First responder only cell phone network in FL

[kayleesdad]

Florida joins nation’s first mobile network for first responders

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rel...an-for-first-responder-network-300575959.html


A dedicated first responder cell phone network...sounds like this mobile phone network may replace radios at some point.

 

[edweirdFL]

Each of the states and other areas were given a deadline to either join FirstNet or to start building an equivalent system on their own that would do the same thing. I don't recall reading about any state so far choosing to build a network on it's own. The status is on the website I list below.

Even though the contract holder is a cellular operator, it leverages some technology that's currently used by cellular networks, and they will likely co-locate at existing cell sites, it's planned to be more than a mobile phone network.

Your tax dollars at work. Find out more here https://www.firstnet.gov/

 

[mmckenna]

A dedicated first responder cell phone network...sounds like this mobile phone network may replace radios at some point.

Not quite.
FirstNet is the NPSBN, or National Public Safety Broadband Network. It's the 700MHz Band 14, 10+10MHz of band set aside for public safety use.
While at some point it will support voice, it is not intended as a replacement for Mission Critical Land Mobile Radio systems. FirstNet itself says:
"The launch of the network will provide mission critical, high‐speed data services and non-mission-critical voice to augment the capabilities of today’s Land Mobile Radio (LMR) systems." https://firstnet.gov/resources/firstnet-and-fire-services

What FirstNet/NPSBN will be is a public safety specific data network to support first responders. Many public safety agencies are already using either dedicated radio systems for mobile data terminals, or using consumer cellular networks. This service will provide a dedicated high speed version of that.