[Senate Hearing 116-631]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 116-631
AN EVALUATION OF FIRSTNET'S PROGRESS
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HEARING
BEFORE THE
SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS,
TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION AND THE INTERNET
OF THE
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE,
SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
SEPTEMBER 24, 2020
__________
Printed for the use of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and
Transportation
[GRAPHIC NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Available online: http://www.govinfo.gov
__________
U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE
52-919 PDF WASHINGTON : 2023
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SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
ONE HUNDRED SIXTEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
ROGER WICKER, Mississippi, Chairman
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota MARIA CANTWELL, Washington,
ROY BLUNT, Missouri Ranking
TED CRUZ, Texas AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
JERRY MORAN, Kansas BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska EDWARD MARKEY, Massachusetts
CORY GARDNER, Colorado TOM UDALL, New Mexico
MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee GARY PETERS, Michigan
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
MIKE LEE, Utah TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin JON TESTER, Montana
TODD YOUNG, Indiana KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona
RICK SCOTT, Florida JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
John Keast, Staff Director
Crystal Tully, Deputy Staff Director
Steven Wall, General Counsel
Kim Lipsky, Democratic Staff Director
Chris Day, Democratic Deputy Staff Director
Renae Black, Senior Counsel
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SUBCOMMITTEE ON COMMUNICATIONS, TECHNOLOGY, INNOVATION AND THE INTERNET
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota, Chairman
ROY BLUNT, Missouri BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii, Ranking
TED CRUZ, Texas AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut
JERRY MORAN, Kansas EDWARD MARKEY, Massachusetts
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska TOM UDALL, New Mexico
CORY GARDNER, Colorado GARY PETERS, Michigan
MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
MIKE LEE, Utah JON TESTER, Montana
RON JOHNSON, Wisconsin KYRSTEN SINEMA, Arizona
TODD YOUNG, Indiana JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
RICK SCOTT, Florida
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Hearing held on September 24, 2020............................... 1
Statement of Senator Thune....................................... 1
Statement of Senator Schatz...................................... 2
Statement of Senator Fischer..................................... 30
Statement of Senator Blackburn................................... 32
Statement of Senator Blumenthal.................................. 34
Statement of Senator Capito...................................... 35
Statement of Senator Tester...................................... 37
Statement of Senator Young....................................... 40
Statement of Senator Rosen....................................... 41
Statement of Senator Cantwell.................................... 44
Statement of Senator Klobuchar................................... 46
Witnesses
Edward Parkinson, Executive Director, First Responder Network
Authority...................................................... 4
Prepared statement........................................... 6
Jason Porter, Senior Vice President, AT&T Inc.................... 12
Prepared statement........................................... 13
Captain Tony Harrison, Sheriff's Office, Pennington County, South
Dakota......................................................... 19
Prepared statement........................................... 21
Karima Holmes, Director, Unified Communications.................. 23
Prepared statement........................................... 24
Appendix
Response to written questions submitted to Edward Parkinson by:
Hon. Roger Wicker............................................ 51
Hon. Rick Scott.............................................. 53
Hon. Marsha Blackburn........................................ 55
Hon. Richard Blumenthal...................................... 57
Hon. Kyrsten Sinema.......................................... 58
Hon. Jacky Rosen............................................. 61
Response to written questions submitted to Jason Porter by:
Hon. Roger Wicker............................................ 65
Hon. Rick Scott.............................................. 66
Hon. Marsha Blackburn........................................ 68
Hon. Richard Blumenthal...................................... 70
Hon. Kyrsten Sinema.......................................... 71
Hon. Jacky Rosen............................................. 73
Response to written questions submitted to Captain Tony Harrison
by:
Hon. Jacky Rosen............................................. 75
Response to written questions submitted to Karima Holmes by:
Hon. Richard Blumenthal...................................... 76
Hon. Jacky Rosen............................................. 77
AN EVALUATION OF FIRSTNET'S PROGRESS
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THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 2020
U.S. Senate,
Subcommittee on Communications, Technology,
Innovation and the Internet,
Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation,
Washington, DC.
The Subcommittee met, pursuant to notice, at 10 a.m. in
room SR-253, Russell Senate Office Building, Hon. John Thune,
Chairman of the Subcommittee, presiding.
Present: Senators Thune [presiding], Schatz, Fischer,
Blackburn, Blumenthal, Capito, Tester, Young, Rosen, Cantwell,
and Klobuchar.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN THUNE,
U.S. SENATOR FROM SOUTH DAKOTA
Senator Thune. Good morning, and welcome to today's
subcommittee hearing, Reviewing the Progress of First Responder
Network Authority, also known as FirstNet, has made in
deploying a nationwide public safety broadband network.
Following several communications failures during national
emergencies, Congress recognized the need for a reliable
communications network for public safety officials which led to
the creation of FirstNet under the Middle Class Tax Relief and
Job Creation Act of 2012.
In 2017, FirstNet, which acts as an independent authority
under the Commerce Department's National Telecommunications and
Information Administration, awarded AT&T a contract to build
out, operate, and maintain the network.
Since that time, the Committee has held several oversight
hearings to ensure that FirstNet in partnership with AT&T is
meeting its statutory requirements to deploy the network, and I
look forward to continuing those efforts today.
Having reliable communications services for our country's
emergency personnel is critical, something the COVID-19
pandemic has highlighted.
I know we have folks on the panel today who, along with
many medical professionals and first responders, have played a
part in the Nation's coronavirus response.
FirstNet, along with other carriers that support our
medical professionals and first responders, enables those
individuals to connect with Americans in need. Public safety
officials face numerous challenges accessing reliable services
and those challenges are even greater for the more rural areas
throughout the country.
In my home state of South Dakota, the diverse terrain of
the Black Hills Region, an area that attracts millions of
visitors every year, makes communication even more difficult.
Many Americans and international visitors alike escape to the
Black Hills to unplug or to disconnect from technology.
However, when an emergency occurs, reliable communications
and access to public safety personnel, even in these beautiful
remote places, is a top priority.
Expanding geographical coverage is critical to addressing
the region's unique challenges and making it a safer place for
everyone to enjoy.
We must ensure that our public safety officials have the
tools that they need to best serve our communities and to that
end, I do appreciate FirstNet and AT&T's commitment to
enhancing coverage in rural areas.
Building an interoperable nationwide public safety network
is not without its challenges and FirstNet, with AT&T, is only
in its third year of a 25-year contract.
Earlier this year, the Government Accountability Office
identified several areas in which FirstNet could strengthen its
oversight of AT&T. One of the areas mentioned was end user
engagement. GAO's report found that AT&T does not collect
enough robust data around the satisfaction of the end user, the
very groups who will at the end of the day be depending upon
the FirstNet system to do their jobs.
I share GAO's view that FirstNet's lack of formal oversight
into end user satisfaction could ultimately affect the long-
term success of the program.
Today, I look forward to hearing how FirstNet and AT&T have
worked to address this and other concerns raised by GAO.
We have an excellent panel before us today with
representatives from FirstNet and AT&T as well as individuals
who utilize the FirstNet network every day.
Joining us is Mr. Ed Parkinson who serves as the Executive
Director of FirstNet, Mr. Jason Porter from AT&T, Captain Tony
Harrison from the Sheriff's Office of Pennington County, South
Dakota, and Ms. Karima Holmes, Director of the Office of
Unified Communications for the District of Columbia. Thank you
all for being here.
I now want to recognize Ranking Member Schatz for any
opening remarks that he may have and I believe he is joining us
virtually.
Senator Schatz.
STATEMENT OF HON. BRIAN SCHATZ,
U.S. SENATOR FROM HAWAII
Senator Schatz. Thank you, Chairman Thune, and I want to
really thank the testifiers.
It is customary to thank testifiers every time we have a
hearing, but I want to thank all of you for everything you do
for public safety and for taking the time out of your
incredibly busy schedules for this.
In the face of a global pandemic, FirstNet is more
important than ever. A decade ago, first responders had no
dedicated communications network and a patchwork of systems
left public safety officials exposed and competing with
commercial users for bandwidth.
Services and devices for first responders were few and far
between. Those that existed were expensive and not
interoperable.
Today, through FirstNet, public safety now has its own
communications highway and marketplace catering to its unique
needs and every state has opted in. FirstNet is the result of
smart bipartisan legislation, private sector partnership, and
market-based collaboration.
FirstNet is also a sobering reminder of the way Congress
and the Federal Government can and should be playing in
emergency preparedness.
In Hawaii, police, EMS, and firefighters use FirstNet on
several islands and dead zones. They can transform a cell phone
tower into a radio with a touch of a button and FirstNet's
assets have brought temporary connectivity to isolated areas in
the state, even during the recent volcanic eruptions on Hawaii
Island, to ensure that first responders never miss a beat.
In recent months, FirstNet had its first true nationwide
stress test. It's been used nationally in the COVID-19 response
efforts. FirstNet's capabilities have been used to deliver
broadband connections to COVID testing centers, emergency
medical sites, and 9-1-1 dispatchers working from home.
Its curated app store has even made wellness services
available to frontline workers. These efforts are encouraging
but our job is not done until FirstNet serves everyone.
To reach that goal, ongoing collaboration at the community,
state, and Federal levels is more essential than ever. It's
imperative that FirstNet responders continue to openly engage
with states and local first responders to meet the build-out
deadlines. This will ensure that we achieve other important
FirstNet milestones, further migrating first responders on to
the network and hardening it against security threats.
As we move forward toward a fully integrated
infrastructure, FirstNet should be the inspiration for bringing
other public safety services into the 21st Century, like Next
Gen 9-1-1.
Imagine a future where you could text a photo or video of
an accident or crime directly to 9-1-1 or cars that relay
timely information to dispatchers about a crash, helping
responders predict injuries and equipment that might be needed.
That's the promise of Next Gen 9-1-1, a digital system that can
share voice and data-rich communications directly with
emergency dispatchers.
Next Gen 9-1-1 will improve our public safety
infrastructure by feeding data into FirstNet. However, like
FirstNet, it will need Federal support for adoption and
interoperability.
In December, my colleagues and I proposed using C band
auction revenues to modernize this important element of public
safety and I hope we will act on this proposal soon.
I also want to note that Senator Klobuchar has been a real
leader on Next Gen 9-1-1 and want to thank her for her
leadership and dogged focus on this issue.
Delivering the FirstNet network is monumental and the
innovation and persistence of FirstNet gives me hope about the
next phase of emergency planning, including 9-1-1 services.
I want to thank the testifiers and look forward to our
exchanges.
Thank you.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Senator Schatz.
We'll move right into our testimony, and as I mentioned, we
will start with Mr. Ed Parkinson, who is the Executive Director
of FirstNet, followed by Mr. Jason Porter, who is the Senior
Vice President of FirstNet Program at AT&T, and then we'll go
virtually to Captain Tony Harrison of the Sheriff's Office of
Pennington County, South Dakota, and Ms. Karima Holmes, who is
the Director of Unified Communications.
