'Vague' FirstNet Responses Trouble California; NTIA Delay Makes Some Anxious
California slammed FirstNet and AT&T for a little-improved state plan and “vague” responses to the state’s hundreds of questions. Meanwhile, an NTIA delay in delivering key details about the opt-out process created uncertainty for states that haven’t decided whether to accept AT&T state plans, state officials said. By statute, the 90-day shot clock for governors to decide begins after FirstNet provides the state plan and NTIA determines the funding level for the state. The agency will release information soon, a spokesman said.
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FirstNet’s Sept. 19 plan for California didn’t elucidate much, emailed California Office of Emergency Services Public Safety Communications Assistant Director Patrick Mallon. “While it is true that FirstNet updated the State Plan Portal with what they consider their final effort, there was not really a significant improvement in clarity.” AT&T, in a letter following up on several meetings about California’s deployment questions, “was equally vague in their commitments,” he said. Friday, AT&T and FirstNet “delivered responses to the 687 questions/comments submitted by California,” and they too were “vague,” Mallon said. The company didn’t comment.
NTIA details on state funding were expected last week as FirstNet delivered final plans. “The official notifications to governors, which will include the Funding Level Determinations, are in final departmental coordination and clearance and will be delivered soon,” an NTIA spokesman emailed. Separately, NTIA Wednesday released a notice of funding opportunity for a $43.4 million second round of the State and Local Implementation Grant Program. The program supports states and territories' planning efforts for the national public safety broadband network, regardless of their decision to opt in or out. NTIA said it will accept applications from Wednesday until one day after the 90-day shot clock for governors' decisions.
FirstNet delivered final plans to 53 states and territories but is "still working with the three Pacific territories," a FirstNet spokesman said. The NTIA information "is required in order for FirstNet to provide the official notice to the governor and start the clock," he said.
States Waiting
The 90-day clock for governors to decide whether to opt out of FirstNet is expected to be triggered this week, setting up a deadline of a response by the end of the year, industry officials said. But NTIA must first release funding level determinations, which lay out the amount of construction-grant money a state or territory could receive if it opts out of the national network.
States have been waiting. “No decision can be undertaken until all information is received,” Mallon said. The California First Responder Network board likely will have “at least a discussion item” on the AT&T state plan at its Oct. 11 meeting, he said.
New Hampshire received a FirstNet plan on Sept. 19. It’s not truly final without the NTIA funding information, said New Hampshire single point of contact (SPOC) John Stevens in an interview.
Wisconsin considers its state plan “incomplete” without NTIA information about funding levels for opt-out states, and the 90-day clock won’t start until the state gets those details, said a Wisconsin Justice Department spokesman.
Lacking NTIA funding information didn’t stop 23 governors from opting in early, nor did it halt an Alabama commission from recommending opt-in (see 1709260027). Alabama and two of the opt-in states -- Michigan and Arizona -- solicited but rejected alternatives to AT&T state plans.
Anxiety
The delay added to the remaining states’ “general anxiety,” said Jeff McLeod, National Governors Association Center for Best Practices' Homeland Security and Public Safety division director. NTIA didn’t warn about a delay, he said. “More certainty would be welcome throughout the entire process.” One state told McLeod all the unknowns about the opt-out process may encourage the state to opt in, he said.
“A few more days won't have much impact on local agencies,” said Bay Area Regional Interoperable Communications Systems Authority General Manager Barry Fraser. “But if it becomes weeks or months, that will begin to complicate matters. Many agencies are now developing budgets for the following fiscal year, and the longer this drags out, the more uncertainty if creates for budgeting funds for FirstNet services. If the wait becomes too long, many agencies may decide to wait another year before they adopt the AT&T service.”
A handful of governors may decide quickly​ once the 90-day clock starts, but a few may “take full advantage of those 90 days,” said NGA’s McLeod: “If the final plan doesn’t diverge too much from what was originally proposed,” and the state didn’t have major concerns, “you’ll probably see a lot of states opting in.”
New Hampshire continues to meet with FirstNet, AT&T and rival Rivada, which the state asked to provide an alternative plan (see 1609070063), Stevens said. The state is focused on cost and maximizing coverage, he said. Once the state has “all the information … we’ll have two viable plans that we’ll be able to provide to the governor for a decision.” Wisconsin officials continue to review FirstNet responses to questions on the draft plan, the state Justice Department spokesman said.
“We are still reviewing our options,” said Massachusetts SPOC Curt Wood, saying his state is reviewing the final AT&T plan. The state got at least one bid for an alternative plan on Sept. 15, he said. Pennsylvania lawmakers plan to question Rivada, AT&T and FirstNet officials at a hearing scheduled Oct. 19 at the state capital; the state solicited alternative bids in July (see 1709260020 and 1707170038).