Today is the last day of the IWCE/Urgent Communications Show in Las Vegas. For the first time in many years I was not in attendance but I am hearing that it is a very good show again this year. FirstNet is high on the list of items under discussion. NPTSC and the APCO Broadband Committee held open meetings, and the FirstNet GM gave, what I am being told, was a well-received speech about FirstNet and their progress. For my part I was in San Antonio Texas at the CCA Conference. The CCA is the Competitive Carriers Association, long known as the Rural Carriers Association but renamed after both T-Mobile and Sprint joined the organization. This week’s conference was well attended and I held a Wireless University on Wednesday. During this daylong session I did a section on opportunities with FirstNet which was very well received. In attendance were people who represented 25 different network operators and the interest was very high amongst this group. They believe that partnership between CCA network members and FirstNet is a win-win for everyone.
There was a lot of FirstNet interest during the entire event and I had an opportunity to find out about some plans which may, in fact, be a real win for CCA and for FirstNet. CCA, with Sprint and other operators are working on a concept of a nationwide back-bone, a hub, as it were, which would tie Sprint, T-Mobile and the CCA carriers into a common back-end network. This back-end network would support both flavors of 2G (GSM and CDMA), both flavors of 3G (HSPA and CDMA-EV-DO) as well as LTE. This network system is being considered in order to compete more effectively with the two largest network operators, to provide a wider range of handsets to the smaller carriers, give them a nationwide presence, and combine the resources of all of players to the benefit of all. However, I also believe, as the CEO of CCA believes, that this hub approach could become a parallel network for FirstNet and that band 14 (the Public Safety Broadband spectrum) could be easily added to this hub approach and that the systems could run as parallel network while sharing all of the spectrum and technologies available via this hub approach.
If, and these are my thoughts only at this time, to be followed next week with a longer article, the hub approach were done in partnership with FirstNet and the FirstNet Radio Access Network (RAN) was connected both to this hub and to the dedicated Evolved Packet Core (EPC) which will be built by FirstNet is would provide some very unique, and positive results. First of all, full pre-emptive access to the Public Safety Broadband Network could be achieved because the dual core (public and private) approach. During times when Public Safety needed full pre-emptive use of Band 14 resources, the private core could be disengaged from the band 14 RAN in that area, quickly and easily. Likewise when Public Safety needed dial-up voice or wanted to move non-mission critical data onto commercial networks, FirstNet would be connected to multiple networks with multiple capabilities. I will be learning a lot more about this proposed system over the course of the next week or so and will write more about it, along with my comments in an upcoming Public Safety Advocate article, for now, I am hopeful that the great work being done by CCA and Sprint could end up solving the FirstNet issue of partnering with commercial network operators and solving the pre-emptive use of band 14 when Public Safety needs exclusive access to it. I am optimistic at this point but want to kick the tires more and learn more about this potential system before reporting my findings and my observations. Have a great week-end ‘
We will deliver,’ FirstNet GM tells IWCE audience – Urgent Communications via Google AlertsMar 27 13:58D’Agostino reiterated the need for FirstNet to develop partnerships to make the much-anticipated broadband network for public safety a reality.[Editor’s Note (Andrew Seybold): FirstNet is moving forward]
(FirstNet) and Next- Generation Communications for Public Safety – Penny Hill Press, Inc. – pennyhill.com via Google Alerts Mar 27 09:58 planning, building, and managing a new, nationwide, broadband network for public safety communications (FirstNet), and assigned additional radio …
American Tower makes its public-safety partnership case—and not just for FirstNet – Urgent Communications via Google Alerts Mar 27 08:57 … broadband system should include partners beyond traditional public-safety …
A bill to amend the National Telecommunications and Information Administration Organization Act … – govtrack.us via Google Alerts Mar 27 03:57 S. 2155. In GovTrack.us, a database of bills in the U.S. Congress.
