An announcement on who will fill the four current nonpermanent seats that will expire next week on the First Responder Network Authority’s (FirstNet) board is expected near the end of September. One of the 12 nonpermanent seats is also vacant.
Month: August 2017
ATIS Raises Concerns with WEA Proposals
The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions and its members have raised concerns with some wireless emergency alert (WEA) upgrade proposals being considered by the FCC.
In an ex parte filing in PS docket 15-91 reporting on a phone conversation with members of the FCC’s Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, ATIS said that its Wireless Technologies and Systems Committee “noted its concerns with the feasibility of the Commission’s proposed geo-targeting accuracy standard, which would require 100% of the targeted devices within the specified alert area to receive the alert with no more than 0.10-mile overshoot. ATIS does not believe that this standard is achievable based on existing cell site technology. Another technical issue that may prevent compliance with this standard is [the] fact that there in is no way to absolutely know a device’s location in all circumstances. For instance, the device’s location functionality may be turned off and, even if it is turned on, the location may not be accurate. Continue reading
Mirgon Behind New FirstNet Website
Dick Mirgon, a former public safety official, said today that he recently launched the new allthingsfirstnet.com website. He said the website is designed to promote the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), but he told TR Daily that FirstNet and AT&T, Inc., FirstNet’s network partner and one of Mr. Mirgon’s consulting clients, have no role in the website, including deciding what’s posted.
Among the features on the website is the weekly column of Andy Seybold, a wireless industry consultant and public safety advocate, who says he shares in ad revenue from the site. Unlike Mr. Mirgon, Mr. Seybold said he is not a consultant to AT&T or FirstNet. Mr. Mirgon stressed that the purpose of the website is not to offer objective journalism. He pointed to the stated objective of the site, which says, “Here at ‘All Things FirstNet’ our vision is simple – we are pro Public Safety and pro FirstNet. We firmly support the FirstNet mission, their partner and a single national, interoperable, broadband network solely dedicated to Public Safety users.”
Courtesy TRDaily
NARUC Urges BDAC Expansion, Proposes Three New Members
The National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners today urged the FCC to expand the membership of the Broadband Deployment Advisory Committee (BDAC) “to assure that crucialpublic safety, reliability, costs, and subsidy concerns are reflected in its final recommendations” and offered three NARUC members as potential members of an expanded BDAC.
In a letter to FCC Chairman Ajit Pai, NARUC President John Betkoski noted that only two BDAC members “represent State level government, two represent city governments, and one represents a tribal government. Among the 58 representatives participating in the working groups, the percentages are a bit worse with one NARUC and six local government representatives.” Mr. Betkoski added, “It is self-evident, that any recommendations will necessarily reflect the composition of the committee. A simple review of the current roster suggests the committee is heavily weighted in favor of those seeking attachments to poles. The concept for this committee was a good one, but the usefulness of any recommendations is likely to be undermined by this imbalance.” Continue reading
TRDaily Reports: NPSTC Disappointed with AT&T Public Safety Grade Statements
The National Public Safety Telecommunications Council released a statement today expressing disappointment in statements by AT&T, Inc., the First Responder Network Authority’s (FirstNet) network partner, that there is no consensus definition for public safety grade.
“NPSTC is disappointed that FirstNet’s commercial partner, AT&T, has on numerous occasions stated that it is not aware of a single agreed upon definition for public safety grade,” the federation said. “It is clearly apparent that numerous NPSTC-generated public safety broadband requirements submitted to the [FirstNet] PSAC [Public Safety Advisory Committee] have significantly influenced FirstNet’s RFP for which AT&T’s contract was awarded. Public safety stakeholders have spent thousands of hours developing broadband requirements and expect a public safety grade system. Public safety and the protection of our nation deserve no less. NPSTC continues to work on additional public safety broadband requirements as issues are identified. The public safety community expects FirstNet to listen to its needs and requirements, and ensure its partner strives to build the best public safety grade network possible. NPSTC is counting on FirstNet to hold AT&T accountable.”
