The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) will kick off its Regional Consultation Workshops next Wednesday, May 15th, on the heels of criticism and scrutiny regarding their transparency and use of the Public Safety Advisory Committee, which was created along side the organization in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012.
According to TechWire.net, this summer-long series of six, two-day, regional workshops will provide a venue for consultation with states, tribal entities, territories, and local authorities across the country. Although Board members have conducted site visits to BTOP recipient agencies, and have continously spoken at public events and trade conferences, this effort marks the first visible effort to consult directly with stakeholders on a nationwide scale.
“Consultations are an essential step in building working relationships between FirstNet and the thousands of people who are stakeholders in its success," said new FirstNet General Manager, Bill D’Agostino in a press release. “These meetings will provide valuable opportunities to listen and work collaboratively to build the first public safety-grade LTE network.”
Each of the six workshops will include an update on FirstNet's progress, interactive session on network development, facilitated discussions between FirstNet and attendees, and break-out sessions to address special challenges of stakeholders to implement the NPSBN, in the form of peer and group to group exchanges.
The schedule for these workshops and their respective states is as follows:
May 15-16: Washington D.C. – Delaware, District of Columbia, Kentucky, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, US Virgin Islands, Virginia, and West Virginia
May 21-22: Denver, Colorado – Colorado, Kansas, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming
May 29-30: San Francisco, California – Alaska, American Samoa, Arizona, Calfironia, Guam, Hawaii, Idaho, Nevada, North Mariana Islands, Oregon and Washington State
June 12-13: St. Louis, Missouri – Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, Wisconsin
June 19-20: Boston, Massachusetts – Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont
June 26-27: Memphis, Tennessee – Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, and Texas
The timing for FirstNet's intitiation of this effort could not be more appropriate, especially with the recent questions regarding FirstNet's willingness and ability to engage input from the Public Safety community. A recent Urgent Communications poll found that only 6% of respondents agreed that FirstNet would be able to fulfill "the goals set by Chairman Sam Ginn."
These goals include coast to coast LTE coverage for every Public Safety agency while maintaining a sustainable business model to support future operations. Of the 139 reader responses, 81% answered no, and 8% responded that the goals could only be met if Congress allocates more funding than the $7 billion earmarked for the network. This $7 billion is not made available in cash to FirstNet, it is merely a cap on borrowing authority, which will then be paid back by spectrum auctions and user fees. This fact that seems to be missing from many discussions of funding for the NPSBN, which adds to the murkiness perceived by many Public Safety officials on the subject of funding.
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