By Sandra Wendelken, Editor

The FCC and the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) must release several policy items specific to the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) process to maintain momentum for the national public-safety broadband network. As FirstNet heads into phase three of its strategic roadmap, the FCC and NTIA must roll out several policies to address states that decide to build their own radio access network (RAN), along with providing grant and spectrum rules.

Under the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, FirstNet will deliver a final state plan to the governor of each state to make an opt-in/opt-out decision, planned for mid-2017. The decision identifies whether FirstNet or the state/territory takes on the responsibility to deploy, operate and maintain the state RAN. Regardless of the decision, the RAN must interconnect with the national FirstNet core network. The first item in phase three of FirstNet’s strategic roadmap is an FCC notice of proposed rulemaking (NPRM) for the states that select the alternative RAN or opt-out option.

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