National Public-Safety Network, FirstNet, Unveils Its Boulder Equipment Lab
The role of the Boulder lab is to test all the applications and devices that will be offered on FirstNet to “ensure they’re going to work when we need them,”…
Articles by Editorial Staff
Sheriff Says Public Safety Compromised During Phone Outage
“I personally attempted numerous calls to 911 with my Verizon phone, and at no time was I able to connect to 911, Chaffee County Communications Center, nor did the calls…
FirstNet Board Approves FY18 Budget for Continued Progress on Network Implementation, Innovation, Public Safety Advocacy
BOULDER, CO– The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board today approved its Fiscal Year 2018 (FY18) budget of $73.5 million, with continued focus on funding the deployment, operation, and oversight…
Verizon Exec Shares Carrier’s FirstNet Interop Goals, Band 14 Device Plans, Why It Did Not Bid Against AT&T
Verizon hopes its planned public-safety network and applications will interoperate with the FirstNet system—even committing to including FirstNet 700 MHz Band 14 operations in Verizon devices—to give public safety a…
FirstNet recognizes FEMA’s National Preparedness Month in September
Reliable, Broadband Communications are Essential for Emergency Management FirstNet, in partnership with its network provider, ATT, will give first responders a powerful band of spectrum to boost capacity along with…
Verizon Dropping Rural Montanans Could Affect Emergency Services
In rural Montana, where you and your neighbors are your own first responders come fire, flood or heart attack, being dropped as a customer by Verizon Wireless could have serious…
FirstNet To Release ‘Official’ State Plans Next Week To Most States, Territories
FirstNet will distribute its final state plans—described as “official” state plans—next week to governors in most states and territories, which will start the statutory 90-day process for these governors to…
AT&T Fires Warning Shot Vs. Verizon On FirstNet Contract
Rival networks “need to be fully interoperable with the AT&T core — fully interoperable,” so that emergency personnel do not encounter problems. AT&T (T) warned Tuesday that any states opting…
Verizon. It’s Not the Solution It’s the Problem. (Part 1)
By Richard Mirgon, Public Safety Consultant As a Verizon 911 customer for many years in the late 90’s and early 2000 they provided very good service. That ended when…
AT&T’s Sambar Apologizes To NPSTC, Describes Core-to-Core Interoperability As A ‘Slippery Slope’
AT&T not only is committed to meeting the public-safety-grade requirements stipulated by FirstNet, but it also is committing to an “ongoing dialog” with organizations like NPSTC and with states, which…
FirstNet Crucial to Georgia’s Public Safety
Opting in would put advanced tools into the hands of Georgia’s public safety community, allowing it to be better prepared for any event, whether small or large. By Ed Davis, former…
‘I Love It When a Plan Comes Together’
“I love it when a plan comes together” — kind of like what the folks at AT&T Wireless are probably thinking these days. By Lawrence R. Krevor Some of us…
AND THEN THERE WERE 20
With 20 of the 56 U.S. states and territories having made “opt-in” decisions, FirstNet has received “opt-in” notification from 35.7% of all governors. Nebraska has accepted the nationwide public-safety broadband…
Puerto Rico Governor Rosselló Approves Buildout Plan for First Responder Network
“We are convinced that improving the communication between the components of public safety will be for the betterment of the people of Puerto Rico.” AN JUAN, Puerto Rico, Aug. 31,…
Tennessee Governor Haslam Approves Buildout Plan for First Responder Network
Governor Haslam’s decision will help deliver innovation and interoperability to emergency personnel across Tennessee’s diverse landscape – including its rural, mountainous and remote areas, as well as federal lands. FirstNet…