Government reviewers saw AT&T’s bid for the FirstNet contract as highly preferable to a rival bid by Rivada Mercury, said the text of the decision released by the government Friday. The U.S. Court of Federal Claims handed down the ruling, but under seal, March 17, rejecting Rivada’s pre-award bid protest (see 1703170066). The ruling noted that AT&T was the only finalist at the end of contract consideration, after Rivada was eliminated during a review, and that while both companies had flaws, AT&T raised fewer concerns. The Department of Commerce announced last week AT&T made the winning bid (see 1703300050). The text as released contains numerous redactions.
The National Emergency Number Association said it's pleased wireless carriers' privacy and security plan for the National Emergency Address Database (NEAD) got general support. The FCC Public Safety Bureau sought comment on the plan; replies were due Thursday in docket 07-114 (see 1702280051). NENA said it felt compelled to respond to earlier comments by the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) and its supporters. They argue access should be provided to 911 entities and their authoritative geographic information system (GIS) data providers for purposes analogous to current address validation, discrepancy reporting and error resolution, NENA wrote. “It is at least implicit in the comments, however, that NSGIC seeks access to data beyond that which was contemplated at the time E9-1-1 and/or NG9-1-1 standards were developed, beyond that which was negotiated between NENA, APCO, and the four largest wireless carriers and included in the Commission's rules, and beyond that which was designed-in to the NEAD architecture. Although NENA agrees entirely with NSGIC that address data utilized for 9-1-1 purposes must be validated in advance of use, we are compelled to reaffirm our commitment to the standards, the agreement and rules, and the significant work that has already gone into architecting the NEAD.” The New York State Office of Information Technology Services said the request to add “pre-validation of a NEAD dispatchable location, including its additional ‘subaddress’ information, as an allowable government use for 9-1-1 purposes’ to the NEAD Privacy and Security Plan” is critical to public safety answering points and GIS data providers. Both “need to confirm civic address locations within the NEAD are valid prior to their use during a 9-1-1 call so that should a call ever come from that device, its associated location is routable for 9-1-1 and usable for dispatch, which ultimately will save lives,” the agency said.
The National Emergency Number Association said it's pleased wireless carriers' privacy and security plan for the National Emergency Address Database (NEAD) got general support. The FCC Public Safety Bureau sought comment on the plan; replies were due Thursday in docket 07-114 (see 1702280051). NENA said it felt compelled to respond to earlier comments by the National States Geographic Information Council (NSGIC) and its supporters. They argue access should be provided to 911 entities and their authoritative geographic information system (GIS) data providers for purposes analogous to current address validation, discrepancy reporting and error resolution, NENA wrote. “It is at least implicit in the comments, however, that NSGIC seeks access to data beyond that which was contemplated at the time E9-1-1 and/or NG9-1-1 standards were developed, beyond that which was negotiated between NENA, APCO, and the four largest wireless carriers and included in the Commission's rules, and beyond that which was designed-in to the NEAD architecture. Although NENA agrees entirely with NSGIC that address data utilized for 9-1-1 purposes must be validated in advance of use, we are compelled to reaffirm our commitment to the standards, the agreement and rules, and the significant work that has already gone into architecting the NEAD.” The New York State Office of Information Technology Services said the request to add “pre-validation of a NEAD dispatchable location, including its additional ‘subaddress’ information, as an allowable government use for 9-1-1 purposes’ to the NEAD Privacy and Security Plan” is critical to public safety answering points and GIS data providers. Both “need to confirm civic address locations within the NEAD are valid prior to their use during a 9-1-1 call so that should a call ever come from that device, its associated location is routable for 9-1-1 and usable for dispatch, which ultimately will save lives,” the agency said.
Focus is shifting to state plan decisions after FirstNet last week selected AT&T as the winner of its $6.5 billion contract for a national public safety network (see 1703300050). The announcement allows the public authority to start delivering state plans to governors, and AT&T and rival Rivada are making early pitches to states considering whether to opt out. With a federal vendor named, state officials are moving forward with consultations. One FirstNet state single point of contact (SPOC) remains concerned about funding for her office from NTIA’s State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP).
The National Emergency Number Association told the FCC it agrees with T-Mobile, which sought FCC clarification of the December order establishing a common standard for the transition from text technology (TTY) to real-time text (RTT). T-Mobile sought clarification (see 1702240035) of the obligation of carriers to deliver calls to public safety answering points (PSAPs) using an emergency services Internet Protocol network (ESInet). “Carefully reviewing T-Mobile’s Petition, we are convinced that, in one narrow case, transcoding of RTT to TTY should not be the responsibility of an originating service provider or access network provider,” NENA said in comments filed in docket 16-145. “As T-Mobile correctly notes, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for an [access network provider] to insert its own systems between a terminating ESInet and a legacy PSAP,” NENA said. “Doing so would require a novel call-routing mechanism, or would require a carrier to pay for all or part of the costs of installing and maintaining a Legacy PSAP Gateway.”
