There was a lot of news covering many different subjects this past two weeks. Most important for Public Safety is all of the activity surrounding the FirstNet Board of Directors meeting and the information that was released during the public committee and then Public Board Meeting. Since I was not able to attend either, and was not able to watch the proceedings in real time on the web, I will comment on only what I saw during the video replay and from what I have heard since the events this week.
First was the appointment of Sue Swenson as the new Chairman of the FirstNet Board. Sue is an industry veteran who has served on the board since the beginning. She was deeply involved in the FirstNet/BTOP grant discussions that led up to allowing some but not all of the BTOP grant recipients to move forward. While she comes from the commercial side of the industry she has earned the respect of many within the Public Safety community and is looked upon as someone who cares about getting FirstNet up and running and getting it done the right way the first time around. I, for one, am very pleased with this appointment.
The news is mostly positive for FirstNet this time around. Public Safety really wants this to happen and even though there have been too many delays based on Federal bureaucratic imposed limitations as to the true power of the BOD when it comes to hiring, firing, and running the business, the Public Safety community, for the most part, still wants to see it succeed. If FirstNet had been a private corporation or if those at the Department of Commerce/NTIA had interpreted its Congressional mandate differently we would no doubt be much further down the road. In the business world, hiring full-time employees, vetting them, and bringing them onboard is a 2-4 week process in most cases. Bringing a consultant onboard takes even less time, and having preliminary discussions with potential vendors is the norm, not having to go through an extended Request for Information (RFI) process.
The problem with the RFI process is that since it is a public filing those responding won’t truly provide real, concrete information because their competitors will be privy to the contents. So for better or worse, we are saddled with a system where the “company” running the project, designing it, building it or having it built, and then managing it is not the organization that has the final say in what actually happens. I have to remain confident that these issues will be resolved, but I can tell you that if FirstNet was truly an independent company there would be “sticks in the ground,” partnerships signed and onboard, and equipment in the field ready for deployment. No private investors or stockholders who paid for stock would sit still for this long without seeing any tangible results or income stream.
In other news, the NPSTC Public Safety Grade Document (http://www.npstc.org/download.jsp?tableId=37&column=217&id=3070&file=NPSTC_Press_Release_140522_newer.pdf), which is now public, is an important document. When I was a vice-chair of the APCO Broadband Committee we provided the communications site portion of the document to NPSTC and worked many long, hard hours. Joe Ross of Televate and I co-Chaired this task but many others including the Broadband Committee Chairman, Bill Schrier, and the entire committee invested hundreds of hours of time on this one segment of the report. We knew from the start that many existing Public Safety sites did not meet the “mission-critical” requirements set forth in the document but we hoped, and continue to hope, that it will be reviewed not only by the FirstNet Public Safety Advisory Council and FirstNet but that many local organizations would read it and at least perform an initial assessment of their own Public Safety sites, perhaps over time making some changes to bring them closer into compliance.
We are using this document in my County to evaluate our existing sites and as we add new sites to the Public Safety systems. Not in the news but important for First Responders, and MORE important for those building communications systems for First Responders, it should be noted that sometimes the incidents are so quick and so fast that what you have available to you is what you have period. Here in Santa Barbara during the Isla Vista incident the entire rampage (after the murders inside the apartment) took only 8 minutes. During that time, 12 crime scenes developed, 50 rounds of ammunition were fired, and two people were run down by the shooter’s car. There was no time to establish an Incident Command system, no time for planning, no time for a master communications plan, no attempt to bring in cells on wheels, portable repeaters, or a command vehicle. Everything was over in a short 8 minutes! Have a great weekend, Andy
FirstNet Moves Forward on Strategic Program Roadmap in Open Board Meeting – FirstNet via Google AlertsJun 4 05:57The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board today took a …
Seasoned telecom executive appointed to helm FirstNet board – Fierce Mobile Government via Google Alerts Jun 3 22:55 Sue Swenson, a longtime former telecommunications and technology executive, was recently tapped to head the First Responder Network Authority, … [Editor’s Note (Andrew Seybold): Congrats to Sue—and the Public Safety!]
