Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet

FirstNet board approves release of draft RFP, ‘public-safety entity’ definition proceeding

• 24th April 2015

FirstNet board members today voted unanimously to release a special notice regarding its much-anticipated draft request for proposal (RFP), which will initiate a 90-day proceeding designed to provide FirstNet with the feedback from industry and public safety that is needed to issue a final RFP by the end of the year.

Board members met via teleconference today after declining to consider the RFP proposed to the board at last month’s meeting. FirstNet Chairwoman Sue Swenson thanked the FirstNet staff for its efforts in revising the massive document.

Go, or No Go? New LA-RICS public-safety LTE plan gives NTIA, FirstNet a lot to consider

• 23rd April 2015

There has been no decision yet from NTIA about the fate of the LA-RICS public-safety LTE project. That’s understandable, because there are a lot of factors to consider.

Motorola Solutions: Alan Conrad demonstrates prototype handheld LTE eNodeB/EPC, drone application

• 23rd April 2015

Alan Conrad, distinguished member of the technical staff in the chief technology office of Motorola Solutions, demonstrates the capabilities of a prototype LTE eNodeB/evolved packet core (EPC) that could be used in a terrestial setting—or an aerial drone—to provide public-safety users with LTE coverage in locations not covered by a fixed LTE network like FirstNet, or to enhance capacity in an incident area.

FirstNet board to consider draft RFP, ‘public-safety-entity’ notice during special meeting on Friday

• 21st April 2015

FirstNet board members will conduct a special teleconference meeting on Friday, when they are expected to consider approving the FirstNet’s much-anticipated draft request for proposal (RFP), according to a FirstNet official. In addition, the board will consider issuing a follow-up public notice to get more input about who should qualify as a “public-safety entity” that can get priority access to FirstNet’s nationwide public-safety broadband network.

LA City Council approves police sites for new LA-RICS LTE plan, expects NTIA approval

• 18th April 2015

Los Angeles City Council votes to approve the use of 19 city-owned police stations as the location of cell sites for the amended Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS) public-safety LTE proposal. The National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) is expected to restart the project—suspended by NTIA since April 3—next week, according to the approved special motion.

FirstNet conducts initial in-person meeting with single points of contact (SPOCs) from states, territories

• 16th April 2015

FirstNet conducts its first in-person meeting with the single points of contact (SPOCs) from throughout the nation, and the feedback was great enough that another such event could be planned for the latter part of this year, according to FirstNet Acting Executive Director TJ Kennedy.

LA County board approves revised LA-RICS public-safety LTE proposal

• 15th April 2015

Los Angeles County board supervisors approve a 63-site “corrective action plan” (CAP) that Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS) officials have proposed to revive the suspended public-safety LTE project. LA-RICS has submitted the plan to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) for approval.

LA-RICS board considering alternative public-safety LTE proposal to be submitted to NTIA

• 10th April 2015

Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS) board members this weekend will review a new proposal for a public-safety LTE system, so the revised plan can be submitted to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) on Monday, according to an LA-RICS official.

Swenson says LA-RICS providing FirstNet with valuable lessons about outreach, infrastructure sharing

• 9th April 2015

As the saga surrounding the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS) public-safety LTE deployment unfolds, FirstNet officials are learning a great deal about the importance of outreach and limitations associated with infrastructure sharing, according to FirstNet Chairwoman Sue Swenson.

Global Wireless Technologies: David Gross discusses new Mobile Radio Node, deployable FirstNet strategy

• 9th April 2015

David Gross, director of product marketing for Global Wireless Technologies (GWT), discusses the company’s philosophy behind deployable public-safety communications and the Band 14 Mobile Radio Node, which is being announced today and should be commercially available late this year. About the size of a notepad, the Mobile Radio Node features a configurable lite Evolved Packet Core (EPC), a commercial-grade router, configurable LTE and Wi-Fi radios, and optional in-band LTE backhaul.