NPSTC added, “It is important to understand FirstNet is unlikely to replace Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems in the foreseeable future. Public safety will not replace their LMR systems until they are assured the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) meets their requirements. It serves our nation to make sure that happens.”
The statement noted that NPSTC in 2014 released a 115-page report on the definition of public safety grade broadband systems (TR Daily, May 23, 2014), and last year the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials-International launched a process to create an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) standard for the definition of public safety grade. The standard is expected to be published next spring.
In response to NPSTC’s statement, AT&T said, “We fully recognize and acknowledge the great work public safety has done to build requirements around broadband for this community. It not only informed the RFP that FirstNet put forth, but it also informed the customized State Plans the states are now reviewing. So we want to be very clear here – the FirstNet network will meet the requirements set forth by FirstNet. We recognize that FirstNet, NPSTC and other public safety stakeholders and organizations like APCO will continue to work on and evolve requirements and standards. We’re hesitant to say that there is a complete definition set in stone. We look forward to working with FirstNet, NPSTC and public safety to continue to deliver services over a network designed for the unique needs of public safety.”
Meanwhile, Andy Seybold, a wireless industry consultant and safety advocate, said in his weekly commentary that he is concerned about Verizon Communications, Inc.’s announcement that it will build a public safety core network and offer priority access and preemption to public safety customers (TR Daily, Aug. 15), which would compete with AT&T’s FirstNet service.
“I have to say that as an early proponent of a nationwide … public safety broadband network that will provide full interoperability between all agencies regardless of where they are in the United States or its territories, I was really surprised and dismayed at Verizon’s attempt to hang on to a few million subscribers out of the 146 million it reported in April of this year, and its apparent lack of concern for creating more, not less, interoperability issues and challenges,” Mr. Seybold said. “This is especially when Verizon could not be bothered to bid on the FirstNet RFP, stating publicly at the time that it had little interest in low-band spectrum either with the 600-MHz auction or the FirstNet spectrum since it believed spectrum higher in frequency would be more useful for small cell or 5G technology, on which it seemed to be betting the farm.”- Paul Kirby, paul.kirby@wolterksluwer.com
Courtesy TRDaily
NPSTC Reacts to AT&T Comments Regarding Lack of a Public Safety Grade Definition
On May 22, 2014, sixteen national public safety related associations jointly published a detailed 115-page definition of public safety grade for broadband, “Defining Public Safety Grade Systems and Facilities, Final Report” under the banner of the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) (see: PS Grade Report). The report was submitted to the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) via its Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC).
In March 2016, the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International initiated a formal process to create an American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standard for this definition, beginning with public safety grade site and facility hardening. APCO anticipates the standard to be published Spring 2018.
NPSTC is disappointed that FirstNet’s commercial partner, AT&T, has on numerous occasions stated that it is not aware of a single agreed upon definition for public safety grade. It is clearly apparent that numerous NPSTC-generated public safety broadband requirements submitted to the PSAC have significantly influenced FirstNet’s RFP for which AT&T’s contract was awarded. Public safety stakeholders have spent thousands of hours developing broadband requirements and expect a public safety grade system. Public safety and the protection of our nation deserve no less.
NPSTC continues to work on additional public safety broadband requirements as issues are identified. The public safety community expects FirstNet to listen to its needs and requirements, and ensure its partner strives to build the best public safety grade network possible. NPSTC is counting on FirstNet to hold AT&T accountable.
It is important to understand FirstNet is unlikely to replace Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems in the foreseeable future. Public safety will not replace their LMR systems until they are assured the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) meets their requirements. It serves our nation to make sure that happens.
National 911 Program Partners with NASNA on New Resource on NG9-1-1 and FirstNet
The National 911 Program and the National Association of State 911 Administrators (NASNA) have created a 16-page brochure NG911 & FirstNet Guide for State and Local Authorities to help local authorities understand the difference between NG 9-1-1 and FirstNet as decisions are made about the future of emergency communications.
