Sheriffs Raise Concerns on FirstNet License Renewal
As the FCC looks more closely at the FirstNet Authority’s pursuit of a 10-year extension of its nationwide Band 14 license (see 2208230076), the National Sheriffs Association (NSA) urged the regulator to examine the relationship between AT&T and the network.…
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“A 25-year, $6.5-billion-dollar government contract should come with an equal level of scrutiny,” NSA said in a letter posted Wednesday in docket 12-94. “While FirstNet was created with a mandate to serve public safety, it has not provided public safety users and the broader public with a clear understanding of its contractual relationship with AT&T, raising questions about where AT&T’s commercial interests end and FirstNet’s responsibilities begin,” NSA said: “We’ve ended up with a FirstNet that resembles more of a black box than a public good. The contract between AT&T and FirstNet should not remain an enigma that simply breeds more questions than answers.” NSA said FirstNet has expanded its definition of first responder too broadly to include “transit agencies, tow truck companies, school districts, airports, television news media outlets, landscaping companies and utility workers.” NSA also questioned whether FirstNet is fully interoperable “with other networks serving public safety.” The Major Cities Chiefs Association also raised questions at the FCC (see 2208250056). “The FirstNet Authority will be following the process outlined in the FCC’s public notice regarding renewal application comments," a spokesperson emailed.