Dismantling the Vision of FirstNet Doesn’t Benefit Public Safety

[ipfd320]

This is an Interesting Article in Mission Critical Communications

Here are a few Lines;

As public servants, we’ve dedicated our lives to serving our communities, putting the safety and well-being of others before our own and always doing the right thing, even if it isn’t the easiest. We’re also dedicated to speaking up when something isn’t right.

So, I’m speaking up. There’s a lot of misinformation in the marketplace around the topic of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and interoperability. It should come as no surprise that the misinformation is largely driven by a commercial wireless carrier, operating a consumer network, that is worried about losing its current public-safety customers to FirstNet’s dedicated public-safety service.

The REST of the Write-Up is Here--> Viewpoint: Dismantling the Vision of FirstNet Doesn’t Benefit Public Safety

 

[Golay]

Is FirstNet going to be voice communications? Or just data?

 

[776]

Both

 

[ipfd320]

What there saying in past articles is there is voice along with data--read up on some of the articles in the forums on 1st net

To me personally this is just a big cash cow for at&t and anyone coming in on this as partners

 

[Project25_MASTR]

It's an LTE network…so it will be able to handle calls via VoLTE. However, it has been stated by several who are in the administration of FirstNet that it is not intended as a primary dispatch solution at this time. While a reason is not provided, one can assume it having to relate to the massive delay for call setup times and latency which does not meet APCO Project 16 standards.

"The LTE network (FirstNet) is physically capable of meeting the specifications set forth by Project 16 but the handsets are not without going to hardware accelerated DSP (such as done with IMBE and AMBE vocoders). Adding the hardware capability to a handset would unfortunately place the handset at the same price point as current high tier P25 subscribers." - Cellular Engineer at Motorola Solutions, Inc. circa April 2017

Where FirstNet will be extremely useful is with nationwide data services allowing for the consumer network to be shut off if the need rise due to say a terrorist threat (think Boston Marathon) allowing first responding services to keep an active data network. FirstNet will also allow for non-primary services to have a lower cost alternative to more expensive subscribers for non-priority dispatch services.

 

[speedway_navigator]

from page 6 of the LA RICS December 19 board meeting.
https://www.la-rics.org/wp-content/uploads/Revised-Final-Packet-1.22.2019.pdf

Verizon, Managing Partner, Mr. Al Ringgold, thanked the Board for the opportunity to
speak on Verizon’s Responder Private Core Network, which is a dedicated service for
first responders and public safety. Last month Verizon, Managing Partner, Mr. Charles
Bourgault, for local, state and federal government for Southern California addressed the
Board and mentioned a few highlights such as Verizon was first in the world to launch
5G, which included the City of Los Angeles. In addition to how we changed our service
plans for first responders, we removed throttling. It was also mentioned there is no
mandate, which forces agencies to move to FirstNet.

Lastly, AT&T Band 14 is not exclusive to first responders and public safety.

Mr. Ringgold went on to state Verizon closed comments last month with a special request
that the Board continue to advocate for interoperability across agencies, devices and
carriers. We are here today to highlight interoperability and its importance for a multitude
of reasons such as across agency communications; it allows agencies to choose their
partner of choice for their life saving missions; command and control, and situational
awareness are important. With that said Verizon now has the ability for real time
exchanges and sharing of any media, networks between any agency and this will continue
to be a component of interoperability.