FirstNet’s Swenson gets her chance to bring public safety back into the fold – Tech Investor News via Google Alerts Jun 2 15:18 Two years into its existence, the First Responders Network Authority has undergone a change in leadership, with a former telecom executive taking …
Intrado and the Adams County Communications Center Partner for FirstNet Demonstration – Business Wire Jun 5 18:10 LONGMONT, Colo.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Intrado, a leading provider of 9-1-1 technology solutions and a subsidiary of West Corporation, today announced that it will be an integral part of the Adams County Communications Center (ADCOM) June 6 FirstNet Public Safety Broadband Network demonstration event. ADCOM and Intrado will use the capabilities of Intrado’s mobile communications and command center, THOR Shield, to provide a unique environment to demonstrate the integration of the broadband LTE techn
FirstNet vexed by shifts in public-safety LTE standards-setting – Zaacom via Google Alerts Jun 5 01:08 After the meeting, McGinnis told IWCE’s Urgent Communications that he did not know …
FirstNet extends olive branch to industry vendors – Urgent Communications via Google Alerts Jun 4 16:02 … Tower & Site · Tracking, Monitoring & Control · Video · Wireless Networks …
FirstNet approves management structure of key committee, environment impact process – Fierce Mobile Government via Google Alerts Jun 4 15:02 The board of the First Responder Network Authority, or FirstNet, approved the management structure of the Public Safety Advisory Committee, which is …
FCC chairman: Google Fiber offers lessons – xmlpush Jun 4 12:55 The feds can learn from Google Fiber, Federal Communication Commission Chairman Tom Wheeler said. During a recent congressional hearing Wheeler argued that the FCC should offer more clarity regarding its broadband regulations to curb investment barriers. A private sector model the commission could adopt, he said, would be Google Fiber’s methodical expansion into new markets. Google has developed a checklist for cities that want to participate in their Google Fiber project of steps that…
Comment Requested on NPSTC Petition for Railroad Access to Public-Safety Frequencies – MissionCritical Communications, Radio Resource International, and Public Safety Report … via Google Alerts Jun 4 07:56 The FCC requested comment on a petition for rulemaking filed by the National Public Safety Telecommunications Council (NPSTC) that asks the …
FCC Workshop on GPS will Focus on Critical Infrastructure and Public Safety – MissionCritical Communications, Radio Resource International, and Public Safety Report … via Google Alerts Jun 4 07:56 MissionCritical Communications, RadioResource International and RRMediaGroup.com – the leading information resource for the mission critical …
NPSTC Thanks APCO for Excellent Site Hardening Section in PSG Publication – Noodls via Google Alerts Jun 4 00:57 The Association of Public Safety Communications Officials – International (APCO’s) Broadband Committee, through a working group, researched and …
FirstNet Board – FirstNet via Google Alerts Jun 2 15:27 … committed to making the nationwide public safety broadband network a success. The FirstNet Board was established as part of the Middle Class Tax …
Adams County, Colo., to demonstrate first phase of its FirstNet LTE system on June 6 – Urgent Communications via Google Alerts Jun 2 14:46 With the 9/11 Museum recently opening in New York City, it reminded those of us in the public-safety communications world of the on-scene …
The FCC may finally admit that 4Mbps doesn’t count as ‘broadband’ anymore – Boy Genius Report May 31 13:45 When companies like Comcast talk about all of the intense “competition” they face in the broadband market, changes are they’re talking either about competition from mobile carriers that have capped data plans or from 5Mbps DSL services that are no longer adequate to meet our needs in the age of Netflix streaming. However, The Washington Post reports that the Federal Communications Commission is finally looking into changing its antiquated definition of broadband, which now stands at any Internet service that delivers download speeds of 4Mbps or higher. Apparently the FCC is planning to solicit public comments soon about whether the…
Simon Fraser University: LTE Band 14 Deployable – Contacto Latino via Google Alerts Jun 5 11:58 SFU has recently acquired Star Solutions’ IMPAC product, a band 14 LTE all-in-one …
Public Safety Bureau Weekly Market-Based Accepted for Filing, 6/4/2014 – FCC via Google Alerts Jun 5 11:00 a a a High Contrast Translate · Federal Communications Commission …
NTIA Seeks Comment on Big Data and the Consumer Privacy Bill of Rights – World News via Google Alerts Jun 5 09:27 Source: NTIA – National Telecommunications and Information Administration) WASHINGTON – The U.S. Commerce Department’s National …
FirstNet Committees – FloridaNet via Google Alerts Jun 5 09:26 WESTMINSTER, COLO – The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) …
NICE Inform Wins 2012 Hot Products Award from APCO Public Safety Communications Magazine – NICE Systems via Google Alerts Jun 5 01:08 22 Zarhin Street P.O. Box 690, Ra’anana 43107, Israel. NICE Solutions Help Secure the World’s Largest Soccer Tournament, Taking Place in. Brazil.
