FirstNet News
Last week, in conjunction with kickoff meetings with new partner AT&T, FirstNet held webinars for both SPOCs and the PSAC to outline the next steps in the planning and deployment of the FirstNet Network. During the PSAC webinar, Chief (Ret.) Harlin McEwen officially stepped down as PSAC Chairman, passing on his duties to new Chairman Tom Sorley.
Also last week, FirstNet CEO Mike Poth gave a keynote address at the Competitive Carriers Association Mobile Carriers Show in Las Vegas, Nevada.FirstNet Board member Jeff Johnson, President TJ Kennedy, and FirstNet staff were in Orlando, Florida for the 2017 Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association Conference.
On Friday, Jeff Johnson and FirstNet staff also presented to the Congressional Fire Services Institute’s National Advisory Committee in Washington, DC.
On Monday, TJ Kennedy participated in a panel presentation on information sharing at the 34th Annual Government Information Technology Executive Council Summit in Annapolis, Maryland.
FirstNet staff also attended a meeting of the White House Council on Native American Affairs Public Safety and Justice Subgroup last week in Washington, DC.
This week, FirstNet will be participating in the APCO Western Regional Conference in Ontario, California; the Critical Care Transport Medicine Conference in San Antonio, Texas; the IACP State and Provincial Meeting in Litchfield Park, Arizona; a Kansas Statewide Interoperability Executive Committee meeting in Overland Park; the Texas Police Chiefs Association Annual Conference in Woodlands; an Oregon Association of Chiefs of Police meeting in Bend; the Texas Public Safety Conference in Galveston; a Maricopa Association of Government meeting in Phoenix, Arizona; the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association Conference in Marlborough; a National Defense University Industry Study briefing in Washington, DC; and the FirstNet Spring PSAC Webinar.
Last week, FirstNet posted five new blogs: ‘Count Us In,’ Baltimore Fire Chief Says of FirstNet; FirstNet Tech Team Goes to 2017 Mobile World Congress; FirstNet Receives Another “Clean” Audit Opinion; Thank you, Chief Harlin McEwen, and Best Wishes on your Retirement; and Tom Sorley to lead FirstNet’s Public Safety Advisory Committee.
News from the PSAC, States and Territories
The Spring 2017 PSAC Webinar is Wednesday, April 12, from 2pm-3pm ET.
The summer 2017 in-person PSAC meeting will be Thursday, June 15th, 2017, in San Antonio, Texas, after the conclusion of the PSCR annual conference. PSAC members are asked to reference the emailed instructions to book invitational travel, as outlined in last week’s email, and send any questions to PSAC@firstnet.gov.
Media Watch
*The information provided is copied as-is from the media outlet source and is not edited by FirstNet. Links to non-Federal Government websites do not constitute endorsement of any product, service, organization, company, information provider, or content. Clicking on non-Department of Commerce hyperlinks will direct you to websites that are not under the Government’s control.
Dallas Business Journal 4/6: How will AT&T monetize FirstNet and the public sector? A talk with Kay Kapoor, the woman in charge
FirstNet is a prime example. The 25-year agreement includes $6.5 billion from the Department of Commerce to be spent on the build out during the first five years. AT&T agrees to spend $40-billion on the network over the course of the contract. Crucially, the company also receives 20MHz of spectrum.
Urgent Communications 4/5: AT&T, FirstNet officials provide new perspectives on governors’ ‘opt-out’ decision process
AT&T and FirstNet officials last week provided new details about information that governors should consider when deciding whether their states and territories should accept the FirstNet deployment plan or choose to pursue the “opt-out” alternative.
MissionCritical Communications 4/4: Judge’s Decision Offers Insights into FirstNet’s Contract Award Process
http://www.rrmediagroup.com/Features/FeaturesDetails/FID/738
The U.S. Court of Federal Claims released a redacted version of Judge Elaine D. Kaplan’s decision in Rivada Mercury’s pre-award protest of the First Responder Network Authority’s (FirstNet) contract award process, offering insights into the award process and the reasoning behind the judge’s decision against the protest. Kaplan ruled in favor of FirstNet March 17, and about a week later, FirstNet awarded the contract for a nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN) to AT&T.
Web and Social Media
FirstNet’s social media presence grew at its normal rate this week. Twitter gained 89 new followers, now at 5,871. Facebook has 1,007 followers. LinkedIn now has 2,089 followers. YouTube has 414 subscribers.
Do you have something you want to feature in the weekly update, such as a conference date, personnel announcement, or news article showcasing the work of your organization? Please send it to PSAC@firstnet.gov for possible inclusion in an upcoming update.