As states test waters, AT&T hopes to catch all with FirstNet

States have started exploring alternatives to the $40-billion nationwide first responder network in the works by AT&T, but the Dallas telco has no interest in letting them wiggle away.

While state suitors push to make the opt-out process easier, AT&T is arguing to maintain standards it says are stringent for a reason, to protect the “enormously high stakes” of the issue at hand, according to a Federal Communication Commission filing. The opt out procedures are set to go before the FCC at its June open meeting, and AT&T and FirstNet will present their draft plans to the states around June 19.

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