Regional Coordination

NTIA releases second phase of planning grants as FirstNet identifies data for states to collect

• 24th March 2015

States and territories can use $58 million in planning grants from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to gather data in their jurisdictions regarding their first responders’ needs for coverage, capacity and other key functionalities from FirstNet’s nationwide public-safety broadband network, NTIA and FirstNet announce.

FirstNet’s Swenson to Congress: Final RFP due this year, ‘we should be shot’ if 2022 goal not met

• 11th March 2015

FirstNet Chairwoman Sue Swenson testifies before the Senate Commerce Committee that FirstNet plans to issue its final request for proposal (RFP) by the end of this year and that “we should be shot” if the much-anticipated nationwide broadband network for first responders is not operational by 2022.

FirstNet board initiates public-notice proceeding on relationship with ‘opt-out’ states

• 9th March 2015

FirstNet board members approve a public notice that seeks input on FirstNet’s relationship with states and territories that choose the “opt-out” option, including how revenues generated by opt-out states can be used. Policies associated with these topics could have a significant impact on FirstNet’s efforts to establish a business model that ensures long-term sustainability, according to FirstNet Chairwoman Sue Swenson.

How to make multi-agency collaboration a reality in a FirstNet world

• 3rd March 2015

A fundamental goal of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) is to enable multimedia communication and collaboration between all first-responder agencies, which is a challenging task. The good news is that numerous advanced technologies are available today to help deliver on the promise of secure, seamless multi-agency collaboration.

LA-RICS LTE project shrinks as cities opt out, refuse to approve sites

• 13th February 2015

With its public-safety LTE system scheduled for completion in six months, the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System Authority (LA-RICS) has seen the scope of the deployment shrink as some member cities have opted out of the project or refused to approve sites, according to LA-RICS Executive Director Patrick Mallon.

PDV’s 900 MHz LMR-to-broadband proposal could be crossroads for critical-infrastructure comms

• 15th January 2015

Utilities and critical-infrastructure entities should embrace the notion of the Pacific DataVision (PDV) offering to provide broadband services to such users, if technical issues are addressed and the prioritization commitments are made. At this junction, these critical-infrastructure groups need as many broadband options as possible.

Vendor team outlines features of all-deployable public-safety LTE network for state of New Jersey

• 12th January 2015

First responders in three regions of New Jersey later this year are expected to utilize a new dedicated public-safety LTE network comprised entirely of deployable infrastructure operating on 700 MHz Band 14 spectrum licensed to FirstNet, according to officials for the vendors building the network.

Taller deployable towers could provide a ‘light at the end of the fiber’ for disaster response

• 6th January 2015

Development of deployable towers that are taller than 500 feet would be very useful in the aftermath of disasters such as Hurricane Katrina, where the entire local communications infrastructure is unavailable.

Dialogue on prioritization, preemption, other meaningful response operations needed to make FirstNet goals a reality

• 4th December 2014

It would be a shame to have FirstNet build a public-safety broadband system, only to find that first responders were not prepared to use it operationally. The good news is that the much-needed dialog about prioritization, preemption and other key operational issues appears to be getting started in earnest.

Top 5 stories: Week of Nov. 24 to 28

• 2nd December 2014