So we will do that, and then we'll get into questions. I
would ask all of you, if you can, to confine your oral remarks
to 5 minutes or thereabouts and it will optimize the amount of
time we have to get into Q&A.
So thank you again, all, for being here. I'm delighted to
have you here today, and we look forward to hearing what you
have to say.
So we'll proceed first with Mr. Parkinson.
STATEMENT OF EDWARD PARKINSON, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FIRST
RESPONDER NETWORK AUTHORITY
Mr. Parkinson. Thank you, Senator.
Good morning. Good morning to you, Senator Schatz, members
here in person and joining us virtually.
I'm here to testify about FirstNet, our Nation's only
dedicated interoperable broadband network built for and
dedicated to public safety.
The genesis of FirstNet goes back to the tragic events of
9/11 and the ensuing 9/11 Commission report that found that
first responders could not seamlessly communicate over existing
networks on that tragic day over 19 years ago.
Congress heard the call from public safety and established
the FirstNet Authority back in 2012 with the clear mission to
ensure the deployment and operation of a nationwide network
that public safety would use in order to save lives and protect
our community.
Our incredible team strives each day to ensure that public
safety receives state-of-the-art performance from their
network.
At the time of passage of our legislation, it was hard to
imagine the environment in which we find ourselves here today.
However, I'm pleased to report to the Committee that we have
come a long way in a relatively short period of time.
Deployment of the network began in 2018 and in the almost 3
years since, we now have 1.5 million connections with more than
13,000 public safety agencies and organizations having signed
on for service.
Not only does this reflect the breathtaking speed of
deployment and adoption but when one compares our spectrum's
clearance efficiency to other spectrum studied by organizations
like CTIA, which states in a report that on average it takes 13
years to reallocate spectrum for wireless use, FirstNet did it
in just six.
In my opinion, this progress illustrates two important
factors. First, public safety needs and is making use of their
network. For years, first responders were asking carriers to
access for services, such as priority preemption for
unthrottled service and for choice.
Because of the innovative public/private framework that
Congress outlined for FirstNet and the oversight that my
organization, FirstNet Authority, brings, responders can now
trust that these critical communications services are available
to them and their network will continue to evolve to meet their
needs.
Second, FirstNet has done something unique. We've actually
done what we said we were going to do. We've listened to public
safety. We've taken their feedback and incorporated it into our
strategies, acknowledged where we can do better, and doubled
down on what we've done right.
We've made incredible progress and our goal is to keep this
momentum going. We intend to stay at the forefront of
technology and this is reflected in our first investments
approved by our board back in June. These investments lay the
groundwork for 5G and to expand the FirstNet dedicated fleet of
assets.
In the past, this committee has asked my team if we were
running a tight fiscal ship and I'm pleased to report that we
continue to do just that. Deployment of this network remains
ahead of schedule and it will be delivered within the resources
allotted for this project.
We are self-sustaining and do not take annual
appropriations from Congress. Our recapitalization model, which
was established as part of the public/private arrangement that
we have with our contractor, AT&T, ensures that continued
operations at the FirstNet Authority will not cost the taxpayer
one additional dollar and even as we continue to invest in and
improve the network over the next 23 years.
I encourage everyone listening here today to visit
firstnet.gov where we recently launched pages with information
specific to each state and territory. There, you can find the
latest on FirstNet build-out in your state and see how public
safety agencies are leveraging the FirstNet dedicated
connection.
Public safety officials can also find their contact
information for their FirstNet Authority public safety advisor
and encourage them to reach out.
Our culture at FirstNet is to listen, learn, and evolve. We
are constantly striving to improve and to do better.
Ultimately, public safety lives and their mission of protecting
our communities depends on it.
FirstNet is the only public safety broadband network that
exists because public safety called for it and that is a
responsibility that I and my team take very seriously.
For each of us here today, we all know a first responder.
These are our neighbors, our friends, the lifelines in the
community when we call for help. We're proud to serve them and
to connect communities across this country in every state,
territory, and tribal nation.
We are just over halfway into this initial FirstNet build-
out and we've had many successes, yet there is much more to do
as we evolve the network for public safety, and we look forward
to pushing innovation for the men and women on the front lines.
If I may be so bold as to ask something from this
committee, it would be that you continue to remain as engaged
in this project as you have been over the last few years.
Continuing to ask what is happening in your respective states
and identify and observe the progress that we are making. Each
time and in time, you will hear from public safety on why our
spectrum lease should be renewed in 2022 and in time why our
program should be reauthorized.
I'd like to thank the Subcommittee again for inviting me
here to testify. I look forward to any questions you may have.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Parkinson follows:]
Prepared Statement of Edward Parkinson, Executive Director,
First Responder Network Authority
Introduction
Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Schatz, and all Members of the
Subcommittee, I would like to thank you for the opportunity to appear
here today to provide an update on the progress we are making at the
First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) on the
deployment of the nationwide, interoperable public safety broadband
network (Network or FirstNet). My name is Edward Parkinson, and I am
the Executive Director of the FirstNet Authority.
The FirstNet Authority was established by the Middle Class Tax
Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-96) (2012 Act) based on
recommendations of the 9/11 Commission Report.\1\ The FirstNet
Authority's mission is to ensure the building, deployment, maintenance,
improvement, and ongoing operation of a nationwide, interoperable
broadband network that helps public safety save lives and protect our
Nation's communities.
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\1\ National Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United
States., The 9/11 Commission Report: Final report of the National
Commission on Terrorist Attacks upon the United States, Washington,
D.C. (2004), available at https://www.9-11commission.gov/report/
911Report.pdf.
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Leading up to the passage of the 2012 Act, the public safety
communications market in the United States was stagnant. There were few
advancements in technology for our first responders. As a result,
teenagers with a smartphone had more advanced communications tools than
our police officers, firefighters, or paramedics. Further, the lack of
interoperability among vendors and equipment caused voice
communications to be fractured, expensive, and resulted in a patchwork
of networks across the country.\2\ For broadband data, first responders
relied on commercial solutions that were insufficient to meet their
needs. To resolve these issues, public safety asked for a network
specifically built for their mission, utilizing dedicated nationwide
spectrum \3\--a superhighway that would give public safety
communications ``lights and sirens'' to cut through commercial
congestion by prioritizing their voice and data traffic during times of
emergency.
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\2\ J.M. Peha, ``How America's Fragmented Approach to Public Safety
Wastes Money and Spectrum,'' Telecommunications Policy, Vol. 31, No.
10-11, 2007, pp. 605-618.
\3\ S. Rep No. 112-260, at 3 (2012), available at https://
www.congress.gov/112/crpt/srpt260/CRPT-112srpt260.pdf.
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Recognizing the need for a single, nationwide broadband network
dedicated to America's public safety community, Congress created the
FirstNet Authority to establish and oversee the FirstNet network.
FirstNet uses spectrum reserved specifically for public safety to
provide a wireless communications network that is interoperable across
jurisdictions and public safety disciplines, with quality of service,
priority, preemption (QPP),\4\ and market scale. As the FirstNet
Authority planned for the Network, we consulted public safety in all 50
States, 5 U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia, and across
Indian Country. Public safety told us the Network needed to be
affordable, reliable, interoperable, and custom-built for the customer.
The network solution needed to be designed to work in the most urban
areas, where network challenges come in the form of urban canyons, Z-
axis geolocation,\5\ and in-building coverage dead zones; and in the
most rural parts of our country, where previously, the business case
did not exist to build networks just for public safety use.
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\4\ QPP refers to a very large set of 3GPP features and
functionality that the FirstNet Authority and AT&T will utilize to
ensure that first responders have priority access to Band 14 when they
need it and, if the situation requires it, prioritization among first
responders. See FirstNet Authority, Quality of Service, Priority, and
Preemption, http://www.npstc.org/download.jsp?table
Id=37&column=217&id=3685&file=FirstNet_QPP_Intro.pdf.
\5\ Location based technology to solve the Z-axis (vertical)
challenge would help pinpoint what floor a first responder is on in a
building. This is a top priority for firefighters.
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The 2012 Act directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC or
the Commission) to allocate 20 MHz of spectrum (plus two 1 MHz guard
bands)--the D-Block (758-763 MHz/788-793 MHz) along with existing
public safety broadband spectrum (763-769 MHz/793-799 MHz)
(collectively referred to as ``Band 14'')--to deploy FirstNet. The ten-
year license to the spectrum shall be up for renewal with the
Commission in 2022. Additionally, the FCC played a critical role in the
establishment of the Technical Advisory Board for First Responder
Interoperability, which delivered its recommendations for the minimum
technical requirements for the Network.\6\
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\6\ See 2012 Act Sec. 6203(c)(3)(A) (47 U.S.C. Sec. 1423(c)(3)(A)),
Pub. L. No. 112-96, 126 Stat. 156 (2012); ``Recommended Minimum
Technical Requirements to Ensure Nationwide Interoperability for the
Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network'' (May 2012), https://
docs.fcc.gov/public/attachments/FCC-12-68A3.pdf.
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Public safety officials supported the use of Band 14 as the
nationwide spectrum for the Network.\7\ With a nationwide license to 20
MHz of spectrum, $7 billion in funding, and after extensive
consultation with federal, state, local, and tribal public safety
stakeholders, the FirstNet Authority held an open, transparent, and
competitive procurement, as directed by Congress, to find a private
sector partner to deploy the Network. In March 2017, after a
comprehensive acquisition process, AT&T was selected to build, operate,
and maintain the Network and signed a 25-year contract with the
FirstNet Authority.
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\7\ See Testimony of Chief Harlin McEwen before the U.S. House of
Representatives Committee on Energy and Commerce, Subcommittee on
Communications, Technology, and the Internet (Sept. 24, 2009),
available at http://www.npstc.org/documents/PSST_McEwen_Testimony_
Final_090924.pdf.
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A Truly Nationwide Network
When the FirstNet Authority last testified before this
Subcommittee,\8\ we were focused on working with AT&T, and our Nation's
Governors, the State Points of Contact (SPOCs), and public safety
leadership in the states to design individualized FirstNet state plans
to build out the Network and meet public safety's needs.
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\8\ See Testimony of Michael Poth, Chief Executive Officer,
FirstNet Authority, before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation, Subcommittee on Communications,
Technology, Innovation, and the Internet (July 20, 2017), available at
https://www.commerce.senate.gov/services/files/E9B67AE8-D32F-42A2-AF42-
6A5B9AFC8A13.
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These state plans detailed the initial five-year deployment of the
Network for each state, with expanded coverage and capacity in rural,
suburban, and urban areas. While Governors had a choice to ``opt-out''
and build their own state networks, all Governors ultimately decided to
``opt-in'' and have the FirstNet Authority oversee and AT&T build the
Network in their states.
