FirstNet Still Plans To Pick Industry Partner in Q4, Though That Could Change, Kennedy Says
FirstNet is “moving with urgency” toward launch of a national network for first responders, said President TJ Kennedy at the Spectrum Management Conference Tuesday, after testifying before the House Communications Subcommittee earlier in the day (see 1602020064). FirstNet released its request for proposals Jan. 13 and applications are due April 29 (see 1601130046). Questions are due on the RFP Feb. 12.
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FirstNet plans to have 700 MHz Band 14 cleared in July 2017, with the help of a pending grant program to move public safety incumbents, Kennedy said. “This will allow nationwide deployment to occur very quickly.” FirstNet still anticipates awarding a contract in Q4, he said. “There are many things that could delay this, if there were requests for extensions or other things.”
Most expect FirstNet to try to work with a carrier-anchored group of companies (see 1601220053). Kennedy said FirstNet is seeking partners for a contract that could last 25 years. “In the last 25 years, we’ve gone from first-generation networks to where we are today,” he said. “That’s a lifetime in the wireless business.” FirstNet must also relicense its low-band spectrum every 10 years, but Kennedy said FirstNet is confident the authority won’t have trouble meeting renewal requirements, based on the buildout in the RFP.
Steve Berry, president of the Competitive Carriers Association, said CCA members are interested in FirstNet spectrum, though it remains to seen how they will be able to take part in the RFP. CCA hasn't seen much of a desire by large carriers to include small carriers in their network plans, he said.
Berry said CCA officials have met with FirstNet officials multiple times. “I prefer to look at this as a glass half-full as much as I can,” he said. “Our small carriers currently have a great relationship with first responders and they would like to continue that relationship.”
Larger carriers have been dominating the secondary market and buying up spectrum when it becomes available, Berry said. “Every time there is an opportunity for small carriers to acquire spectrum to build out their network, it’s a tough row to hoe,” he said. “We have some carriers that have gone out of business because they could not acquire additional spectrum to build out a robust network where they can be competitive.”
FirstNet met its deadlines on the RFP, Kennedy said. “We said exactly what we were going to do and we’re executing against that.” FirstNet is continuing its consultations with public safety agencies across the country, with “police departments, fire departments, emergency medical services agencies, at the city level, the county level, the state level, the special service district level” and with federal agencies, he said.
FirstNet will offer “a robust capacity to handle everyday emergencies all the way up to some of the biggest and most critical emergencies that would occur,” Kennedy said. FirstNet officials have done lots of consultation with rural public safety agencies and are looking at “innovative ways” to serve their needs, he said. It wants “to make sure we do the best we can to serve public safety across this very large country,” he said.
Competition and future developments like auctions will determine the value of the 20 MHz of spectrum controlled by FirstNet, Kennedy said. “I do not have the crystal ball,” he said. “We’re going to be looking for strong competition, another reason why we’ve gone down a performance-based contracting route … so that different offerers can bring different approaches.”