FirstNet Contract Award May Be Delayed Until at Least March, Analysts Say
FirstNet may not disclose which carrier wins a government contract for the public safety network as soon as was expected because of the Rivada Mercury bidding consortium's court challenge of its loss (see 1612020032), analysts wrote investors Monday and Friday.…
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If the government and AT&T -- which analysts expect to win the contract -- prevail in court, the network may make the announcement around March, versus a previous expectation of last month, wrote Raymond James analysts. If Rivada wins the case and the bid review process restarts, that could delay partner selection to September, they said. New Street Research, which had expected disclosure of the winner within weeks, now thinks that won't occur until "after the Rivada court case has run its course, likely around March," those analysts wrote. The network authority declined to comment Monday. In October, it delayed the contract announcement past a previously expected Nov. 1, 2016, target (see 1610280031).