By March 2018, with all states and territories having ``opted-in''
to the Network, the FirstNet Authority and AT&T officially began the
nationwide deployment of the Network and offering public safety
services, such as priority and preemption, through the dedicated
FirstNet Enhanced Packet Core, to FirstNet subscribers. Today, we are
just 2 years into the deployment of Band 14 on both new and existing
towers, and already we have seen the Network make a major difference in
the lives of first responders and the communities they serve.
AT&T recently announced there are more than 1.5 million
connections--with public safety customers from over 13,000 agencies
using FirstNet's interoperable public safety communications platform
throughout the Nation.\9\ AT&T remains ahead of schedule on the
nationwide deployment, recently stating that it reached over 80 percent
of the contracted Band 14 build.\10\ By the time the FirstNet Authority
seeks renewal of its FCC license, just two years from now, we
anticipate that the initially contracted for Network will be complete
or nearly complete. Moreover, the Network is operational today and
serving public safety users. Since the FirstNet Authority is satisfying
its duties and obligations under the 2012 Act, resulting in a Network
for public safety that is operational and serving users today, there is
no question that it is in the public interest to renew the FirstNet
Authority's FCC license so that the FirstNet Authority can fulfill its
mission throughout the life of the 25-year agreement with AT&T.
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\9\ See Jackson, Donny, ``FirstNet tops 1.5 million connections,
13,000 agencies, according to AT&T,'' Urgent Communications (July 24,
2020), available at https://urgentcomm.com/2020/07/24/firstnet-tops-1-
5-million-connections-13000-agencies-according-to-att/.
\10\ See id.
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Supporting COVID-19 Response, Hurricane Recovery Efforts, and Other
Public Safety Operations
Upon the deployment of FirstNet and the availability of its
services, public safety has relied on the Network to serve its
broadband communications needs. Notably, we have seen an increase in
the use of FirstNet during the pandemic--a sign that the Network is
helping public safety carry out its mission in the face of COVID-19.
Health-care workers and responders are using FirstNet services at
COVID-19 testing centers, field hospitals, and incident command posts
across the country. We are seeing an increase in the use of data to
confront the pandemic at nearly two times the rate of consumer data
traffic. First responders are taking advantage of FirstNet for
telehealth as well as adapting the use of the Network in creative ways
to fit the needs of their specific operations.
For example, hotspots and smartphones powered by FirstNet are
enabling 9-1-1 dispatchers to take calls and dispatch operations from
their homes and remote locations. This enables agencies to allow for
social distancing among their staff, keeping these frontline essential
workers safe so they can continue to serve the community. Throughout
the pandemic, the City of Alexandria, Virginia's emergency
communications center has relied on FirstNet to support remote
operations. Using hotspots and smartphones powered by FirstNet,
Alexandria dispatchers are able to take calls from their homes and
remain in contact with staff on-site. The FirstNet Push-to-Talk (PTT)
solution, enabling FirstNet phones to act as two-way radios, ensures
that telecommunicators working from home are as connected and ready to
respond as if they were still back at the call center.
FirstNet priority and preemption and access to dedicated Band 14
spectrum has provided the fast and reliable connectivity first
responders and medical personnel have needed during the pandemic.
Additionally, where FirstNet subscriber agencies have needed additional
connectivity, they have a dedicated fleet of deployable Network assets
available on request at no cost to the agency. There have been dozens
of requests for FirstNet portable cell sites during the pandemic. This
included boosting connectivity to the U.S. Navy hospital ship Mercy
when it was docked at the Port of Los Angeles; and supporting in-
building coverage for the U.S. Navy hospital ship Comfort docked in New
York Harbor\11\ as well as at COVID-19 testing sites, quarantine
facilities, field hospitals, and emergency operation centers. The
FirstNet Authority was able to work with its government partners to
identify the right points of contact aboard the U.S. Navy ship Comfort
so that AT&T FirstNet could install the best solution for the
operational needs aboard the ship.
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\11\ See Hill, Kelly, ``FirstNet-AT&T supporting naval hospital
ships in New York, Los Angeles,'' RCR Wireless (Apr. 1, 2020),
available at https://www.rcrwireless.com/20200401/carriers/firstnet-
att-supporting-naval-hospital-ships-in-new-york-los-angeles.
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The Network has also supported mutual-aid efforts, including
situations where ambulances are called in to assist from outside a
hard-hit region. Paramedics using FirstNet devices and enhanced PTT can
seamlessly communicate and work together with neighboring agencies. As
we do for all major emergency operations, the FirstNet Authority will
continue to gather public safety use cases and best practices from the
response to COVID-19 so that agencies and practitioners can learn from
each other and further understand how public safety broadband can
support their communications needs. Even in the midst of a pandemic,
responders must address and prepare for other emergencies. FirstNet has
been there to assist with its dedicated fleet of deployable assets to
augment coverage and capacity, including during the tornadoes in the
southeastern United States earlier this spring, recent wildfires across
California, and what has already been an active hurricane season along
the east coast and in the gulf.
Most recently, FirstNet was leveraged in the Gulf states in
response to Hurricane Laura, a category 4 hurricane making landfall in
Louisiana on August 28, 2020. Prior to the storm, AT&T's FirstNet
Response Operations Group (ROG), a team of former first responders who
manage FirstNet's response in these types of disasters, staged
deployable units and backup generators outside the path of the storm.
Immediately following the devastating storm system, the ROG team
coordinated with state emergency operations centers (EOCs), local
agencies, and Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Urban Search
and Rescue (US&R) teams to deploy Satellite Cell on Light Trucks
(SatCOLTs), in-building solutions, and generators to impacted areas to
support public safety communications efforts on the ground.
Additionally, FirstNet One (a one of its kind in the world, 55-foot
aerostat/blimp) was launched on September 3rd to deliver sustained
network coverage in Cameron Parish, Louisiana, over an expansive area,
in the aftermath of such a large-scale catastrophic event.
It is clear, Congress' vision for a nationwide interoperable public
safety broadband network to serve first responders is working and
evolving to meet public safety's needs during crises. The pandemic has
underscored how FirstNet supports communities' ability to respond as
new challenges arise.
In addition to the use during the pandemic response, public safety
has relied on FirstNet in a myriad of other ways since the deployment
of the Network. The following are just a few examples of how FirstNet
has supported public safety across the country in various situations
and events:
Fire: Seattle, Washington: Last summer, more than 350,000 people
attended Seattle's SeaFair festival, and for the first time the Seattle
Fire Department covered the event using FirstNet. Seattle Fire
Department Chief Harold Scoggins said, ``With FirstNet in place, we
have increased confidence in our communication methods for use during
highly attended public events. During this year's SeaFair activities,
we were able to communicate important safety information without worry
of encountering congestion issues.''
EMS: Hattiesburg, Mississippi: AAA Ambulance Service subscribed to
FirstNet to help connect its 24-hour emergency and non-emergency
medical transport service. FirstNet is helping the ambulance service to
seamlessly communicate as they serve 1.2 million residents living
across 16 counties in southern Mississippi. Andy Geske, Chief of
Information Technology for AAA Ambulance Service, said, ``What's
important to me and my crew members is the ease of accessing FirstNet.
[It] can put everybody on the same page where that response is best for
the patient.'' In facilitating the integration of telemedicine
capabilities, FirstNet has allowed the AAA Ambulance Service to swiftly
and efficiently deliver care to its patients in rural Mississippi.
Integration with Emergency Communications Centers (ECCs)/9-1-1
Dispatch: Oglala Sioux Tribe: The FirstNet Authority continues to
deliver quality service to the 9-1-1 community, and recent successes
have demonstrated how FirstNet can enhance and enable 9-1-1
communications. For example, the Oglala Sioux Tribe's Department of
Public Safety relies on FirstNet to keep their police officers
connected to ECC dispatch when they are responding to an incident.
FirstNet supports applications that enable dispatchers to transmit
mission critical information to responders and remain in touch with
them as they respond to an incident. And in addition to supporting
remote call-taking and mobile communications, FirstNet can act as a
secondary network for ECCs in case of a primary network failure. These
applications will only grow in their importance as ECCs transition to
Next Generation 9-1-1, in which data needs to be able to travel in and
out of an ECC in a quick and seamless manner.
Consultation: Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Chippewa (Red Cliff):
The FirstNet Authority has worked closely with the Red Cliff Band of
Lake Superior Chippewa in Wisconsin. FirstNet helped to boost access to
broadband communications with the addition of a new, purpose-built cell
site located on the Red Cliff Reservation. Public safety stakeholders,
in consultation with the FirstNet Authority, identified the location as
a priority area for increased Network coverage and capacity to better
support emergency communications. ``Breaking ground on this new cell
site will not only support the public safety mission, but it will also
pave the way for new technical capabilities and innovations--furthering
economic opportunity and extending access to telehealth, online
learning, and overall communications during emergencies,'' said Theron
Rutyna, Red Cliff IT Director.
Large Planned Events: Lake Race at the Lake of the Ozarks: In a
typical summer, over 10,000 racing enthusiasts gather in Missouri as
boaters test the limits at one of the most popular powerboat racing
events in the Nation. The two-day event takes months of planning and
preparation to ensure that competitors and spectators stay safe on and
around the lake. During the 2019 event, the Lake Ozark Fire Protection,
Osage Beach Fire Protection, Missouri State Highway Patrol, Rocky
Mountain Fire District, Camden County Sheriff's Office, Lake Regional
Hospital, Lake West Ambulance, and Eldon Fire and Rescue Department
relied on a FirstNet SatCOLT to ensure robust capacity to support
communication and data needs. The FirstNet Authority facilitated a pre-
planned event planning meeting with the responder agencies. This
planning meeting provided AT&T FirstNet ROG with additional information
regarding the locations where public safety needed coverage, and
allowed them to deploy the right solution. ``The event went very well.
Communication with the enhanced PTT devices was seamless, and to have
the [SatCOLT] on site made our communications between command and
patrol boat work flawlessly,'' said Matthew Birdsley, Assistant Fire
Chief, Lake Ozark Fire Protection District.
These use cases are just a sample of public safety agencies across
the country making use of FirstNet.
Consultation with Public Safety
The FirstNet Authority would like to thank all public safety
stakeholders throughout the country who have engaged with us--they have
had and will continue to make a direct impact on FirstNet. Since the
FirstNet Authority was established in 2012, we have built our programs
and activities around direct consultation and engagement with and
feedback from the public safety community in every state and territory.
It is the cornerstone of everything we do at the FirstNet Authority. We
have focused on maintaining a close working relationship with a diverse
group of public safety stakeholders--states, territories, tribes, local
governments, Federal agencies, Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs),
and the members of the FirstNet Authority's Public Safety Advisory
Committee (PSAC).\12\
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\12\ Under the 2012 Act, the FirstNet Authority was required to
``establish a standing public safety advisory committee.'' 2012 Act
Sec. 6205(a)(1) (47 U.S.C. Sec. 1425(a)(1)), Pub. L. No. 112-96, 126
Stat. 156 (2012). The FirstNet Authority established the PSAC in
February 2013 consisting of member representation across all
disciplines of public safety as well as state, territorial, tribal, and
local governments. The PSAC also has at-large members and Federal
members. The mission of the PSAC is to assist the FirstNet Authority in
carrying out its statutory duties and responsibilities.
