FirstNet Implementing GAO Plans, Officials Testify
Senate Communications Subcommittee members intermingled questions about FirstNet’s progress during a Thursday hearing with forays into how broader communications policy could affect the public safety broadband network. Subcommittee Chairman John Thune R-S.D., and others at times focused on whether legislation to further streamline permitting processes would aid FirstNet’s deployment. FirstNet CEO Edward Parkinson and AT&T Senior Vice President-FirstNet Program Jason Porter highlighted their progress in building the network and expressed willingness to carry out GAO recommendations that it improve communications with stakeholders (see 2009170071).
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“I share GAO’s view that FirstNet’s lack of formal oversight into end users’ satisfaction could ultimately affect the long-term success,” Thune said. He pressed Parkinson on how the system can “communicate effectively” with public safety agencies not integrated into the network.
Communications ranking member Brian Schatz, D-Hawaii, was among several lawmakers who highlighted the pandemic as FirstNet’s “first true nationwide stress test,” saying the results “are encouraging,' but 'our job is not done” until the network serves the entire U.S.
FirstNet believes GAO’s findings and recommendations are “good and accurate,” and the organization is working to improve its communications with stakeholders and end users, Parkinson said. FirstNet formed an advocacy group of public safety community members to provide feedback and has integrated community members in other ways. The organization updated its website this week to include a portal for network users to submit data and feedback, he said: “We can always do more," but “are proud of the work we’ve done.”
AT&T is “excited to work with FirstNet ” to implement the recommendations, Porter said. He highlighted the network’s performance during the pandemic as “exceptional” and noted more than 450 public safety agencies have joined or expanded their use since earlier this year. AT&T is now “about a year ahead” of schedule in its buildout of the base network, Porter said. The pandemic “has not affected” that progress but “has proven the need for a national public safety broadband network that provides agency interoperability.”
Senate Commerce Committee ranking member Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., raised concerns about situations where residents and public safety agencies in a disaster area “don’t have access” to communications in the immediate aftermath while states “get their ducks in a row” before seeking federal disaster declaration. “A community’s sitting there without great access trying to coordinate a disaster response,” she said. “We’re trying to push for more clarity.”
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., pressed FirstNet on what metrics it uses to verify coverage, invoking Senate Commerce’s long-standing concerns about FCC broadband coverage data collection practices. Parkinson noted the data FirstNet gets from AT&T is specific to the network’s deployments. Tester noted the need for FirstNet to ensure connectivity in rural areas, given Congress’ goals in legislating the authority's creation.
Thune and Sen. Todd Young, R-Ind., invoked the Thune-led Streamlining the Rapid Evolution and Modernization of Leading-edge Infrastructure Necessary to Enhance (Streamline) Small Cell Deployment Act as a way to smooth the process of permitting FirstNet construction on federal land. S-1699 aims to implement a “reasonable process and timeframe guidelines” for state and local small-cell consideration (see 1906030068). “Our biggest challenge is access” and government permitting, Porter said. “If we can break down that red tape” and speed up deployments, it would be “tremendous.” Thune agreed “bureaucracy and red tape” associated with permits have the potential to delay parts of FirstNet’s buildout.
Schatz hoped “we will act … soon” on legislative proposals to allocate proceeds from the FCC’s upcoming auction of spectrum on the 3.7-4.2 GHz C band for next-generation 911, like the Spectrum Management And Reallocation for Taxpayers (Smart) Act (S-3246), which he co-sponsored (see 2001280063). Prospects of Congress advancing such legislation appear tiny (see 2005270034). He later asked District of Columbia Office of Unified Communications Director Karima Holmes how NG-911 could be integrated with FirstNet and how the upgraded technology needs to be standardized. “We need to have some type of national cohesive process” because public safety answering points “are doing it differently” across the country now, she said. Separately, OUC is facing a local audit (see 2009240066).
Sen. Amy Klobuchar, D-Minn., highlighted her Next Generation 9-1-1 Act (HR-2760/S-1479) and her recent filing of a Senate version (S-4667) of the House-passed Emergency Reporting Act (HR-5918). She said NG-911 could “complement” FirstNet. HR-2760/S-1479 would provide $12 billion for NG-911 projects and direct NTIA to provide further technical assistance. HR-5918/S-4667 would direct the FCC to issue reports after activating the disaster information reporting system and make improvements to network outage reporting. Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., agreed NG-911 “is vitally important.”