Morgan O’Brien reflects on dismissed bid for nationwide FirstNet contract, potential for public safety

The long view generally is better than the short, and in this instance, I look past today’s disappointment and trust that the goals and objectives we have set for ourselves at pdvWireless will cause us to intersect with FirstNet and its broadband network sometime in the future. Having educated ourselves about the many wonders of LTE, we can imagine applications and devices that our target customers in critical infrastructure may share in common with public safety.

Finally, and most importantly for healing, I ask myself the obvious question: Knowing what I know now, would I still recommend that we make the same decision to bid on this contract? My answer is yes and without reservation.

Our proposal was bold, innovative and one of the best projects I have worked on in my career. My faith that our participation may ultimately serve to elevate the final outcome for public safety helps ease the sense of loss. Congress has made a big bet on the principle that government and the private sector can work together to create something that neither could do alone. Because it is new and because it is daring, this concept brings out the destructive antibodies that are always ready to attack and negate. I will not get the chance personally to prove such thinking wrong and to validate the sound logic of a public/private partnership, but I look forward to staying tuned to this channel for updates on solid progress towards the vital mission that is FirstNet.

I don’t agree with Vince Lombardi that winning is the only thing. Sometimes the pursuit is reward in itself.