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Just last year, our public safety advocacy team participated in
more than 1,100 public safety engagements representing all states,
tribal nations, and across all public safety disciplines. Through these
engagements, the FirstNet Authority had discussions with more than
25,000 stakeholders and collected their feedback on: the Network;
broadband successes, challenges, and needs; and suggestions for product
development. These interactions with public safety continue to be
critical as we lay the groundwork for our future strategy and long-term
planning for the organization, and as we reinvest back into the Network
and help drive innovation in the public safety marketplace. We have
continued our engagement with public safety during the pandemic through
webinars, virtual briefings, and virtual conferences across the
country.
The FirstNet Roadmap
In 2019, the FirstNet Authority worked with our public safety,
industry, and government stakeholders across the country to develop a
Roadmap \13\ to guide the growth, evolution, and advancement of the
Network. Released a year ago, the Roadmap provides a view of public
safety's operational needs and technology trends for mobile broadband
communications over the next several years.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\13\ See FirstNet Authority, First Responder Network Authority
Roadmap (rel. Aug. 2019), https://firstnet.gov/system/tdf/
FirstNet_Roadmap.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=1055.
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The Roadmap is organized around six domains representing
technologies and capabilities that are vital to public safety
operations now and in the future, including:
1. Network Core: provides the essential intelligence for the
functioning of the Network and is foundational to the Network
2. Coverage and Capacity: enables robust and ubiquitous access to
the Network
3. Situational Awareness: envisions real-time access, collection,
and distribution of critical information
4. Voice Communications: envisions high-quality, reliable voice
communications nationwide working seamlessly across analog and
digital platforms
5. Secure Information Exchange: provides the ability to access,
exchange, and manage data securely and conveniently within and
across public safety agencies and jurisdictions
6. User Experience: seeks to ensure interfaces are designed for
specific public safety users' operational challenges
The Roadmap guides the FirstNet Authority's engagement with
stakeholders across public safety, the industry ecosystem, government,
and with AT&T. We identify and pursue opportunities that promote
technology innovation, policies, procedures, and programs that benefit
public safety users. The FirstNet Authority uses the Roadmap to help
prioritize our programs, activities, and investments in Network
improvements to ensure first responders continue to have the
communications tools they need to help save lives and protect
communities. As we gather input through continuing stakeholder
engagements, we will update the Roadmap so that it remains current with
public safety's needs and technology developments.
The Public Safety Marketplace
As we implement the FirstNet Roadmap, we continue to strengthen the
public safety marketplace. We've seen commercial carriers competing
fiercely to gain public safety's business. And we've seen industry
rising to the occasion with new devices, apps, and solutions for use on
FirstNet. FirstNet has worked with the National Institute of Standards
and Technology (NIST) to certify devices that meet appropriate
protocols and standards for access, use of, and compatibility with the
Network, and offerings now include more than 100 apps \14\ and over 200
devices \15\ as part of the FirstNet ecosystem.
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\14\ See FirstNet App Catalog, https://apps.firstnet.att.com/
?auth=false.
\15\ 47 U.S.C. Sec. 1426(c)(6) requires NIST, in consultation with
the FirstNet Authority, to ensure the development of a list of
certified devices that meet appropriate protocols and standards for
access to, use of, or compatibility with the Network. See FirstNet list
of approved devices, also known as the ``NIST List'' at: https://
www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr/process-document-nist-list-certified-devices.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
FirstNet has raised the bar and brought real competition to public
safety. Now the marketplace is delivering for public safety, and we are
seeing public safety respond to and adopt these services.
FirstNet also is delivering new solutions that were never
previously available to public safety. These include our dedicated
fleet of SatCOLTs and Cell on Wings (COWs). The network-boosting
devices are available 24/7 on request and at no cost for FirstNet-
subscribed agencies. This is an important aspect of a public safety
network because emergencies can happen anywhere. AT&T has since begun
to provide three COWs and, most recently, FirstNet One--deployed in
Louisiana earlier this month, as previously mentioned--for use by
FirstNet subscribers in the aftermath of major disasters. FirstNet One
can fly up to 1,000 feet, potentially providing over double the
coverage area as compared to other deployable solutions such as
SatCOLTs.
FirstNet Investment and Innovation
The FirstNet Authority will continue to deliver for public safety
and drive innovation. We are only in the third year of a 25-year
contract with AT&T and have made substantial progress in Network
buildout and enhancement, such as the successful recent roll-out of
FirstNet PTT.
Going forward, we look to reach other important milestones for
FirstNet and public safety:
We will continue to engage with global standards bodies to
work towards mission-critical video and data standards, as well
as location-based services based on the needs of our users.
The FirstNet Authority recently took the first step to begin
evolving the FirstNet core to prepare for 5G--ensuring that
FirstNet will be 5G ready.
Following the recent investment approval, the FirstNet
Authority will expand the fleet of FirstNet deployables to
enhance network coverage and capacity for public safety during
emergencies and events.\16\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\16\ See FirstNet Authority, FirstNet Authority Board Approves
Network Investments for 5G, On-Demand Coverage (June 17, 2020), https:/
/firstnet.gov/newsroom/press-releases/firstnet-authority-board-
approves-network-investments-5g-demand-
coverage#: :text=The%20Board%20approved
%20%24218%20million%20for%20the%20FirstNet,safety%20turned%20to%20the%20
FirstNet%20
deployables%20for%20additional.
All of this is in concert with our statutory responsibility to
consider new and evolving technologies--preparing us for a future where
the Internet of Things and 5G will help improve public safety
operations.
The FirstNet Authority Roadmap drives these efforts and sets a path
forward for advancing FirstNet. The Roadmap incorporates public
safety's feedback and accounts for technology trends.
Conclusion
Thank you to the Subcommittee for the opportunity to update you on
the FirstNet Authority's progress and our plans for the future of the
Network. First responders are experiencing the benefits of FirstNet in
their daily operations. Our primary goals at the FirstNet Authority
this year and beyond are to continue to responsibly oversee the
Network, ensure it evolves to meet the needs of public safety by
engaging and gathering their feedback, and promote competition in the
public safety marketplace.
The FirstNet Authority will continue to meet our statutory
obligations, partner with those who will use and benefit from the
Network, engage with and seek input from our public safety and
governmental stakeholders, and work to ensure the successful
deployment, operation, and improvement of FirstNet.
I ask that this Subcommittee continue to support the FirstNet
Authority--particularly with our spectrum license renewal approaching--
as we enter the next phase of this program, to innovate and invest in
public safety's Network. The support of Congress is critical to
FirstNet's and, in turn, public safety's success. It is always
important to remember--this is not the FirstNet Authority's network; it
is public safety's network. The public safety community fought long and
hard for the creation of the Network, and it is up to us to continue to
strive to achieve their vision.
Thank you, and I look forward to your questions.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Mr. Parkinson.
Mr. Porter.
STATEMENT OF JASON PORTER, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, AT&T INC.
Mr. Porter. Thank you, Chairman Thune, Ranking Member
Schatz, and Members of the Committee.
I'm Jason Porter, Senior Vice President leading the
FirstNet Program at AT&T.
I appreciate the opportunity to update the Subcommittee on
the critical role FirstNet is playing to connect first
responders during the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic, the
recent hurricanes, and the ongoing wildfires on top of the
daily activities of public safety.
I'm proud to report that FirstNet is delivering on
Congress's vision of a single dedicated and nationwide public
safety network. Providing first responders with the
capabilities, coverage, and capacity they need to combat one of
the greatest challenges of our time.
Last time we met with this committee, we celebrated five
states opting into FirstNet. FirstNet is now available to first
responders in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and five
U.S. territories. Usage has grown exponentially with more than
13,000 organizations having subscribed and over 1.5 million
connections. With Band 14 deployed in more than 700 markets, we
have surpassed 80 percent of our Band 14 nationwide coverage
target approximately a year ahead of schedule.
In an emergency or high-traffic environment, this band is
cleared and locked just for FirstNet subscribers, something
that first responders will not get anywhere else.
The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the need for a nationwide
high-speed and interoperable communications platform dedicated
to first responders. FirstNet has answered the call.
FirstNet is meeting the dynamic communications needs of
first responders, including frontline public health workers
conducting telehealth and those at quarantine locations,
testing sites, health care facilities, and field hospitals.
Responding to the pandemic earlier this year was like
responding to a fire, flood, and tornado in every city at the
same time. The FirstNet network is performing as designed,
providing reliability, connectivity wherever first responders
need it, even with the significant increase in consumer usage.
FirstNet's fleet of deployable assets augmented coverage
for medical staff aboard the U.S. Naval Ships Mercy in Los
Angeles and Comfort in New York. We also deployed FirstNet
satellite cell tower on wheels to support the COVID-19 response
of the Navajo Nation and Confederated Tribes of the Colville
Reservation in Keller, Washington.
FirstNet's performance during the pandemic has been
exceptional, fulfilling Congress's goal to establish a reliable
nationwide network that first responders can rely on during an
unprecedented emergency.
Unfortunately, during the pandemic, we also had to contend
with powerful storms and catastrophic wildfires. In response,
FirstNet is demonstrating its ability to handle multiple
emergencies at once.
I was on the ground in Louisiana helping public safety
respond to Hurricane Laura. AT&T pre-staged assets and deployed
FirstNet One, an approximately 55-foot blimp which you see
behind me, which flew above Cameron Parish, Louisiana, to boost
connectivity for first responders. Public safety thanked
FirstNet, saying that we were the only ones there and the only
network working.
In California and Oregon, we were providing 24/7 support
for FirstNet-subscriber agencies, and we were proactively
deploying generators and other assets where there is a power
outage or a cell tower is down due to fire damage.
Finally, I want to emphasize that reaching rural parts of
America is one of our top priorities. Over 1,000 new purpose-
built FirstNet sites are currently planned as part of the
initial nationwide FirstNet network expansion, most of those in
rural areas.
We've launched over 250 of these sites across the country
already, including areas, such as Preston County, West
Virginia, Zerkel, Minnesota, the Chippewa Reservation in
Wisconsin, Bethel, Alaska, Michigan's Upper Peninsula, Roswell,
New Mexico, Pennington County, South Dakota, Ashland, Montana,
Naselle, Washington, and in Lewisdale, Mississippi.
Together, the FirstNet Authority and AT&T are delivering a
public safety network and solutions ecosystem that gives first
responders what Congress intended.
As a West Point graduate and former Army officer, I
personally view FirstNet as a second opportunity to serve my
country by giving back to the public safety and health care
workers who are putting their lives on the line for us every
day.
I'm extremely proud of our support for public safety and I
welcome your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Porter follows:]
Prepared Statement of Jason Porter, Senior Vice President, AT&T Inc.