Public Safety Bureau, Transactions Accepted for Filing, 06/04/14 – FCC via Google Alerts Jun 4 15:00 PUBLIC NOTICE. Federal Communications Commission. News Media Information 202 / 418-0500. th 445 12. St., S.W.. Internet: http://www.fcc.gov.
TechnologyAnite, Elektrobit Partner on Public-Safety LTE Band 14 Drive Test – MissionCritical Communications, Radio Resource International, and Public Safety Report … via Google Alerts Jun 4 09:59 Anite, a global leader in wireless network testing technology, and Elektrobit (EB), a company specialized in demanding embedded software and …
Spectrum Proposals Leave Broadcasters, Wireless Mics Vulnerable – 4rfv.COM via Google Alerts Jun 3 22:58 WASHINGTON–The FCC holds the future of both broadcasting and broadband firmly in its hand but with the release of the Spectrum Incentive Auction …
CalAmp Launches Fusion-LTE 4G Broadband Router Platform for European Public Safety … – wn.com via Google Alerts Jun 3 17:59 Verizon Wireless New HomeFusion Broadband with 4G LTE Network …
Building on the Community Broadband Momentum (NTIA – National Telecommunications and … – wn.com via Google Alerts Jun 3 13:01 … NTIA – National Telecommunications and Information Administration) May …
XG Technology Inc (NASDAQ:XGTI): On An Innovational Spree – US Trade Media via Google Alerts Jun 2 15:22 XG Technology Inc (NASDAQ:XGTI) have also narrowed down other markets including police, security, and wireless broadband to expand its services …
Commdex and APCO International Partner for Upcoming Public Safety Conference & Expo – TMCnet via Google Alerts Jun 2 14:45 “We look forward to bringing together the many leaders in public safety for a …
Report: The FCC May Redefine What Counts as Broadband – CIO Jun 1 17:00 Not all DSL or cable Internet connections count as broadband, and new FCC rules may tighten the definition.
House Republican Efforts To Curb FCC Authority Mirror Cable Industry Lobbying – TechCrunch May 31 08:23 A bill introduced to the House of Representatives on Wednesday evening by Rep. Bob Latta would “limit” the FCC’s ability to regulate the telecom industry by prohibiting it from classifying broadband as a public utility under Title II of the Communications Act. Latta’s argument against regulating broadband as a public utility is that it would create…
Proposed law would bar FCC from treating broadband as a utility – Gigaom May 30 11:55 Internet providers operate a service that is very much like a utility, but now a Republican Congressman wants to pass a law ordering the FCC to say they are not utilities.
Vice chair promoted to top spot at FirstNet – Federal Computer Week May 29 15:36 Longtime telecom exec Sue Swenson replaces Sam Ginn at the agency leading an effort to build a nationwide, interoperable public safety mobile broadband communications network.
FCC Might Force Broadband Providers to Up Their Game – Atlanta Journal-Constitution May 30 18:30 FCC Might Force Broadband Providers to Up Their Game
Congressman Protests FCC Attempt to ‘Heap 80 Years of Regulatory Baggage’ on Broadband – Phone+ May 30 06:30 Bob Latta this week introduced a bill to keep the FCC from reclassifying the Internet as a telecommunications service.
Bill Would Prohibit FCC From Reclassifying Broadband As Utility – CIO May 29 17:00 Latta’s legislation would limit the FCC’s authority in its current net neutrality proceeding
FCC considers improving its definition of broadband to a video-friendly 10Mbps – Engadget RSS FeedMay 30 20:34The FCC last set its definition of broadband as 4Mbps downstream, and 1Mbps upstream. That was fine for 2010, but it’s arguably outdated in 2014 — you can’t reliably stream HD video or host high-quality video chats on that kind of connection. The…