“It is imperative to the 9-1-1 community, first responders and the public that these two systems work together seamlessly,” said Laurie Flaherty, coordinator of the National 911 Program. “They are two parts of the whole, and are both critical in bringing 9-1-1 into the digital age.”
Nevada Latest State to Opt In to FirstNet
Nevada became the 15th state or territory today to opt in to the First Responder Network Authority. “Public safety is of the highest concern,” said Nevada Gov. Brian Sandoval (R.). “Increasing the safety of our residents, visitors and first responders through FirstNet was the right choice. From volunteer emergency responders in rural communities to those on the front lines in populous areas, our public safety community deserves access to the cutting-edge technologies they need to get the job done.”
“Governor Sandoval’s decision to join FirstNet demonstrates his strong commitment to public safety,” said FirstNet Chief Executive Officer Mike Poth. “This decision puts 21st century technology over a modern, broadband platform in the hands of the state’s first responders, giving them access to the speed, bandwidth and priority services they need. FirstNet looks forward to continued efforts with public safety to ensure this network is built to meet their unique needs across the state – from remote locales to populous cities.” Continue reading
Public Safety Reps Criticize AT&T’s FirstNet Offerings
DENVER – Public safety representatives at the APCO 2017 show here yesterday afternoon expressed skepticism about AT&T, Inc.’s offerings as the network partner of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). During a session on state plans, a representative from Washington state said that the rural coverage promised by AT&T “is exceedingly optimistic.” He asked how states that want to opt out of having AT&T build their radio access network (RAN) can compete with the FirstNet state plan when seeking approval for an alternative state plan if the FirstNet plan doesn’t have realistic deployment scenarios.
“How do you compare fiction with fiction?” he asked officials from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration, which is charged with reviewing alternative state plans for authority to secure a spectrum capacity lease agreement with FirstNet and for grant eligibility.
Marsha MacBride, NTIA’s associate administrator-Office of Public Safety Communications, said that NTIA will look at technical and budgeting provisions in alternative state plans to see if promised coverage can realistically be achieved, just as FirstNet will monitor AT&T to ensure that it meets its obligations under its 25-year contract with FirstNet. Continue reading
Andy Seybold’s Public Safety Advocate, August 17, 2017
FirstNet or SecondNet? The Middle-Class Tax Relief Act of 2012 in the section known as Title VI created FirstNet and set out the rules for building a nationwide public safety broadband network and a public-private partnership in order to build the In 2012, Congress passed and the then President of the United States signed into law the Middle-Class network using mostly private rather than federal funding. After five long years, FirstNet issued a Request for Proposal (RFP) and three companies submitted proposals (Verizon Wireless was not one of these). After much deliberation and after two of the three companies were disqualified, the contract was awarded to AT&T.
This past week, Verizon came out of hibernation and declared it will also be building out a nationwide public safety broadband network with all the elements of a network with access to the FirstNet spectrum known as Band 14 (or as some old timers call it, the D Block) which is licensed by the FCC to FirstNet. This new Verizon “Public Safety Grade” network will include pre-emption for first responders on the Verizon LTE network and a Public Safety Evolved Packet Core (EPC) that will be separate from the current Verizon back-end system.
So now we have the approved FirstNet partnership with AT&T moving forward and the sleeping giant has suddenly awakened, looked around, and raised its hand. I have to say that as an early proponent of a nationwide a public safety broadband network that will provide full interoperability between all agencies regardless of where they are in the United States or its territories, I was really surprised and dismayed at Verizon’s attempt to hang on to a few million subscribers out of the 146 million it reported in April of this year, and its apparent lack of concern for creating more, not less, interoperability issues and challenges.
This is especially when Verizon could not be bothered to bid on the FirstNet RFP, stating publicly at the time that it had little interest in low-band spectrum either with the 600-MHz auction or the FirstNet spectrum since it believed spectrum higher in frequency would be more useful for small cell or 5G technology, on which it seemed to be betting the farm. Read the Full Blog Here Continue reading
National Public Safety Telecommunications Council 