AT&T on Track to Meet or Beat Public Safety Network Buildout Dates, FirstNet CEO Says
Rollout of FirstNet's network for public safety is on track to meet an initial milestone and could be completed ahead of schedule, said CEO Mike Poth in Media Institute remarks Thursday. "Our biggest concern is we need to make sure it gets built out on time," he said, but he's "pretty optimistic." AT&T, FirstNet's wireless partner, is poised to meet a March deadline to finish deploying a network "core," he said, referring to a secure national backbone connecting public safety entities. The company will then have five years to meet buildout commitments (in four phases) within all states and territories, but hopes to finish in three, he told us afterward.
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"Some people accuse us of going too fast. But public safety says, 'You're 16 years behind,'" Poth said, noting the spark for FirstNet came from the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, when first responders lacked interoperable communications and many firefighters died. A bipartisan commission recommended a national public safety network and 2012 legislation authorized it, provided $7 billion in spectrum auction proceeds and set aside 20 MHz, he said. FirstNet is contributing $6.5 billion and the 20 MHz under its 25-year contract with AT&T, and the telco is committing $40 billion, Poth said.
Network deployment is just the first task; there's no guarantee public safety entities will use the new network, said Poth. Verizon recently signaled it's going to fight to retain its first-responder base (see 1802050050). AT&T has to build a better "competitive mousetrap," to attract both first responders and sufficient commercial customers to justify its investment, Poth said: The network will be used "99 percent of the time" for commercial traffic but give first responders priority and pre-emption when needed. AT&T didn't comment.
The other big concern is getting first responders technology and devices that work, are user-friendly and help them do their job safely, said Poth, an ex-cop. "Every single day, tragedies are happening left and right," he said. "We need to take full advantage of the technology." About 120 police died on duty last year, he said, and about 75 percent of firefighter on-duty deaths are from heart attacks, something that body sensors could help prevent.
Interoperability will be a big advantage of the new network, Poth said. California had 20,000 firefighters combating 300 active wildfires at their peak last year. He said those firefighters often had to be given communication devices from "the back of a truck." With FirstNet interoperability, firefighters should be able to use their regular devices when they travel to other states and localities, he said.
Answering a question, Poth said he isn't currently planning to replace TJ Kennedy, who left as president.