Thank you, Chairman Thune, Ranking Member Schatz, and Members of
the Committee.
I am Jason Porter, the Senior Vice President leading the FirstNet
program at AT&T. I appreciate the opportunity to update the
Subcommittee on the critical role the nationwide public safety
broadband network (``FirstNet'') is playing in connecting first
responders across jurisdictions and disciplines to enable a unified
emergency response during the unprecedented coronavirus (COVID-19)
pandemic. Built in partnership by AT&T and the First Responder Network
Authority (``FirstNet Authority''), FirstNet is delivering on
Congress's vision of a single, dedicated, nationwide public safety
network, providing first responders with the modern capabilities, broad
coverage, and robust capacity they need to combat one of the greatest
challenges of our time.
FirstNet's COVID-19 Response
The COVID-19 pandemic underscores the need for a nationwide, high-
speed communications platform dedicated to first responders--which
include health care workers battling the pandemic on the front lines.
FirstNet has answered the call.
To begin with, FirstNet is providing critical connectivity to
support telehealth services, including remote patient monitoring for
at-risk patients in their homes. FirstNet has also met the
communications needs and supported the operations of first responders,
doctors, nurses and public health workers at quarantine locations,
testing sites, health care facilities and field hospitals. In
coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (``FEMA'')
and state, local and tribal emergency operations centers, we performed
nearly 5,000 COVID-19 related operational location assessments,
including an evaluation of sites being considered for the staging of
COVID-19 field hospitals. The FirstNet network performed as intended,
allowing first responders to maintain reliable connectivity even with
the massive increase in consumer mobility usage during these
unprecedented times.
In those rare cases where additional coverage and capacity was
needed, we promptly responded to COVID-19 first responder requests with
FirstNet's fleet of dedicated deployable network assets or other
innovative connectivity solutions to boost connectivity. These efforts
included augmented coverage for medical staff aboard the U.S. Naval
Ship Mercy in Los Angeles and the U.S. Naval Ship Comfort in New York.
We also deployed two FirstNet SatCOLTs (cell towers on wheels) that
supported the Navajo Nation's COVID-19 response, supplementing
connectivity for tribal first responders and FEMA, as well as a
FirstNet SatCOLT that boosted connectivity for the tribal emergency
operations center on the Confederated Tribes of the Colville
Reservation in Keller, Washington.
FirstNet also enabled the City of Alexandria, Virginia, a FirstNet
subscriber, to use hotspots and smartphones powered by FirstNet to
enable 9-1-1 dispatchers to take calls and handle dispatch operations
from their homes and remote locations during the pandemic.
FirstNet's performance during the pandemic has been exceptional,
fulfilling Congress' goal to establish a nationwide network that first
responders can rely on when our Nation is encountering an unprecedented
emergency. I am pleased to report that first responders, our customers,
have heralded the network as a ``game changer,'' describing FirstNet's
``quick action and network performance'' as essential to support
``hundreds of public safety personnel actively engaged in response
efforts'' when ``commercial network devices were unable to handle the
heavy data transmission needed to adequately communicate'' during the
pandemic.\1\ Recognizing these benefits, first responders are
subscribing to FirstNet in strong numbers. Since the pandemic began,
over 450 public safety agencies have joined or expanded their use of
FirstNet's services to support their COVID-19 response efforts.
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\1\ https://about.att.com/newsroom/2020/fn_covid_19.html
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FirstNet Band 14 Coverage Is Ahead of Schedule
While we are proud of how FirstNet is supporting our first
responders in this time of crisis, we are also proud to report that
FirstNet's capabilities are rapidly growing and our nationwide Band 14
coverage is ahead of schedule. When we last briefed the Subcommittee,
we had just started our Band 14 build. Today, our nationwide Band 14
coverage build is more than eighty percent (80 percent) complete and
ahead of schedule, and usage has exponentially grown--with more than
13,000 first responder and supporting organizations having subscribed
and over 1.5 million FirstNet connections now in service.
FirstNet is now available to the complete ecosystem of first
responders, including physicians and nurses and other frontline
healthcare workers, in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and
five U.S. territories. Leveraging public safety's Band 14 spectrum and
all AT&T LTE bands, FirstNet currently covers more than 2.61 million
square miles. Band 14 is nationwide, high-quality spectrum set aside by
Congress specifically for FirstNet. With Band 14 deployed in more than
700 markets, we have surpassed 80 percent of our Band 14 nationwide
coverage target--well ahead of schedule. Band 14 is providing a VIP
lane for first responders and is at the heart of our success. In an
emergency, this band can be cleared and locked just for FirstNet
subscribers. That means only those on FirstNet can access Band 14
spectrum, further elevating their connected experience and emergency
response. This is unique in the industry and something that first
responders will not get anywhere except on the FirstNet network.
FirstNet's Focus on Rural America
FirstNet is for all first responders wherever they are located.
That is why reaching rural and remote parts of America is one of our
top priorities. Over 1,000 new, purpose-built FirstNet sites are
currently planned as part of the initial nationwide FirstNet network
expansion. Most of these sites are in rural areas. Thus far we have
launched over 250 of these sites across the country--including areas
such as: Lusk, Wyoming; Tilghman Island, Maryland; Yamhill County,
Oregon; Preston County, West Virginia; Zerkel, Minnesota; the Red Cliff
Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Reservation in northern Wisconsin;
Bethel, Alaska; Michigan's Upper Peninsula; Roswell, New Mexico;
Pennington County, South Dakota; Ashland, Montana; Naselle Washington
along the Long Beach Peninsula; Lucedale, Mississippi (near the De Soto
National Forest); and in northwestern Minnesota, serving the White
Earth Reservation. These sites were identified by state and public
safety stakeholders as priority locations. Our ongoing network
expansion has also enabled communities--like Pennington County, South
Dakota; Village of Linden, Wisconsin; the Oglala Sioux Tribe; and
Mammoth Lakes, California--to modernize their communications and
transform their emergency response capabilities.
We are also collaborating with rural network providers across the
country to help build out additional LTE coverage and extend FirstNet's
reach in rural and tribal communities. For example, one rural provider
is adding Band 14 spectrum and AT&T commercial LTE spectrum bands to
hundreds of its cellular sites across rural Colorado and Nebraska, as
well as select portions of South Dakota and Wyoming. Similar activities
by other rural providers are also taking place in Alaska, Arizona, New
Mexico, Wyoming and more to help us extend the reach of the first
responder network.
FirstNet Background
As you take stock of FirstNet's success, it is important to
remember how and why it began. Congress created FirstNet in the wake of
the tragedy of 9/11 and based upon a recommendation in the 9/11
Commission Report because first responders frequently lacked the
ability to communicate with each other during emergencies. Prior to
FirstNet, first responders relied solely on over 10,000 disparate radio
networks for push to talk voice communications to do their job and they
used the same commercial wireless networks that we all do for calls,
texts, mobile applications and data. Those networks quickly become
congested during a significant emergency. We have unfortunately
witnessed how these communication challenges hamper first responders,
such as in responding to the 9/11 attacks and many other emergencies
since.
In response, Congress recognized that we can and should do better
to support our first responders and their critical mission. In 2012
Congress established the FirstNet Authority to address the critical
problem that the tragic events of September 11, 2001 exposed: namely,
different agencies of first responders being unable to communicate
effectively because their radios operated on multiple, different
networks. To solve this problem, Congress authorized the FirstNet
Authority to build, maintain, and operate a single, nationwide,
interoperable public safety broadband network dedicated to first
responders. The resulting FirstNet network, which AT&T has been both
privileged and proud to partner with the FirstNet Authority to execute,
is operating precisely as Congress intended. The current pandemic, and
the cycles of life-and property-threatening hurricanes, storms,
tornadoes and wildfires that have roiled America since we last appeared
before the Subcommittee remind us how important communication is during
such events.
The FirstNet Authority and AT&T offer the only nationwide, high-
speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built
for America's first responders and the extended public safety
community. Additionally, FirstNet is unique because the network's
buildout and performance is subject to strict contract deliverables and
accountability from the FirstNet Authority. Through FirstNet, our
Nation's first responders are receiving the unthrottled, connectivity
and priority communications they need on a highly secure and dedicated
platform. This unparalleled highly secure and dedicated platform
distinguishes FirstNet--public safety's network--from commercial
wireless networks that are not designed to cut through the potential
clutter of commercial mobile traffic and that are not subject to
oversight by the FirstNet Authority. And it illustrates precisely why
public safety fought so hard for the creation of the FirstNet Authority
and the deployment of the FirstNet network.
FirstNet Overview
FirstNet is the only dedicated wireless broadband communications
ecosystem built for America's first responders, meeting the needs of
firefighters, EMS, law enforcement, 9-1-1 centers, and emergency
managers, providing:
Security. FirstNet provides a unique, differentiated, and
highly secure network platform, encrypted at its dedicated
network core.
Priority/Preemption. FirstNet provides its eligible users
with priority and, for primary users, pre-emption. ``Priority''
means just that--in times of emergencies and network
congestion, FirstNet gives first responder communications
precedence and, for ``primary users,'' preempts all other
communications. And, if an area is hit with an emergency (e.g.,
hurricane, wildfire), a local commander can provide elevated
priority to the FirstNet users supporting the response. For
example, in a hurricane, a commander could upgrade the priority
level of evacuation vehicle operators prior to the storm, then
shift priority to the medical personnel and utility workers
after the storm passes through.
Interoperable. FirstNet delivers interoperability across
public safety agencies and jurisdictions, meaning that they can
communicate with each other using a common, highly secure
network platform that avoids the congestion that impacts
commercial networks in times of emergency. In New York City,
for example, FirstNet equipped hundreds of ambulances, EMS and
other first responders with a common, interoperable
communications platform and dedicated connectivity to help them
coordinate the transport of patients between hospitals and
health systems across the state. Coordinating with New York
public safety agencies, government officials, and city
hospitals, the FirstNet team at AT&T provided a cross-agency
solution to marshal hundreds of ambulances that came from
outside the region into the city to perform mutual aid.
Dedicated Customer Service. Customized customer service with
dedicated 24/7/365 security and helpdesk operations support
centers just for FirstNet subscribers.
Network Disaster Recovery resources. AT&T supports FirstNet
with its FirstNet Response Operations Group (ROG), which serves
as public safety's direct partner to meet their connectivity
needs, whenever they need it. This group helps to manage the
FirstNet-dedicated portable network assets, such as the mobile
cell sites that link to FirstNet via satellite and do not rely
on commercial power availability. These assets are available
free of charge to FirstNet subscribed agencies and include 72
Satellite Cell on Light trucks (SatCOLTS), three Flying Cells
on Wings (Flying COWs) and FirstNet One--an approximately 55-
foot blimp, which most recently flew above Cameron Parish,
Louisiana to boost connectivity for first responders following
the devastation left by Hurricane Laura. FirstNet users are
further supported by the hundreds of AT&T commercial deployable
assets that are also available to help meet their connectivity
needs--when and where they need it. More than 40 sites
nationwide house the 72 SatCOLTs dedicated to FirstNet
subscribers, enabling a 14-hour delivery window. The assets can
be called upon by FirstNet users after a natural disaster has
struck and infrastructure has been damaged or when first
responders are responding to an emergency incident in a remote
location. The deployable program has been a huge success. So
far this year, public safety has turned to FirstNet deployable
network assets and requested additional support during more
than 450 emergencies and planned events--like sporting events,
parades and training activities vital to keeping first
responders mission-ready. Of these requests, more than 60
requests were related to COVID-19 response operations and more
than 50 requests were associated with Hurricane Laura.
