FirstNet's Progress, Challenges on Show at Senate Communications Hearing

GAO released a report in conjunction with Thursday's hearing finding a majority of stakeholders were satisfied with buildout and outreach and noted that “much uncertainty remains about how the network will be implemented.” FirstNet earned plaudits from most surveyed state officials for its outreach efforts, but GAO found that the government entity “has not fully engaged in effective communication [with tribal organizations] or has relied on state points of contact too much as opposed to engaging directly with tribes.” FirstNet said it's in the process of developing and implementing a tribal consultation policy.

GAO raised concerns about FirstNet's ability to provide coverage in rural areas, inside buildings and underground, as well as potential cybersecurity and interoperability challenges. Stakeholders are generally satisfied with FirstNet's planning for network reliability, security and interoperability, GAO said. It noted the need for FirstNet to ensure subscription costs remain at least “comparable” to what stakeholders already pay for commercial-grade services, particularly given the potential for Rivada Networks and other prospective AT&T competitors to provide alternatives for cost-wary states. GAO found FirstNet “lacks reasonable assurance that it will have sufficient resources to handle increases in its responsibilities over time.”

The authority “made a lot of progress” over the past year between securing the AT&T partnership and its engagement with governments ahead of the opt-in period, and “we still have work to do,” testified CEO Michael Poth. He acknowledged the recommendations and noted FirstNet is working to address them, including via a tribal working group. AT&T also has made significant strides in engaging with state, local and tribal entities since being selected, said Senior Vice President Chris Sambar. He highlighted AT&T's role in ensuring plans for FirstNet deployment went to states three months ahead of schedule and said the partnership would continue to consult with governments on deployment plans.

Chairman Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, like many other members, emphasized their interest in ensuring FirstNet rural coverage and resiliency. It's “critical” the partners address rural access issues “head on,” Schatz said. Sen. James Inhofe, R-Okla., noted that every state with any significant rural population has concerns about network resiliency amid the threat of natural disasters and that FirstNet will need to contend with a “diverse array” of potential problems. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn. noted her concerns about how the network would coordinate with Canadian authorities.

Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Bill Nelson, D-Fla., focused on Commerce's move to choose AT&T and factors that would lead a state to opt in. Commerce's decision turned on AT&T's existing infrastructure and its economic ability to “take on” a project of the size and scope of FirstNet, Poth said. Virginia chose to opt in early because there were “clear” benefits to the proposed deployment plan and because deployment won't cost the commonwealth anything, said Deputy Homeland Security and Public Safety Secretary Curtis Brown.

Klobuchar and others also raised questions about cyberecurity protections and network resiliency. AT&T is taking steps to ensure the network “will be secure,” including certifying network-connected mobile devices for first responders and crafting a separate security operation to specifically handle the network, Sambar said. Wicker later sought assurances about whether AT&T's commercial networks are “hardened in every respect” to protect network resiliency. AT&T constructs its towers to meet government requirements for protection against natural disasters to ensure the network is “as reliable as possible,” and is expanding use of deployable units for disaster areas where infrastructure is damaged, Sambar said.