IWCE was very interesting and informative this past week. In headlines here are some of the highlights: FirstNet RFP for partners draft to be released by the end of March FirstNet is encouraging partnerships to respond to the RFP, hoping to get a number of good responses. FirstNet will include non-mission critical voice on network from day one (a mistake from my perspective)
New handheld LTE/LMR products from Motorola, JVCKenwood and others The Chinese LMR vendors descended on IWCE in droves, see my PS Advocate article later in the week. There is a lot more, and it was great to see a lot of the people who are deeply involved in FirstNet there talking openly (fairly) to people, and within the Public Safety community interest is still high.
My question and one that was also asked of me by others is: Does FirstNet have a back-up plan if the responses to the RFP from one of more partners is not realized? From what I can see the answer is no. Yet a few years ago there was a movement inside of FirstNet to plan on just having the $7 Billion available to FirstNet and finding out what could really be done with just that for a phase 1 roll-out. I guess they believe that they will have a good response to the RFP, for my part I am not so sure. As I have said before FirstNet would make a great partner, the Federal Government, however, is not what I would consider to be great partner material and I have to wonder if the way FirstNet is structured today is going to preclude some interested bidders from showing up. I have heard on several occasions from several potential FirstNet partners that they will not partner directly with the U.S. Government.
The wording of the RFP is all important in this regard. We will begin to see what FirstNet expects of one or more partners when the draft RFP is released. I for one, hope that they can really find one or more partners which will make the FirstNet network a success, and keep States from opting out of the process. The PS Advocate Weekly News Summary will resume its Friday schedule this week, until then have a good a productive week. Andy
FirstNet system will support non-mission-critical voice from Day 1, officials say – FloridaNet via Google Alerts Mar 21 02:55 … building the much-anticipated nationwide public-safety broadband network, including a commitment that the system will support voice calls from the …
Did the National Broadband Plan spur innovation? – Washington Post via Google Alerts Mar 23 08:45 For public safety, Congress has allocated dedicated spectrum and the FCC has raised the money through spectrum auctions to fund FirstNet, …
FirstNet’s Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) – GovTribe via Google Alerts Mar 22 11:10 Federal opportunity for all other telecommunications at the Department of the Interior.
State looks to FirstNet to build, operate network committed to public safety – Broadband Matters via Google Alerts Mar 21 00:00 Mike Foley spoke to many of the state’s emergency responders during the first FirstNet public safety network consultation meeting Wednesday in …
IWCE 2015: Lessons learned from FirstNet early builders – Sevana Blog via Google Alerts Mar 20 13:15 The early pioneers in public safety LTE broadband shared some of their …
Verizon to Pay $3.4M to Resolve 9-1-1 Outage Investigation – MissionCritical Communications, Radio Resource International, and Public Safety Report … via Google Alerts Mar 20 09:15 In addition to the payment, Verizon agreed to adopt a robust compliance plan that developed in coordination with the FCC’s Public Safety and …
700 MHz LTE in Alberta – The RadioReference.com Forums via Google Alerts Mar 23 09:20 The other public safety network will live in the 700 MHz band, adjacent to 700 public safety voice. (Aside: There are actually two 10 MHz chunks of …
Police body camera bill passes Florida Appropriations Committee – Government Security News Mar 23 09:07 Top Priority Sector: law_enforcement_first_responders Tallahassee, FL, March 20 – Proposed legislation that requires law enforcement agencies in Florida to develop rules, procedures, policies, training, and such around police body cameras is one step closer to becoming a law. The Florida House Appropriations Committee unanimously passed HB 57 last week.
Research and Markets: 2015 Public Safety Spectrum & Systems: Which Pathways to Broadband … – Business Wire via Google Alerts Mar 23 08:45 PPDR usage worldwide is concentrated on a limited number of frequency bands. Among them, the 400 MHz is the most currently used for narrowband …
If You Start Seeing Your Broadband Internet Bill Going Up Soon, Thank the New ‘Net Neutrality’ Regs – IJ Review via Google Alerts Mar 21 13:56 Ajit Pai, one of the FCC commissioners who voted against the Net Neutrality regulations, says the new rules are likely to hit consumers in the wallets …
Public Safety Spectrum & Systems Analysis and Forecast in Market Rese – SlideShare via Google Alerts Mar 21 12:00 “Public safety spectrum & systems Which pathways to broadband PPDR networks?” report analyses PPDR usage worldwide is concentrated on a …
March 30 FCC Webinar to Cover Municipal Broadband, Net Neutrality – viNGN Weblog Connecting the VI to the World – WordPress.com via Google Alerts Mar 21 00:55 (Washington, DC) – The FCC’s Office of Intergovernmental Affairs (IGA) is hosting a webinar for state and local governments on Monday, March 30th, …
ISPs Worry About FCC’s ‘Future Conduct’ Policing – Slashdot Mar 20 20:30 jfruh (300774) writes “In the wake of the FCC passing net neutrality rules, the federal agency now has the authority to keep an eye on ISPs ‘future conduct,’ to prevent them from even starting to implement traffic-shaping plans that would violate net neutrality. Naturally, this has a lot of ISPs feeling nervous.” From the article: The net neutrality rules, beginning on page 106, outline a process for staff to give advisory opinions to broadband providers…
Senate Commerce Panel Chairman Criticizes FCC – Top Tech News via Google Alerts Mar 20 19:55 Net neutrality by classifying Internet broadband as a public utility. …
New Broadband Network Proposed – 104.1 The Wolf via Google Alerts Mar 20 17:50 A summit will be held in Des Moines to discuss the creation of a wireless broadband network dedicated to public safety. Ric Lumbard, executive …
Public Safety LTE Communications Systems – Motorola Solutions via Google Alerts Mar 20 17:50 New 4G LTE broadband networks will enable powerful and innovative solutions for …
AT&T Might Hate Title II For Broadband, But Is Happy To Use It For Millions In Refunds – The Consumerist via Google Alerts Mar 20 16:45 AT&T just won an FCC proceeding against two smaller companies that were illegally charging them fees they should not have been. And while the …
National 911 Program Presents Free ‘State of 911’ Webinar Event April 14 – JEMS.com via Google Alerts Mar 20 13:55 … legislative changes, updates on NG911 efforts from the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau …
AT&T makes progress on 700 MHz interoperability, likely benefiting T-Mobile – FierceWireless via Google Alerts Mar 20 11:40 AT&T agreed in 2013 to deploy the MFBI feature in its network by Sept. …
Over Easy: Net Neutrality The Fight Isn’t Over Yet – Firedoglake via Google Alerts Mar 20 08:55 On February 26 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) voted to reclassify broadband internet access as a “Title II” telecommunications …
FCC’s Wheeler Pledges to Fix Auction Discount Loophole – Wireless Week via Google Alerts Mar 19 19:05 Proceeds from the 600 MHz auction are earmarked for funding FirstNet, a nationwide network for first responders, and helping pay down national debt.
GOP rep. considers bill to bar FCC from Internet cost regulation – The Hill via Google Alerts Mar 19 17:55 Republicans and other critics have warned that the FCC’s new net neutrality order, which treats broadband Internet as a telecommunications service, …
FCC’s net neutrality decision corrects Telecom Act mistakes – The Hill via Google Alerts Mar 18 13:55 The FCC’s recent net neutrality decision to reclassify broadband provision of Internet services as a telecommunications service subject to Title II of …
FCC Outlines Plan To Crush Awful State Protectionist Broadband Laws – Techdirt via Google Alerts Mar 16 12:30 On the same day the FCC voted to approve new net neutrality rules, we noted that the agency took steps on an issue that might actually be more …