Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet

News

BayRICS, Motorola Solutions considering possible FirstNet agreement

Directors for the Bay Area Regional Interoperable Communications Systems Authority (BayRICS) on Thursday are scheduled to consider a modified agreement with Motorola Solutions regarding the deployment of a private LTE network for San Francisco-area first responders, as part of a spectrum-lease agreement with FirstNet.

Commentary

Congress unwittingly created FirstNet e-mail mess, and needs to fix it

At the heart of the controversy surrounding efforts to release FirstNet board member Paul Fitzgerald’s e-mails related to the deployment of a nationwide broadband network for first responders is an apparent discrepancy in the law Congress passed that created FirstNet. Given this, federal lawmakers should revisit the matter and clarify their intent, so FirstNet can proceed with its mission.

News

LA-RICS gets two bidders for public-safety LTE project

Entity declines to name the bidders for 232-site project that will leverage both Project 25 and LTE technology; negotiations are expected to begin by the end of November.

News

FirstNet hires telecom veteran Seybold as a contractor

Long-time public-safety supporter says team that FirstNet General Manager Bill D’Agostino has put together is “top-notch.”

News

Fitzgerald cites confidential nature of e-mails in legal declaration

On at least two occasions, information was provided under non-disclosure agreements, Fitzgerald says, adding that others shared information openly only because believed that the e-mails would be kept confidential. Story County, Iowa, wants to release the e-mails under its open-records law, but FirstNet Secretary Uzoma Onyeije maintains that exposing the e-mails publicly would have a “chilling effect” on future communications among board members.

Commentary

Fitzgerald-FirstNet saga generates many questions, few answers

Chief among them: Why did Fitzgerald–after being instructed by the Story County board of supervisors not to do so–release to the federal government FirstNet related e-mails before releasing them to the media outlet that had made an open-records request under Iowa state law?

News

Boniface named to FirstNet board

Veteran private-equity investor and telecom investor Barry Boniface will fill the slot vacated by Bill Keever; while in telecom, Boniface was involved in several of the sector’s largest mergers, including BellSouth/AT&T, Cingular Wireless/AT&T Wireless and Sprint/Clearwire.

News

FCC approves rules for FirstNet spectrum

Commission action paves the way for certification of devices that will operate in the Band 14 700 MHz spectrum that public safety’s nationwide broadband communications network will utilize.

News

Fitzgerald released e-mails contrary to his county’s directives, filing says

Story County, Iowa, criticizes efforts to block public release of FirstNet e-mails, and calls the federal government’s position that FirstNet-oriented documents are protected from open-disclosure laws “unconstitutional.”

Commentary

Ginn makes the right call by reaching out to DOC inspector general

It’s wise that FirstNet Chairman Sam Ginn’s decided to have the U.S. Department of Commerce inspector general investigate Paul Fitzgerald’s allegations of ethical misconduct. Public-safety officials won’t join this network if they don’t trust FirstNet—and they’re not going to trust FirstNet, if they think Fitzgerald’s allegations were swept under the rug by an internal investigation.

News

BayRICS, Motorola Solutions considering possible FirstNet agreement

Commentary

Congress unwittingly created FirstNet e-mail mess, and needs to fix it

News

LA-RICS gets two bidders for public-safety LTE project

News

FirstNet hires telecom veteran Seybold as a contractor

News

Fitzgerald cites confidential nature of e-mails in legal declaration

Commentary

Fitzgerald-FirstNet saga generates many questions, few answers

News

Boniface named to FirstNet board

News

FCC approves rules for FirstNet spectrum

News

Fitzgerald released e-mails contrary to his county’s directives, filing says

Commentary

Ginn makes the right call by reaching out to DOC inspector general

Commentary

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