. The new Communications Act makes it easier for commercial cellular and PCS companies to locate their antennas on federal property and has resulted in a land rush by folks wanting to festoon buildings hills and water towers at Fort Bragg with antennas according to Chuck Peeler the 1112th's Comm Division chief. The Army does have some room for maneuvering on this issue but it's taking up a lot of high-powered command time at Fort Bragg. Look for this problem to spread as site-hungry cellular and PCS providers pressure military and civilian agencies for prime antenna sites nationwide. Won't the Statue of Liberty look great wearing a crown of antennas?

* Just jumpin'. Lt. Col. Dennis Via left Lt. Gen. Otto Guenther's Army DISC4 shop less than two months ago to take command of the 82nd Signal Battalion and has already done three parachute jumps - including a night drop last week - since returning to Fort Bragg.

* DSSG pact confirmed. DISA confirmed the obvious saying GSI has withdrawn its suit against the award of the $3 billion DSSG contract to Boeing but it provided no details. The Interceptor's favorite agency also confirmed that the $400 million DISN Switched/Bandwidth Manager contract is due for award Aug. 30.

* HTML hyperbole. Roger Schneider who sports a real '90s title - Internet Executive Producer for the Democratic National Committee - predicts a "tsunami of home page hits" on the DNC Web site (www.dncc96.org) during this week's convention. This information was sent to Intercept Central by Sun Microsystems the "official" Web provider to the committee chosen for its ability to handle "mission-critical" situations such as the convention. Really.

* Still mobile. The Interceptor has picked up his mobile unit and moved to the San Diego Princess Hotel to fulfill his primary mission - following DISA director Lt. Gen. Al Edmonds. I don't think the Airborne would stay at the Princess.