FirstNet App Ecosystem and FirstNet App Developer Program.
AT&T is bringing 21st Century innovation to first responders.
In 2017 we launched the FirstNet App Catalog and Developer
Program dedicated to America's first responders. The catalog
now identifies more than 125 highly secure applications tested
for public safety that can help cost-effectively enhance their
situational awareness and other capabilities. For instance,
fire fighters have access to applications that allow them to
track the progression of a fire and view a map that shows the
location of their team members and other assets. This
information can help equip the incident commanders with vital
information to help them stage and respond to the fire and help
keep their crews and equipment safe. The FirstNet Developer
Program encourages developers to design applications with
solutions built for the unique needs of first responders and
provides Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) that in turn
can support the sharing of information and integration across
different mobile applications. It also provides a platform for
the first responder community to educate the developer
community about their unique needs and priorities. The program
thus provides first responders with a one-stop-shop for
reliable, highly secure solutions optimized for the FirstNet
network platform. Before any app is made available in the App
Catalog, the FirstNet Authority and AT&T jointly review the
applications for, at a minimum, security, reliability and
privacy, giving first responders added confidence that the
mobile application performs in critical situations. By pushing
innovation to the application level, we are making these
innovations readily available to all public safety users, no
matter their location or size.
One particularly successful solution developed and
found within the FirstNet App Catalog is FirstNet Push-to-
Talk (PTT), the first-ever nationwide mission-critical
standards-based push-to-talk solution to launch in the U.S.
We tested the FirstNet PTT solution with public safety
agencies across the country, including the Cranford Police
Department in New Jersey. FirstNet PTT is designed to
enable public safety to use their smartphones, feature
phones, and specialized ultra-rugged devices like they
would use a two-way radio, with highly reliable, high-
performance calling. FirstNet PTT will also deliver new
features that allow first responders to better react to
changing events.
Devices. There are now over 150 FirstNet Ready devices, with
Band 14 capability access built in and compatible with the
FirstNet SIM card. Devices range from the iOS and Android
platforms, ruggedized mobile and in-vehicle devices, and custom
designed solutions, such as the built-in ``Push-to-Talk''
capability on some devices. Critically, the ability for health
care professionals and first responders to disinfect the
ruggedized, public safety devices has been helpful during the
COVID-19 pandemic. When managing patients and working to
mitigate the spread of COVID-19, ``mobile hygiene'' is top of
mind to frontline workers. For instance, the FirstNet Ready
Sonim XP8 is ideal for ambulances and those at COVID-19 testing
sites due to its resistance to chemicals. The XP8 can be fully
submerged and can withstand a variety of different cleaning
products from simple soap and water to heavy-duty cleansers and
disinfectants, such as bleach and isopropyl alcohol. This is
simply another example of the FirstNet ecosystem driving
innovation for first responders and delivering solutions that
are specifically tailored for their unique needs during
difficult circumstances, such as the current pandemic.
Together, these capabilities will better connect first
responders to the critical information they need both in their
routine operations and during an emergency, helping them do
their jobs more effectively and efficiently.
FirstNet Is Aiding First Responders in Other Emergency Situations
We take the greatest pride in reporting on how FirstNet is
meaningfully serving as a partner to America's public safety and aiding
first responders during large planned events and in emergency
situations. In addition to the COVID-19 and other response examples
above, I would like to highlight the following for the Subcommittee:
Pacific Northwest Wildfires. The FirstNet ROG and the AT&T
network teams are actively supporting FirstNet subscribed
agencies responding to the active wildfires in California,
Oregon and Washington. We are doing this by: (1) dynamically
monitoring the network and carefully tracking where the fires
are located, and communicating with the states emergency teams
in order to protect critical communications infrastructure; (2)
proactively tracking and deploying generators and other assets
where there is a brownout, commercial power outage, or
disruption due to fire damage; and (3) FirstNet ROG liaisons
are providing 24/7 support to FirstNet subscribed agencies in
the states. If a FirstNet subscribed agency has connectivity
needs, the agency can reach out to its FirstNet Solutions
Consultant or the FirstNet Customer CARE (staffed 24x7x365) to
submit a FirstNet deployable request. Thus far, since June
2020, we have managed more than 50 deployable requests in the
western United States to support emergency response to the
wildfires, having deployed assets and other connectivity
solutions to support FirstNet subscribed agencies responding to
numerous fires, including the Red Salmon Fire in Willow Creek,
California, the El Dorado Fire in Yucaipa, California, the
Holiday Farm Fire in Blue River Oregon, the fires in Gates,
Oregon, and the Cold Spring Canyon Fire in Bridgeport,
Washington.
Hurricanes Laura and Sally. In late August 2020, the
FirstNet ROG--led by a team of former first responders--guided
the deployment of the dedicated FirstNet fleet based on the
needs of public safety in anticipation of Hurricane Laura, the
strongest Hurricane to come ashore in Louisiana in two
centuries. The team activated FirstNet liaisons to support the
affected states' Emergency Operations Centers. The FirstNet ROG
also deployed alongside FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue
management team to provide real-time assessment and triage
capabilities in support of the teams on the ground in the
hardest hit areas. In addition, AT&T pre-staged assets to
support Hurricane Laura response efforts. For Hurricane Sally,
the FirstNet ROG staffed Emergency Response Centers and managed
deployable requests in Florida, Louisiana and Alabama,
including sending assets to Pensacola, Florida, Sulphur,
Louisiana, and Robertsdale, Alabama.
Tennessee Tornados. During the devastating early March
tornados in Tennessee, Putnam County's Emergency Operations
Center turned to FirstNet to provide critical communications.
Within hours, FirstNet deployed dedicated portable network
assets, including SatCOLTs to Putnam County, reinforcing
communications and allowing first responders to more
efficiently and effectively coordinate their efforts. The land
mobile radio (LMR) network tower--which is public safety's
traditional two-way radio system--serving Cookeville and the
surrounding area was damaged by the storm. In the storm's
immediate aftermath and the days that followed, FirstNet served
as the primary line of communications for first responders
supporting search and rescue and recovery efforts
Hurricane Dorian. Last year, in 2019, when Hurricane Dorian
threatened the east coast, the FirstNet Response Operations
Group jumped into action, pre-staging deployable assets and
coordinating across dozens of public safety agencies and
organizations to provide them with the communications needed
before, during and after the storm. FirstNet liaisons provided
24/7 staffing to support Emergency Operations Centers in the
affected states, and we were on-site supporting the FEMA
National Response Coordination Center. From planning and pre-
storm prep to post-storm support, the team was working beside
public safety every step of the way.
2020 Super Bowl. We worked with public safety more than a
year ahead of the Super Bowl in 2019 and again in 2020 to make
public safety-specific preparations, ensuring the FirstNet
communications platform was ready. As fans continue breaking
data usage records at these major events, first responders
using FirstNet do not have to compete with spectators uploading
photos and videos from the game.
Tribal Search and Rescue. In the fall of 2018, the Yankton
Sioux Tribe Police Department conducted a search and rescue
mission for a missing person in a remote area in southeastern
South Dakota. The department requested a FirstNet deployable
network asset to boost connectivity. Within hours of the
request, a FirstNet SatCOLT was in place to help the tribal
first responders carry out their operation.
Hurricane Florence. During Hurricane Florence, in 2018, the
FirstNet Response Operations Group was ready to support first
responders. We deployed a SatCOLT to the staging area in
Whiteville, North Carolina to aid emergency response efforts.
According to the Director of Emergency Services for Whiteville,
they lost their land-based mobile systems in the storm, but
when everything was down, FirstNet was working.
Hurricane Michael. Prior to Hurricane Michael, in 2018, we
pre-staged network assets along the Gulf Coast for quick
deployment, including 32 Cells on Wheels (COWs) and SatCOLTs; 7
Emergency Communications Vehicles and Emergency Communications
Portables; and one Hazmat and Mobile Command Center. We
received 30 FirstNet deployable requests from FirstNet
subscribed public safety agencies. The FirstNet ROG sent assets
to the hardest-hit areas to support national guardsmen, airmen,
state patrol, trauma care, police, fire and rescue teams from
as far away as Oregon. A Flying COW hovered at 200 feet above
the ground over Mexico Beach, Florida and provided service to
customers and first responders in the surrounding area. Working
with then-Florida Governor Rick Scott, we identified public
safety agencies that were without commercial service and
activated hundreds of FirstNet enabled devices to help these
first responders carry out their mission.
California Camp Wildfire. AT&T worked closely with the
California Emergency Operations Center regarding the quick
moving fires to address the needs of the state and first
responders working to contain the Camp Wildfire, then the most
destructive and devastating fire in California history. Between
FirstNet-requested assets and assets deployed by the AT&T
Network Disaster Recovery team, 11 portable cell sites and
additional network recovery equipment were deployed throughout
the state to support public safety communications and to bring
connectivity to affected communities in Northern and Southern
California. This included SatCOLTs deployed at locations in
Paradise and Oroville, California.
Conclusion
While we are proud of what we've accomplished in a short time, I am
even more excited about what the future will bring, as we continue to
meet Congress' goal (and our commitment) to give our first responders
the advanced communications capabilities that they need to stay
connected and help them operate faster, safer and more effectively when
lives are on the line. As the leader of the AT&T team supporting
FirstNet, I can assure you that AT&T views FirstNet as much more than a
business proposition, it is a core mission. We are honored to be the
private partner working together with the FirstNet Authority to make
the vision of Congress and the public safety community a reality.
Together, the FirstNet Authority and AT&T are delivering a public
safety network and solutions ecosystem that gives first responders what
Congress intended: the advanced technology they need to communicate and
collaborate nationwide across agencies and jurisdictions during routine
operations and emergencies. Supporting first responders is part of our
company's DNA. From installing the first telephone at the Chicago
Police Department in the late 1800s, to delivering on FirstNet today,
we have been the partner to America's first responders for over 140
years. As a former Army officer, I personally view FirstNet as a second
opportunity to serve my nation by giving back to the public safety and
health care workers who are putting their lives on the line for us
every day. I look forward to continuing this important dialogue as
FirstNet moves forward. I welcome your questions.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Mr. Porter, and thank you for
your service to our country.
Mr. Porter. Yes, sir.
