Product EMS: Kevin McGinnis describes broadband effect on rural-patient treatment, impact of new ET3 model 28th August 2019 Kevin McGinnis, former FirstNet Authority board member, member of the Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) and program manager for the National Association of State EMS Officials, explains how the development of broadband services like FirstNet and the Emergency Triage, Treat and Transport (ET3) payment model being piloted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid […]
News Verizon optimistic about position in the public-safety marketplace, company exec says 20th August 2019 Verizon’s public-safety and public-sector business continues to grow, despite increased competition in the marketplace for government users from providers like FirstNet, built by AT&T, according to a Verizon executive. Mike Maiorana, senior vice president for Verizon’s public-sector unit, expressed optimism about the outlook for Verizon’s public-safety business, both in terms of present-day contracts and a […]
News FirstNet Authority board approves FY 2020 budget with $145.1 million for reinvestment 16th August 2019 FirstNet Authority board members yesterday unanimously approved the organization’s $309.3 million budget for fiscal year 2020, which includes $145.1 million for reinvestment into the FirstNet system—a figure bolstered by a one-time transfer of $46 million from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Board members approved the budget just two days after FirstNet Authority Chairman […]
News Public-safety T-Band systems face uncertain future, although hopes for successful auction appear slim 15th August 2019 BALTIMORE—Public-safety LMR licensees operating on T-Band spectrum continue to face uncertainty, even as a federally mandated deadline requiring the FCC to begin a process to auction these airwaves is just 18 months away, according to an FCC official. Conducting a T-Band auction would be contrary to the recommendation of the General Accounting Office (GAO), which […]
News Plans for FirstNet MCPTT unveiling ‘all on track,’ AT&T’s Sambar says 14th August 2019 BALTIMORE—AT&T testing of 3GPP-compliant mission-critical-push-to-talk (MCPTT) technology is “going really well” and the carrier plans to offer the service later this year from multiple providers that will be announced separately, according to an AT&T executive. Earlier this year, AT&T stated that FirstNet users will be able to subscribe to MCPTT services from multiple vendors that […]
News FirstNet Authority releases initial investment Roadmap at APCO 2019 13th August 2019 BALTIMORE—FirstNet Authority board Chairman Ed Horowitz today announced the release of the new Roadmap that is designed to guide the organization’s investment decisions to evolve the FirstNet public-safety broadband network being built by AT&T. Horowitz made the announcement during a speech during a breakfast gathering at the APCO 2019 event, noting that the end product […]
News AT&T, Assured Wireless developing high-powered user equipment (HPUE) to extend effective FirstNet coverage 13th August 2019 BALTIMORE—FirstNet users soon may be able use high-power user equipment (HPUE) on 700 MHz Band 14 spectrum that is expected to extend the effective range from a cell site by 80% triple the effective coverage area and enhance in-building coverage—characteristics that AT&T’s FirstNet leader calls a “game changer.” Chris Sambar, AT&T’s senior vice president for […]
News FirstNet deployment passes 65% threshold, connections top 750,000 for almost 9,000 agencies, AT&T says 13th August 2019 Planned FirstNet deployment on 700 MHz Band 14 spectrum is more than 65% complete, and the nationwide public-safety broadband network is providing more than 750,000 connections to almost 9,000 public-safety agencies, according to the AT&T official leading the carrier’s FirstNet initiative. Chris Sambar, AT&T’s senior vice president for the FirstNet program, said that the carrier […]
Video AT&T: Fred Scalera, Ryan Burchnell highlight FirstNet subscribers’ increased use of deployables 13th August 2019 Fred Scalera (left) and Ryan Burchnell of FIrstNet, Built by AT&T, outline the increased demand for deployable LTE coverage this year by FirstNet subscribers, who can request such communications support at no additional cost. Scalera and Burchnell spoke to IWCE’s Urgent Communications Editor Donny Jackson during the APCO 2019 event in Baltimore.
News FirstNet Authority set to unveil investment roadmap within weeks, officials say 12th August 2019 BALTIMORE—By the end of this month, the FirstNet Authority hopes to release the initial roadmap outlining organizational priorities for investing potentially more than $15 billion into the FirstNet nationwide public-safety broadband system being built by AT&T, FirstNet Authority officials said yesterday. Jeremy Zollo, FirstNet Authority executive director for enterprise strategy, said that FirstNet Authority officials […]
Latest 3GPP standards-development work includes new classes of HPUE, progress on mission-critical services 1 22nd April 2024
Is LMR the best solution for first responders? Should 4.9 GHz license go to the FirstNet Authority? 3 24th March 2024
Video Check out key takeaways from Disaster Management Symposium webinars, register to view archives Video: Opening of the Expo Hall on day three of IWCE 2023 Lynk CEO Charles Miller: The sky’s the limit
