FirstNet’s Sue Swenson expresses confidence in AT&T’s ability to make network vision a reality

As part of FirstNet’s request for proposals (RFP), AT&T agreed in the 25-year contract to meet specific milestones—notably, thresholds around public-safety adoption of FirstNet services—or pay monetary penalties to FirstNet. But Swenson said that she is encouraged by early signs that the relationship between FirstNet and AT&T will be a healthy one for both sides.

“We have great relationships with the people at AT&T, where we can say, ‘Hey, this isn’t working. Let’s figure this out,’” she said. “I think that’s really good, instead of this whole supplier-vendor-relationship thing.

“I know we have a contract, but we better have a relationship and work collaboratively with them. Otherwise, we’re going to run into some problems … Winning [for FirstNet] is not them failing and having them pay penalties. That’s not the scenario we want to get to.”

Instead, the key for FirstNet and AT&T is to build a public-safety-grade network and provide communication services that are compelling enough for first-responder organizations to subscribe to them, Swenson said.

“I think the thing that’s important to remember is that we’ve reached a great milestone to have the contact, and we’re obviously going to deploy the network,” Swenson said. “But, unless we offer something that public safety values, it’s all for nothing.

“You’ve got to have them subscribing to the service. There’s no requirement. They know that, and we know that. I think that creates the dynamic where they [AT&T officials] will not get complacent, because that’s the only way it’s going to work. It’s a complex financial arrangement.”

During her keynote address yesterday, Swenson noted the fact that a federal judge dismissed a protest filed by Rivada Networks without conditions and “found no merit in any of the claims is a real tribute” to the FirstNet acquisition team’s dedication to conducting a fair procurement process.

Swenson said similar focus will be needed to ensure that the FirstNet NPSBN is deployed in a manner—in the near term, as well as technological upgrades during the 25-year period of the contract—that will address the needs of public-safety users. FirstNet’s relationship with AT&T will be crucial to making that vision a reality, she said.

“We have to remember that, what makes things work—in addition to plans and contracts—are relationships,” Swenson said. “It happens in everything you do. It’s always been my experience that you can have a contract with somebody. But, if you have a relationship with them, from a business perspective, I can call them up and say, ‘This is not working,’ and you have a conversation and work it out.

“So I think you have to have all of those components to make it work, but I’m not at all uncomfortable that we don’t have the right mechanisms in place to cause them to do what they need to do. I don’t have any concern about that—all the way up to [AT&T CEO] Randall Stephenson, by the way.”