It will never comply with the SafeCom Interoperabilty Continuum. The "killer aps" will come with come with monthly recurrent costs. Any mission critical push-to-talk is a long way away. AT&T has yet to improve coverage and capacity.
Yes, I have done a lot of homework on this and heavily involved.
Here is another "gotcha" in the Opt-In issue: If a state has statutory language that it cannot have any contact lasting longer than 10 years, yet to Opt Out the state would be required to have a 25 year contract, there is no recourse than to Opt In or be subject to Federal fines.
On top f all if it, the AT&T contract for FirstNet somehow was crafted so that it is never subject to FOIA....we will never know what is in the contract!
They have a lot to prove, in my state anyway, before any public safety agencies come in on board. Some will bite, but it will be a long while to be ubiquitous since AT&T has a poor track record of performance, and trust has been blown repeatedly.
You must have been on the losing VzW bid team ;-)
How is ‘second net’ working out for ya?
just bustin yer chops.
If you are so well informed, then you are aware that IOC 2.0 (like only the SECOND step after award/protest/ real start) is March of this year. Of course there’s not a LOT to show today. It just got started. 2.5 in August.
This is a huge effort.
I disagree about SafeCom Interoperability. We will just have to disagree, and I am pretty certain that DHS and FirstNet will end up with a (highly) secure interopable standard and buildout. From a First Responder’s standpoint, I just want “it” to work when I push the talk button on whatever gizmo I am issued, and I can talk to whoever I need to on a mission critical basis, as needed. That WILL happen. No question. Now, does it fit the existing ‘continuum’ as published? Dunno, but again as a First Responder, I just need the sh!t to work. And it will. It pretty much does today — I can key a radio, and the Chief can respond from Orlando on his iPhone. Very little latency also. THAT is real today.
Yes, the killer apps will have a cost. It would be unrealisitc to think they don’t/ Turnout gear has a cost. Motorolas have a cost. What world do you live in that you expected no cost?
The Gotcha you reference read to me like reasonable arm-twisting to make this work. HUGE capital investments work best with a long-term vision. A lot of states also have convenience contracts with vendors, enabling them to cancel a multi-year contract at any time with no early-term fees. FirstNet is different: so be it. It works.
I can’t speak to the FOIA business, but the FN RFP is public. You can read it at Firstnet.gov. ALL the carriers have classified deals with the Fed-Gov, so IF parts of the DHS/FN gig are classified and not subject to FOIA, so be it.
But really, WHAT is your heart burn about this? You must be in a northern Verizon-served state. You obviously have a h@rdon about AT&T, so DO you work for VzW? ;-)
If it works even 80% of the promise, it might enable the First Responder community to live longer and save more lives.
Win the next contract.
Update - did you mean the AT&T *response* or award is not FOIA?
I thought at first you meant the RFP.
I have no idea what is open records. I just need it to work.