Senator Thune. Next up is Captain Tony Harrison of the
Sheriff's Office of Pennington County, South Dakota, someone
I've known and been acquainted with for a long time, and I know
they are very involved in the work of FirstNet and I'd love to
hear what Captain Harrison has to say.
So, Tony, if you're out there virtually, please proceed.
STAEMENT OF CAPTAIN TONY HARRISON, SHERIFF'S OFFICE, PENNINGTON
COUNTY, SOUTH DAKOTA
Captain Harrison. Yes, sir. Ranking Member Schatz, Members
of the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology
Innovation, and the Internet, and to my own Senior Senator from
the great state of South Dakota, Chairman John Thune, it's an
honor to be speaking with you this morning.
I am Captain Tony Harrison of the Pennington County
Sheriff's Office in the State of South Dakota.
Pennington County is the home of the beautiful Black Hills
with many lakes, hiking trails, Badlands National Park,
Ellsworth Air Force Base, and, of course, Mount Rushmore.
I have served the great citizens of Rapid City and
Pennington County for over 24 years while I worked as a patrol
officer. I spent 8 years in the Narcotics Unit as an
investigator, undercover operatives, and supervisor. I moved
through the ranks and I currently hold the position of captain
in our Criminal Investigation Division where I oversee every
major crime and death investigation that happens in Pennington
County.
I command the largest SWAT team in the state of South
Dakota, a team that can travel anywhere in the state when
requested to help other agencies with having to typically deal
with someone who's in a major state of crisis.
I tell you all this just to make you comfortable with my
experience over the years and my aspects of law enforcement
which is why I'm here today to talk to you about this important
issue.
Pennington County is about 130 miles wide and nearly 60
miles tall, roughly 2,800 square miles, over twice the size of
the state of Rhode Island. We serve close to 150,000 residents
every single day and in the summer months, nearly three million
people come to see the great faces and great places of South
Dakota.
Throw in a little motorcycle rally about 20 miles down the
road in Sturgis and an occasionally blizzard, nothing beats the
snow, hopefully not at the same time, and you can bet our
services are tested daily as we keep the citizens of our county
safe.
I'm here today on behalf of Sheriff Kevin Thom to talk
about the FirstNet Program as it relates to providing services
across the country and for our state's first responders.
In South Dakota, over 50 percent of the sheriff's offices,
the state of South Dakota itself, and seven of the top 10
largest cities as well as half the tribal agencies use FirstNet
as their service provider in some capacity.
Our agency decided to switch to FirstNet about 18 months
ago after the promise of having better coverage. After speaking
with Lisa Home, Pam Bryan, and Doug Pennington, and other
representatives, they also committed to a future build plan
which will provide much more reliable service in the future.
By the way, Senator Thune, Pam Bryan said she went to
school with you and wanted to tell you hello.
Pennington County is very unique. Our east side has the
rolling plains, the Badlands, farm and ranch land. It's fairly
flat and sparsely populated and cell signal can quickly be lost
out there.
The lowest elevation of Pennington County is about 2,100
feet above sea level near the Badlands. The highest spot in
Pennington County is over 7,200 feet near Black Elk Peak. Mount
Rushmore sits at 5,700 feet.
You can see the vast difference from one side of our county
to the other. When you get into the Black Hills, oftentimes
radio and phone coverage can be very difficult. One of our
greatest concerns is as we ensure the safety of everyone in
Pennington County is the ability to communicate. In any
critical event, the first thing that goes typically is
communication. Losing the ability to communicate can be
devastating and lead to failed missions whether the mission is
something as simple as rescuing someone who's fallen and gotten
hurt in the Black Hills or an active threat in a school.
FirstNet has provided the tools we need to get the
communication and it should only get better.
We've spend a lot of time looking for lost and missing
people in Pennington recently, including a young girl named
Serenity, who we'd been searching for since February 2019. In
her search, we have logged thousands and thousands of man
hours, walked over 6,000 miles and had over two dozen different
search dogs as we have paced back and forth across the most
rugged terrain of the Black Hills. Many times, those areas have
been very rugged with no cell reception.
We called FirstNet and they immediately deployed one of
their ``cell on wheels,'' a COW, and those were able to help us
communicate better.
As recently as July 3 of this year, President Trump came to
our great state to watch the fireworks at Mount Rushmore.
Obviously this is a major undertaking, having not just
fireworks at Mount Rushmore but also a Presidential visit on
top of it.
We knew the cellular networks would be stressed. On the day
prior as I was preparing the mobile command posts, we quickly
realized our current cell signal was not going to be strong
enough to pipe all the information through it that we needed.
I made one call to our FirstNet representative and within
hours, he had set up a dedicated band for our command posts
which was able to efficiently manage the entire day's events.
FirstNet was truly a lifesaver for the agency on that day.
Is FirstNet the perfect solution? It is not. There's not a
perfect solution out there and we know that. In the beginning,
we had billing complications but working with FirstNet and
especially Pam, we were able to work through those issues in a
short period of time and I note today our billing staff is much
happier.
Thank you. This is a testament to FirstNet's commitment to
our customers.
We're holding FirstNet accountable for the expanded tower
networks in the Black Hills. We got onboard with FirstNet
because we saw the vision and we trust that they're going to
fulfill the promises of coverage in Pennington County and South
Dakota. They have completed two towers that already have 5G
coverage nearby in Selder and Wall, South Dakota, and two
towers are currently being worked on right now in the Hill City
area.
This has added some logistical work because it's happening
on Forest Service land. So if I have one ask for this
committee, it is this. Please help our citizens by helping
FirstNet get through any of the issues that come with working
and trying to build on Federal land. It will be greatly
appreciated from our end.
I've been told it will be done by the end of 2022 and we're
anxious to have the builds done as soon so they can, so we have
better coverage in the Black Hills.
In closing, I'm happy to report FirstNet has been very good
for Pennington County Sheriff's Office and the citizens of our
county. We're excited to see the next step in coverage and
trust it will be completed in the very near future.
Thank you for having me today, and I'll stand for any
questions.
[The prepared statement of Captain Harrison follows:]
Prepared Statement of Tony Harrison, Captain, Pennington County
Sheriff's Office, Rapid City, South Dakota
Ranking Member Schatz, Members of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on
Communications, Technology, Innovation, and the Internet and to my own
Senior Senator from the Great State of South Dakota, Chairman John
Thune, it is an honor to be speaking with you this morning. I am
Captain Tony Harrison, from the Pennington County Sheriff's Office in
the State of South Dakota. Pennington County is home of the beautiful
Black Hills. We are the home of many lakes, hiking trails, Badlands
National Park, Ellsworth Air Force Base, and of course, Mt. Rushmore.
I have served the great citizens of Rapid City and Pennington
County for 24 years. I have worked on the street as a patrol officer,
spent 8 years in the narcotics unit as an investigator, undercover
operative and supervisor. I have moved through the ranks and currently
hold the position of Captain in our Criminal Investigations Division
where I oversee every major crime and death investigation that occurs
in Pennington County. I command the largest SWAT team in South Dakota,
a team that can travel anywhere in the state when requested to help
assist other agencies who are typically dealing with someone in a state
of crisis. I tell you this hoping to make you comfortable with my vast
experience in all aspects of Law Enforcement, which is why I am here
today to talk about this important issue.
Pennington County is about 130 miles wide and nearly 60 miles tall,
roughly 2800 square miles, over twice the size of the state of Rhode
Island. We serve close to 115,000 residents day in and day out and in
the summer months, nearly 3 million guests come to see the GREAT FACES
AND GREAT PLACES of South Dakota. Throw in a little motorcycle rally
called Sturgis just 20 miles down the road that draws nearly \1/2\
million people and an occasional blizzard dumping several feet of snow
(hopefully not at the same time!) and you can bet, our services are
tested daily as we work to keep the citizens of our county safe.
I am here today on behalf of Sheriff Kevin Thom to talk about the
FirstNet program as it relates to providing service across the country
and our state for first responders. Over 50 percent of the Sheriff
Offices in SD, the State of SD itself, 7 of the top 10 largest cities
and half of the tribal agencies use FirstNet as their service provider
in some capacity.
Our agency decided to switch to FirstNet almost 18 months ago
because of the promise of having better coverage. After speaking with
Lisa Hohn, Pam Bryan and Doug Penniston, and other representatives,
they also committed to future build plans that will provide much more
reliable coverage in the future. By the way Senator Thune, Pam went to
school with you and she says HI.
Pennington County is very unique. Out east, we have rolling plains,
the Badlands and farm and ranch land. It is fairly flat, but as
sparsely populated as the east end of our county is, cell signal can
quickly get very spotty. The lowest elevation in Pennington County is
about 2100 feet above sea level, near the Badlands. The highest spot in
Pennington County is over 7200 feet, near Black Elk Peak. Mt. Rushmore
sits at about 5700 feet.
You can see the vast difference from one side of our county to the
other. When you get in to the Black Hills, radio and phone coverage can
get very difficult. One of greatest concerns as we help to ensure the
safety of everyone in Pennington County is the ability to communicate.
In any critical event, the first thing to go is typically
communication. Losing the ability to communicate is devastating and can
lead to failed missions, whether the mission is as simple as rescuing
someone who has fallen and gotten hurt in the Black Hills or an active
threat in a school. FirstNet has provided the tools we need to have
great communication and it should only get better.
We have spent a lot of time looking for lost and missing people in
Pennington County recently, including searching for a young girl named
Serenity who we have been searching for since February 2019. In her
search, we have logged thousands and thousands of man-hours, over 6000
miles of walking and over 2 dozen different search dogs as we have
paced back and forth across the most rugged terrain of the Black Hills.
Many times we have been in areas with no cell reception. We called
FirstNet and they immediately provided their ``Cell on Wheels'', or
COWs, which gave us the ability to communicate.
As recently as July 3rd of this year, President Trump came to our
great state to watch the fireworks at Mt. Rushmore. Obviously, this was
a major undertaking, having not just the fireworks event at Mt.
Rushmore, but also a Presidential visit on top of that. We knew
cellular networks would be stressed. On the day prior, as I was
preparing our mobile command post, we quickly realized our current cell
signal was not going to be strong enough for all the information we
needed to pipe through it. I made one call to our FirstNet
representative, and within hours, he set up a dedicated band that only
our command post had access to, which allowed us to manage the day's
events efficiently. FirstNet was truly a lifesaver for our agency.
Is the FirstNet solution the perfect solution? It is not. But there
is not a perfect platform either. In the beginning, we had billing
complications, but working with FirstNet and especially Pam, we were
able to work through the issues within a short period of time. I know
our billing staff is much happier! This is a testament to FirstNet's
commitment to their customers.
We are holding FirstNet accountable for the expanded tower network
in the Black Hills. We have got onboard with FirstNet because we saw
their vision and we trust they are going to fulfill their promises of
coverage across Pennington County and South Dakota. They have completed
two towers and we have 5G coverage near Box Elder and near Wall SD due
to those builds. The two towers we are most interested in right now are
planned to be built on forest service land, both near Hill City, SD.
