https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • Microwave/RF
    • T&D World
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

APCO


AT&T exec discusses core-to-core interoperability, Verizon proposal, FirstNet differentiators

  • Written by Donny Jackson
  • 17th August 2017
Enabling interoperability between the FirstNet public-safety LTE core being built by AT&T and the LTE cores of Verizon or other carriers is feasible technically, but doing so would be a departure from the FirstNet request for proposals (RFP) and could introduce security issues for public safety, according to an AT&T executive.

What is in this article?

  • AT&T exec discusses core-to-core interoperability, Verizon proposal, FirstNet differentiators
  • AT&T exec discusses core-to-core interoperability, Verizon proposal, FirstNet differentiators
  • AT&T exec discusses core-to-core interoperability, Verizon proposal, FirstNet differentiators

AT&T exec discusses core-to-core interoperability, Verizon proposal, FirstNet differentiators

DENVER—Enabling interoperability between the FirstNet public-safety LTE core being built by AT&T and the LTE cores of Verizon or other carriers is feasible technically, but doing so would be a departure from the FirstNet request for proposals (RFP) and could introduce security issues for public safety, according to an AT&T executive.

“They [FirstNet officials] built the RFP that specified a single nationwide core—you couldn’t have multiple cores,” Chris Sambar, senior vice president of AT&T – FirstNet, said yesterday during an interview with IWCE’s Urgent Communications. “From a technical standpoint on AT&T’s side, you can get any network to talk to any other network. The question is: What seams do you create, and what security risks do you introduce?

“That’s our concern with interoperating with other cores, because there’s been no suggestion that we will introduce any other cores. There will be a single, nationwide interoperable core. That’s the safest, most secure way to do this, and so that’s the way we want to do it. So, I’d be real hesitant to mix and match different traffic across different core networks.”

Whether an opt-out state should be allowed to partner with a vendor that used a separate LTE core for public-safety traffic was a hot topic in the FCC’s recent interoperability proceeding regarding the agency’s review of opt-out applications. Ultimately, the FCC deferred the issue to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), which is the federal-government organization that oversees FirstNet.

“Essentially, [the core decision is] with FirstNet, and FirstNet’s made it clear that there will be one nationwide, interoperable core, period,” Sambar said. “That’s the assumption that we’re operating under. Any other details on that is a FirstNet question.”

Earlier in the week at APCO 2017, FirstNet CTO Jeff Bratcher said that “there’s no core interconnect between the big carriers right now” and emphasized the importance of the dedicated FirstNet LTE core to public-safety subscribers.

“It’s critical for the security of public safety’s traffic,” Bratcher said during an interview with IWCE’s Urgent Communications following a presentation on the APCO 2017 show floor. “It will be secure from the device, based on that network identifier, to our core. So, we will know and secure all public-safety traffic—both the user traffic and the control-plane traffic.

“The rest of the commercial networks on the other identifiers, we don’t have to worry about. That’s the way we’re implementing this with that multi-operator core network. AT&T’s operating the FirstNet core and their commercial core in parallel. So, commercial traffic goes to its core, public safety to our core. Should something happen on one of our core elements for FirstNet, it will fail over and we can leverage the commercial backup side, if we need to.”

Sambar echoed this sentiment.

“[FirstNet public-safety traffic is] on a secure evolved packet core with encryption, which is very important,” Sambar said. “But, if [traffic] leaves the FirstNet network, you’re taking your chances.”

Sambar’s comments came the day after Verizon announced that it will build a dedicated public-safety LTE core network for its first-responder customers in 2018, as well as provide public safety with prioritized—and eventually preemptive—access across its network beginning this year.

1 | 2 | 3 |
AT&T exec discusses core-to-core interoperability, Verizon proposal, FirstNet differentiators
Tags: APCO Coverage/Interference Cybersecurity Interoperability Long Term Evolution (LTE) News NTIA/FirstNet Public Safety Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet Security State & Local Government System Design System Operation News

2 comments

  1. Avatar 98112 20th August 2017 @ 5:26 pm
    Reply

    FirstNet is a total monopoly
    FirstNet is a total monopoly in the making.

    The RFP was written specifically to discourage open participation and entrepreneurship . FirstNet destroyed normal competition and an open on-going market approach. It walks, talks, and smells like a total monopoly.

    The more I read about FirstNet the more I think it is a network in some other far away country. A secret process (out of the public eye and scrutiny) one exempt from any requests for information associated to FirstNet and its Acquisition process. A network built outside of the FAR requirements. A network with a long buy-in of 25 years from the user governments .
    Mr. Sambar sounded awfully afraid of competitors, and very reliant upon his closeness with his supposed to be handlers. FirstNet is an apologist for the A.T.&T solution whenever the need arises; by explaining away any contrary notions related to the NPSBN.

    FirstNet may fail and perhaps it should based on the conduct of the entire effort. By threatening and discouraging other carriers (under the guise of security within a one size fits all network) to continue to offer services, and participation in a national network is inexplicable even for FirstNet.

  2. Avatar GEtty514 4th November 2017 @ 12:52 am
    Reply

    Understanding the meaning of
    Understanding the meaning of “CORE” seems important in this discussion. Does one core mean a single 50,000 square ft building that houses transport, switching, and authentication equipment. Or is it a more loose meaning where there are several processors linked Heterogeneously within different regions in a switch like configuration. My points is the vulnerability of housing one core in one central location that can be destroyed by man or nature. So now we are getting into questions about resiliency and redundancy. One other thing,, If AT&T’s commercial network can connect to the private FirstNet core; then why can’t other carriers connect if they follow the same secure measures as AT&T. ??

Leave a comment Cancel reply

To leave a comment login with your Urgent Comms account:

Log in with your Urgent Comms account

Or alternatively provide your name, email address below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • AT&T exec discusses core-to-core interoperability, Verizon proposal, FirstNet differentiators
  • AT&T exec discusses core-to-core interoperability, Verizon proposal, FirstNet differentiators
  • AT&T exec discusses core-to-core interoperability, Verizon proposal, FirstNet differentiators
  • AT&T exec discusses core-to-core interoperability, Verizon proposal, FirstNet differentiators

Commentary


LTE and liability: Why the fire service must move forward with digital incident command

  • 2
6th May 2022

Partnership and collaboration must be the foundation for emergency communications

18th April 2022

FirstNet success means no hypothetical ‘shots’ need to be fired, Swenson says

22nd February 2022
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

Sesame Solar leverages mobile solar, hydrogen to power efforts beyond the grid dlvr.it/ST8m3K

1st July 2022
UrgentComm

Newscan: On front lines, communications breakdowns prove costly for Ukraine dlvr.it/ST7fnC

30th June 2022
UrgentComm

China-backed APT pwns building-automation systems with ProxyLogon dlvr.it/ST6q7m

30th June 2022
UrgentComm

Samsung fills its 2G hole in new challenge to Ericsson and Nokia dlvr.it/ST6hBK

30th June 2022
UrgentComm

Militarized drone swarms coming dlvr.it/ST6dNz

30th June 2022
UrgentComm

Take American City & County’s budgeting survey dlvr.it/ST6Yxb

30th June 2022
UrgentComm

Final cases made about Airwave, ESN, before CMA issues provisional decision on Motorola Solutions dlvr.it/ST4Q6X

29th June 2022
UrgentComm

Polaris Wireless: Manlio Allegra talks 911 Z-axis tech, future IoT opportunities dlvr.it/ST1384

28th June 2022

Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • Microwave/RF
  • T&D World
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X