News FirstNet launches ruthless-preemption functionality for ‘primary’ public-safety subscribers 12th December 2017 FirstNet public-safety subscribers in the “primary” user category—law enforcement, fire, EMS, 911 and emergency-management personnel—now have preemptive access across AT&T’s network, FirstNet and AT&T announced today.
Commentary Single core, singular priority: FirstNet policy helps protect public-safety communications 11th December 2017 FirstNet legislation took direct aim at unsuccessful past attempts at interoperability by mandating that the public-safety network be built to open, commercially available standards. A single FirstNet core ensures interoperability among the network-based applications that first responders will use to share voice, video and data.
News Missouri becomes 34th state to make FirstNet ‘opt-in’ announcement 11th December 2017 Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens announces that he has accepted the nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN) deployment plan offered by FirstNet and AT&T on behalf of his state, making Missouri the 34th state—not including two territories—to “opt-in” to the FirstNet system.
News Verizon skips California RFP bid, claims FirstNet, AT&T are ‘rigging the game’ 9th December 2017 Verizon reverses its public stance and does not bid on California’s procurement seeking an alternative vendor to FirstNet in a potential “opt-out” scenario, citing “onerous” mandates from FirstNet and claiming that FirstNet and contractor AT&T are “rigging the game to stifle true competition.”
News New Hampshire committee report outlines regulatory, financial risks associated with ‘opt-out’ decision 8th December 2017 New Hampshire should require that Rivada Networks—the state’s choice to build an alternative network to FirstNet–provide bonding or other financial assurances to protect the state from potential risks and penalties in an “opt-out” scenario, according to a report prepared by a state committee reviewing “opt-out” implications.
News New Hampshire becomes the first state to announce plans to pursue FirstNet ‘opt-out’ alternative 7th December 2017 New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu announces that his state will pursue the FirstNet “opt-out” alternative with Rivada Networks building and maintaining the LTE radio access network instead of AT&T, resulting in New Hampshire becoming the first state to make an “opt-out” announcement.
News New Hampshire committee conducts final meeting, preparing final report on FirstNet ‘opt-out’ risks for governor 6th December 2017 A New Hampshire committee tasked with assessing the various risks associated with the state pursuing a potential FirstNet “opt-out” scenario completed its deliberations on Tuesday, and a report of the committee’s findings—without a recommendation—will be delivered to Gov. Chris Sununu, who must make his decision by Dec. 28.
CritComm Insights: Ken Rehbehn discusses in-building coverage for public-safety communications 4th December 2017 Ken Rehbehn, founder and principal analyst for CritComm Insights, highlights some of the technical, financial and policy challenges associated with efforts to provide in-building coverage to first responders utilizing private LMR systems and public-safety LTE networks like FirstNet.
News FirstNet to play a ‘very, very significant’ role in AT&T plans for broadband, smart cities, IoT, exec says 1st December 2017 Public-safety communications is the focus of AT&T’s deployment of the FirstNet nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN), but the carrier giant also expects the initiative to generate key benefits in smart cities and other key growth areas beyond the first-responder community, according to an AT&T executive.
News Ohio becomes 33rd state to make FirstNet ‘opt-in’ announcement 30th November 2017 Ohio officials announce that the state has accepted the nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN) deployment plan offered by FirstNet and AT&T on behalf of his state, making Ohio the 33rd state—not including two territories—to “opt-in” to the FirstNet system.
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