The National Emergency Number Association told the FCC it agrees with T-Mobile, which sought FCC clarification of the December order establishing a common standard for the transition from text technology (TTY) to real-time text (RTT). T-Mobile sought clarification (see 1702240035) of the obligation of carriers to deliver calls to public safety answering points (PSAPs) using an emergency services Internet Protocol network (ESInet). “Carefully reviewing T-Mobile’s Petition, we are convinced that, in one narrow case, transcoding of RTT to TTY should not be the responsibility of an originating service provider or access network provider,” NENA said in comments filed in docket 16-145. “As T-Mobile correctly notes, it would be difficult, if not impossible, for an [access network provider] to insert its own systems between a terminating ESInet and a legacy PSAP,” NENA said. “Doing so would require a novel call-routing mechanism, or would require a carrier to pay for all or part of the costs of installing and maintaining a Legacy PSAP Gateway.”
The FCC TV incentive auction drew to a close Thursday, as expected (see 1703270062). A statement on the incentive auction dashboard said: “Bidding in the incentive auction concluded.” The FCC soon will provide information on winners, said Gary Epstein, chairman of the Incentive Auction Task Force. “Today’s conclusion of the assignment phase formally brings all bidding activity in this multi-phase auction to a close,” Epstein said in an emailed statement. “The incentive auction has required unprecedented commitment from bidders as well as Commission staff, who from the moment that broadcasters made their initial commitments to the final bids processed this afternoon have worked each day to assist bidders and ensure a fair and successful auction. We are excited to share the results of the reverse and forward auctions and extensive information about the post-auction transition in the next few weeks.” The agency reminded bidders they remain under a quiet period. Before the end of the day Friday, “a document specifying the formats of the reverse and forward auction results files that will be publicly available after release of the Incentive Auction Closing and Channel Reassignment Public Notice will be available under the Data section of both the Auction 1001 and the Auction 1002 websites,” the FCC said. “An online tutorial on the immediate post-auction process for the forward auction will be available under the Education section of the Auction 1002 website.” The auction started in May and was the longest by far in commission history. “Today is the closing of an historic effort,” former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler emailed. “Beginning with the National Broadband Plan and the subsequent enactment of broadcast incentive auction legislation by the Congress, the FCC set out to do something that had never been done before: manage a two-sided spectrum auction. But the challenge was more than the buy-sell of the actual auction, the auction itself was proceeded by multiple FCC decisions related to the other various users of the spectrum in question, as well as the need to establish the rules for the auction itself -- rules that had never been tested before.” Wheeler said Epstein and his team deserve the credit for making the auction work. NAB is "eager to work with the Commission to ensure a smooth repacking transition that protects consumer access to local news, weather, community service and lifeline emergency programming,” the group said. “We look forward to working on a bipartisan basis with policymakers on a seamless transition."
The FCC TV incentive auction drew to a close Thursday, as expected (see 1703270062). A statement on the incentive auction dashboard said: “Bidding in the incentive auction concluded.” The FCC soon will provide information on winners, said Gary Epstein, chairman of the Incentive Auction Task Force. “Today’s conclusion of the assignment phase formally brings all bidding activity in this multi-phase auction to a close,” Epstein said in an emailed statement. “The incentive auction has required unprecedented commitment from bidders as well as Commission staff, who from the moment that broadcasters made their initial commitments to the final bids processed this afternoon have worked each day to assist bidders and ensure a fair and successful auction. We are excited to share the results of the reverse and forward auctions and extensive information about the post-auction transition in the next few weeks.” The agency reminded bidders they remain under a quiet period. Before the end of the day Friday, “a document specifying the formats of the reverse and forward auction results files that will be publicly available after release of the Incentive Auction Closing and Channel Reassignment Public Notice will be available under the Data section of both the Auction 1001 and the Auction 1002 websites,” the FCC said. “An online tutorial on the immediate post-auction process for the forward auction will be available under the Education section of the Auction 1002 website.” The auction started in May and was the longest by far in commission history. “Today is the closing of an historic effort,” former FCC Chairman Tom Wheeler emailed. “Beginning with the National Broadband Plan and the subsequent enactment of broadcast incentive auction legislation by the Congress, the FCC set out to do something that had never been done before: manage a two-sided spectrum auction. But the challenge was more than the buy-sell of the actual auction, the auction itself was proceeded by multiple FCC decisions related to the other various users of the spectrum in question, as well as the need to establish the rules for the auction itself -- rules that had never been tested before.” Wheeler said Epstein and his team deserve the credit for making the auction work. NAB is "eager to work with the Commission to ensure a smooth repacking transition that protects consumer access to local news, weather, community service and lifeline emergency programming,” the group said. “We look forward to working on a bipartisan basis with policymakers on a seamless transition."
AT&T was picked to be FirstNet’s partner (see 1703300007) in building the national network for first responders. The news Thursday was hardly a surprise since AT&T had been viewed as the only contender still standing, and we had reported the pick was imminent (see 1703240035). The choice was greeted as net positive for FirstNet. AT&T said it will make a $40 billion investment in FirstNet over the length of the 25-year contract and expects to create 10,000 U.S. jobs. In return, AT&T gets access to 20 MHz of 700 MHz spectrum to supplement its already significant spectrum holdings.
Any advancing legislation designed to help the transition to Next-Generation 911 perhaps should find ways to stop states that divert money from 911 fees to purposes other than paying for and improving 911, Steve Souder, who retired last year from leading Virginia’s Fairfax County 911 system, told the House Communications Subcommittee Wednesday. Lawmakers repeatedly peppered witnesses on fee diversion during the hearing, as they considered what help Congress should give NG-911.