Sprint to add 700 MHz Band 12 capabilities to some new devices starting next year – FierceWireless via Google Alerts Mar 27 01:22 Sprint’s new initiative is similar to Verizon Wireless’ LTE Rural America program, which the carrier established in 2010 in order to accelerate its LTE … [Editor’s Note (Andrew Seybold): This is only one part of Sprint’s new direction and message]
NIST hires Rochford to lead new communication lab – Boulder County Business Report via Google Alerts Mar 26 17:57 The NTIA side of the CAC is the Public Safety Communications Research …
FCC Boss Wheeler Pushes for 3.5 GHz Spectrum Sharing – DailyWireless Mar 25 16:50 FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler outlined his vision for how the commission will make the 3.5 GHz band open for wireless broadband use, speaking at the Brookings Institution in Washington. Wheeler’s roadmap for moving forward is the 2012 President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology report (PCAST). The FCC chairman announced Monday that is he […]
Latest FirstNet meetings offer encouraging signs – Urgent Communications via Google Alerts Mar 24 10:58 A decidedly “public-safety” feel—Members of the FirstNet board and staff have …
NTIA announces plans to transition from role in coordinating domain name system – The Ripon Advance via Google Alerts Mar 21 02:56 The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration announced on Friday its intention to transition key …
Research and Markets: South Korea’s Mobile Data Revenue to Drive Top-Line Growth by Expanding 38% from 2012 to 2017 – Business Wire Mar 28 08:10 DUBLIN–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/pk37rz/south_korea_a) has announced the addition of the “South Korea: A National Broadband Plan for a Smart Country, Built on LTE and FTTH Leadership” report to their offering. South Korean operators have invested significantly in fixed and mobile broadband networks to offset the effects of market saturation and sustain revenue growth. We expect mobile data revenue to drive top-line growth, with LTE custom
FirstNet: America’s new pervasive surveillance network raises privacy, budgeting concerns – The Voice of Russia via Google Alerts Mar 28 03:56 FirstNet – pitched as a state of the art communications network for …
CP early warning system to get mandated modification – nwitimes.com via Google Alerts Mar 27 23:56 The Federal Communications Commission has required public safety radio systems to convert their equipment to operate on bandwidths of 12.5 KHZ …
Public Safety Bureau, Site-Based Accepted for Filing, 03/26/2014 | FCC.gov – fcc.gov via Google Alerts Mar 27 11:58 Federal Communications Commission · The FCC …
Public Safety Bureau, Site-Based Pending Terminations, 03/26/2014 | FCC.gov – fcc.gov via Google Alerts Mar 27 11:58 Federal Communications Commission · The FCC …
A stand for net neutrality – Barre Montpelier Times Argus via Google Alerts Mar 27 04:56 But the D.C. Circuit did say the FCC can craft strong net neutrality rules if it classifies broadband as a “telecommunications service.” Broadband used …
California awards SAIC contract for FirstNet services – StateScoop – statescoop.com via Google Alerts Mar 27 00:46 SAIC will provide support services in various locations in California that include educational materials and outreach for public safety broadband as …
Governing the Internet: A New Era Begins – Broadway World via Google Alerts Mar 25 11:58 … National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) …
Big Telcos Pressure FCC on Net Neutrality, Broadband, Spectrum – CivSource via Google Alerts Mar 25 04:56 So let’s say you’re a big telecom company and you’re used to competing against the other big telecom companies, carving up the US market into …
AT&T boldly claims that you’ll see lower bills if net neutrality dies – Boy Genius Report Mar 25 00:50 Here’s a fresh idea: Let’s allow ISPs to do whatever they want and see what magical things they decide to do for consumers! At least, that’s the idea that AT&T pitched to the Federal Communications Commission last week in a filing for the FCC’s upcoming “Protecting and Promoting the Open Internet” proceeding. Ars Technica reports that AT&T said in its filing that net neutrality restrictions are pointless because it wouldn’t make economic sense for ISPs to degrade traffic for popular video streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu. Why? Because doing so would supposedly cause a major backlash and would…
NTIA & You: NTIA’s Intention to Transfer IANA Functions to the Global Community Is Welcome, But… – CircleID via Google Alerts Mar 24 19:58 The announcement on March 14, 2014, by the National Telecommunications and Information Authority (NTIA) of the United States Department of …
How Much Will Telco Fixed Lines Drop from 2000 Peak? – Techzone360 via Google Alerts Mar 24 14:58 It is a reasonable question to ask when U.S. telco access lines (including all broadband and narrowband connections) will stop falling, a process that …
3/24-Talkin’ Public Safety Broadband – WestCentralMoInfo.com – westcentralmoinfo.com via Google Alerts Mar 24 12:58 Unlike current commercial wireless networks, a dedicated broadband network would allow for priority access among public safety users. Filed Under :
AT&T lines up spectrum deals with MilkyWay Broadband, NTCH, Paul Bunyan – TeleGeography via Google Alerts Mar 24 08:57 AT&T Mobility has lodged three separate applications with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to acquire spectrum holdings in the …
AT&T Files with FCC for Transfer of 700 MHz, AWS Spectrum – Wireless Week via Google Alerts Mar 22 00:01 AT&T yesterday filed with the FCC a handful of consent forms for transfer of various 700 MHz and AWS licenses. From MilkyWay Broadband, AT&T …
Region 12 (IDAHO) Public Safety RPC To Hold Annual 700 MHZ meeting | FCC.gov – fcc.gov via Google Alerts Mar 21 00:56 PUBLIC NOTICE. Federal Communications Commission. News media information 202 / 418-0500 445 12th St., S.W.. TTY 202 / 418-2555.
Is The U.S. Giving Up Internet Control? – Wireless Systems Design Mar 26 06:30 The Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN) has announced that it will move to an international management and control process rather than continuing its contract with the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). NTIA is the Commerce Department’s agency for managing the military and government frequency spectrum and other communications policy. Communiqué read more
Informative Meetings on Public Safety Broadband Network – MMRPC via Google Alerts Mar 25 22:56 ⋅ Debra Griffin March 24, 2014 – The Missouri Department of Public Safety announces a series of meetings with the public safety / first responder community to …