News and Events
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WASHINGTON — Board member Kevin McGinnis and Deputy General Manager TJ Kennedy of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) convened a one-day workshop to seek guidance from tribal representatives and Indian Country professionals on how to approach tribal outreach and education.
“I want to congratulate Tom Wheeler on his confirmation as the nation’s next FCC Chairman and Michael O’Rielly, who will be joining Tom at the commission. I look forward to working with Tom and the commission on key issues that will grow our economy and create jobs. These include making more spectrum available for commercial broadband and expanding broadband access and adoption, especially to the nation’s students and schools.”
WASHINGTON - "We thank the FCC for issuing its Order implementing technical and operational rules for FirstNet. Unification of the technical service requirements consolidates and streamlines regulatory requirements applicable to the public safety broadband network. We also applaud the FCC's actions in lifting the freeze on device certifications, paving the way for certification of devices in Band 14. This will enable vendors to ship products capable of operating over the FirstNet network in the near future."
WASHINGTON – The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) today voted to establish Northern Virginia as its corporate headquarters and the Boulder, Colorado area as its technical, engineering and network design headquarters.
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) will co-host an Innovative Spectrum Sharing Technology Day on Tuesday, November 5, 2013. This public event will showcase advances in spectrum sharing technologies and other innovations and initiatives aimed at satisfying the nation’s surging demand for wireless services, devices, and applications.
Washington - Less than eight months after launching the effort, the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced that 54 states and territories have been awarded $116 million in grants in fiscal year 2013 to help them plan for the national public safety broadband network to be built by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), an independent authority within NTIA.
WASHINGTON – Citing the need for greater competition and consumer choice in the marketplace for wireless services, the U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today formally petitioned the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to require wireless carriers to unlock mobile phones, tablets, and other devices for use with other carriers upon request.
WASHINGTON — Senior leaders of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and members of the organization’s technical team met September 11 with the 41-member Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) in San Diego, CA. The agenda included a progress update and discussion of activities in support of the development of FirstNet, a single, nationwide, high-speed network dedicated to public safety.
The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) this week awarded grants under the State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP) to the following states to help in planning for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet):
The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) this week awarded grants under the State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP) to the following states to help in planning for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet):
The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) this week awarded grants under the State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP) to the following states to help in planning for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet):
WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Commerce's National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today applauded the Commerce Spectrum Management Advisory Committee (CSMAC) for its ground breaking work to explore spectrum sharing arrangements between federal agencies and private industry.
The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) this week awarded grants under the State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP) to the following states to help in planning for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet):
WASHINGTON — First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) General Manager Bill D’Agostino announced today that FirstNet has posted its answers to questions received from potential respondents to 10 Requests for Information (RFIs) issued on July 10. The RFIs seek information regarding deployment options for two key portions of the nationwide, broadband public safety network: the radio access network (RAN) and core network.
WASHINGTON — First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) General Manager Bill D’Agostino announced today that FirstNet has completed its analysis of 54 industry responses to its April 15, 2013, Request for Information (RFI) for wireless devices.
WASHINGTON — Senior leaders of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) met yesterday with the Executive Committee of APCO International at the association’s 79th Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA, and pledged to continue their close collaboration to help ensure the successful development of FirstNet.
The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) last week awarded grants under the State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP) to the following states to help in planning for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet):
- Arizona – $2.9 million
- California – $5.6 million
- Iowa – $1.6 million
- Missouri – $2.4 million
All the recipients are required to provide a matching contribution of at least 20 percent. Additional grants will be awarded on a rolling basis.
WASHINGTON — First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) General Manager Bill D’Agostino announced today that FirstNet has named Randolph M. Lyon as its Chief Financial Officer. Lyon is the third FirstNet senior executive to be hired this year in the ongoing effort to fully staff the management team. He will be responsible for FirstNet financial strategy, management and oversight.
WASHINGTON – Marking its first anniversary, the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board today adopted its business plan for FY ’14, signaling the most important progress in FirstNet’s short history.
The Board adopted a $194 million budget in support of management’s plans and priorities to continue developing the nationwide broadband network dedicated to public safety.
WASHINGTON – The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) announced today that it has approved an agreement with the state of New Mexico allowing it to lease access to FirstNet’s spectrum. This is the second such agreement between FirstNet and one of the seven public safety Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grantees, whose funding was partially suspended following enactment of the law creating FirstNet.
WASHINGTON — First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Chairman Sam Ginn announced that he has named FirstNet Board Member Kevin McGinnis to head the organization’s stakeholder outreach with tribes. McGinnis has begun meeting with tribal leaders.