That has added some logistical work due to them being on Federal land
and if I have one ask, it is this: Please help our citizens by helping
FirstNet get through any of the issues that come with working and
trying to build on Federal land. I know we would greatly appreciate the
help from your end. I've been told they will be done by the end of 2022
but we are anxious to have these built sooner because they will greatly
improve our coverage in the southern Black Hills.
In closing, I am happy to report, FirstNet has been good for the
Pennington County Sheriff's Office and the safety of our citizens. We
are excited to see the next step in coverage and trust it will be
completed in the very near future.
Thank you for having me today and I'll certainly stand for any
questions.
Senator Thune. Great. Thank you, Captain Harrison.
I will now move to Ms. Holmes and also joining us
virtually. So please proceed.
STATEMENT OF KARIMA HOLMES, DIRECTOR,
UNIFIED COMMUNICATIONS
Ms. Holmes. Thank you.
Good morning, Chairman Wicker, Subcommittee Chair Thune,
Ranking Member Senator Schatz, Senator Cantwell, other
Distinguished Committee Members, staff, guests, and the viewing
public.
My name is Karima Holmes. I serve under the leadership of
Mayor Muriel Bowser as the Director of Washington, D.C.'s
Office of Unified Communications, which is the 9-1-1 and 3-1-1
Emergency Communications Center, ECC.
I am proud to sit before you today representing over 6,500
ECCs across this Nation.
I deeply appreciate this opportunity to highlight the vital
role the 9-1-1 centers play in creating a comprehensive and
truly seamless first responder network.
Before I continue, I would also like to state for the
record that I was appointed to the FirstNet Authority Board in
October 2019. However, my testimony today will only reflect my
perspective as D.C.'s 9-1-1 Director and will be based on the
expertise I honed during my decades-long career at the helm of
ECCs in the states of Georgia, Texas, and the Nation's Capital,
as well as my stints at the industry engagement with 9-1-1
advocacy groups.
The OUC operates and maintains 10 radio sites, over 8,000
radios for public safety and city services, along with the
regional cache of close to 1,000 radios which are deployed for
events, like inaugurations, protests, and major weather
systems.
We're also responsible for the District's Respondent Mobile
Data Computing Units and other handheld devices.
All told, my agency processes over three million 9-1-1 and
3-1-1 calls for service and 12 million push-to-talk radio
transmissions annually.
More recently, we completely overhauled our technical
infrastructure, software platforms, and critical programs.
These enhancements are coupled with the FirstNet platform and
FirstNet power devices.
In fact, as the Nation grappled with the far-reaching
demands brought on by COVID-19 pandemic, my resolute and sharp
mayor, Mayor Bowser, commissioned me to leverage the full
extent of our capabilities to enact methods that would
safeguard my staff while maintaining the District's public
safety lifeline without interruption.
Immediately, I spread my staff out between our three
worksites and transitioned some of my teams to operate
remotely. My five devices powered by FirstNet have enabled my
entire administrative staff. The majority of my 3-1-1 agents
and my nine emergency 9-1-1 call-taking operations to telework
using a secure, reliable connection from their homes.
Having a dedicated network, knowing that the critical
information that we are processing related to literally
hundreds of incidents per hour from the caller to the call-
taker to responding units in the most secure manner possible is
not negotiable.
Due primarily to its proximity and responsibility for
providing public safety communications services for the seat of
our government, the OUC operates with a unique advantage over
most ECCs in terms of resources and support.
I will be remiss not to recognize this privilege and use
this opportunity to advocate for resources that will help every
ECC in this country implement the same life-saving
technologies.
As 9-1-1 centers handle higher call volume for increasingly
extreme and dire circumstances, publicly available
communications technologies have substantially outpaced the
legacy communications technologies still used by most 9-1-1
systems across this country.
Because most 9-1-1 systems were originally built using
analog rather than digital technologies, ECCs need to be
upgraded to a digital or IP-based 9-1-1 system. This is
commonly referred to as Next Gen 9-1-1. It will allow videos,
texts, and photos and other data to flow seamlessly from the
public to the 9-1-1 network to partnering agencies and our
field responders.
Richer and potentially real-time information shared with
first responders from ECCs Next Gen systems to FirstNet will be
a critical improvement that can ensure they are better informed
and operate more safely in big cities, small ones, and rural
communities.
In sum, FirstNet and Next Gen 9-1-1 are complementary
initiatives. When coordinated, we can greatly improve the
provision of public safety communications between the public,
9-1-1, and our first responders.
Thank you for your consideration of my testimony today
regarding FirstNet and the 9-1-1 industry. I look forward to
answering any of the questions you may have.
[The prepared statement of Ms. Holmes follows:]
Prepared Statement of Karima Holmes, Director,
Office of Unified Communications
Good morning Chairman Wicker, Subcommittee Chair Thune, Ranking
Member Senator Schatz, Senator Cantwell, other distinguished
subcommittee members, staff, guests and viewing public. My name is
Karima Holmes and I am the Director of Washington, DC's Office of
Unified Communications (OUC), which is the city's Emergency
Communications Center (ECC) or consolidated 9-1-1/3-1-1 center. I am
proud to sit before you today representing one of the over 6,500 ECCs
across the Nation. I deeply appreciate this opportunity to highlight
the vital role that the 9-1-1 center plays in creating a comprehensive
and truly seamless first responder network. Today's ECCs are public
safety communications nerve centers that have evolved extensively
beyond early iterations and have become dynamic and highly technical
operations capable of quickly processing an immense volume of
datapoints to ensure both first responder safety and the most efficient
and appropriate response to emergencies. In a very real sense, 9-1-1
call takers and dispatchers are the first-first responders. It is with
profound respect for my colleagues in this profession that I offer my
testimony today.
Before I continue, I would also like to state for the record that I
was appointed to the FirstNet Authority Board in October 2019. However,
my testimony today will only reflect my perspective as the District of
Columbia's 9-1-1 Director and will be based on the expertise I honed
during my decades-long career at the helm of ECCs in the states of
Georgia, Texas, and the Nation's capital, as well as through my
extensive industry engagement with 9-1-1 advocacy groups such as the
Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials, the National
Association of State 911 Administrators and the National Emergency
Number Association.
The essential mission of the District's 9-1-1 center, the Office of
Unified Communications, is to provide accurate, professional and
expedited emergency and non-emergency call management for the District
of Columbia while maintaining radio interoperability between 27 local,
regional and Federal first responder agencies and other partners in the
District and across the National Capital Region (NCR).
The OUC operates and maintains 10 radio tower sites, over 8,000
radios for the city's police, fire and emergency medical services
personnel, along with a regional cache of close to 1,000 radios which
are deployed for planned events like Inauguration and unplanned
occurrences such as protests or major weather systems, as well as
thousands of first responder mobile data computing units, and other
handheld devices. All told, the District's ECC processes over 3 million
9-1-1 and 3-1-1 calls and 12 million push to-talk radio transmissions
annually. Understanding the critical importance of maintaining secure
and reliable connectivity for this vast operation, the District of
Columbia began testing broadband-type solutions for public safety over
ten years ago. And when FirstNet launched, my ECC was quick to
subscribe.
More recently, we completely overhauled our technical
infrastructure, software platforms and critical programs by completing
a telephony system upgrade, introducing Text-to-911 and executing
criteria based dispatching protocols among other improvements. These
enhancements, coupled with the FirstNet platform and FirstNet powered
devices deployed and maintained by my agency, the District has been
better able to provide informed responses to incidents through
FirstNet's reliable, integrated communications network.
In fact, as the Nation grappled with the far-reaching demands
brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, Washington DC Mayor Muriel Bowser
commissioned me to leverage the full extent our capabilities to enact
methods that would safeguard my staff while maintaining the District's
public safety lifeline without interruption. Immediately, I spread my
staff out between our worksites and transitioned some of my teams to
operate remotely. MiFi devices powered by FirstNet have enabled my
entire administrative staff, my 3-1-1 agents and my non-emergency 9-1-1
call taking operation to telework using a secure, reliable connection,
from their homes.
Having a secure network--knowing that the critical information that
we are processing related to literally hundreds of incidents per hour--
from the caller, to the call taker, to police and fire and emergency
medical responders in the field in the most secure manner possible--is
not negotiable. These are high stakes circumstances and FirstNet has
made this a reality for my ECC, without condition. The District and its
stakeholders have benefited greatly from the bold innovation of the
FirstNet Authority.
Due primarily to its physical proximity to and responsibility for
providing public safety communications services for the seat of
government, the District of Columbia's ECC operates with a unique
advantage over most other ECCs in terms of resources and support. I
would be remiss not to recognize this privilege and use this
opportunity to advocate for resources that will help every ECC in this
country implement the same lifesaving technologies.
With that said, I would also like to mention that this is a pivotal
time for all ECCs across the US. As 9-1-1 centers handle higher call
volume for increasingly extreme and dire circumstances, the public
safety communications industry has been collectively engaged in
determining how all 9-1-1 centers can best execute their missions to
serve as the vital link between the public and first responders. As you
may know, publicly available communications technologies have
substantially outpaced the legacy communications technologies still
used by most 9-1-1 systems across the country.
Because most 9-1-1 systems were originally built using analog
rather than digital technologies, ECCs need to be upgraded to a digital
or Internet Protocol (IP)-based 9-1-1 system, commonly referred to as
Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG911) to allow photos, videos and text messages
to flow seamlessly from the public to the 9-1-1 network.
While the technology to implement these new IP-based 9-1-1 systems
is available now, the collective transition to NG911 in states and
counties nationwide will require the support, coordination and
dedicated resources from legislative and governing entities, in keeping
with the Next Generation 9-1-1 Act of 2019.
It is clear within the 9-1-1 industry that this more robust,
mobile-and digitally adapted system will revolutionize how the public
can communicate in emergencies thereby creating a greater degree of
public safety across the Nation. Richer and potentially real-time
information shared with first responders through the FirstNet network
would be a critical improvement that can ensure that they are better
informed and operate more safely, in big cities and in rural
communities. In sum, FirstNet and NG911 are complementary initiatives,
and if coordinated, can greatly improve the provision of public safety
communications between the public, 9-1-1 and first responders.
Thank you for your consideration of my testimony regarding FirstNet
and the 9-1-1 industry. I look forward to answering any questions that
you may have at this time.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Ms. Holmes.
We'll get right into questions and I'll start. As I
mentioned in my home state of South Dakota, we have several
public safety entities on the FirstNet network, as you heard
Captain Harrison reference.
However, there are also many agencies that are supported by
other communications providers which is why ensuring the
interoperability between public safety agencies was a
fundamental objective in establishing FirstNet.
So the question is, and I'll direct this to you, Mr.
Parkinson, what steps has FirstNet taken or does it plan to
take to ensure that its users can communicate effectively with
public safety agencies that use networks other than FirstNet,
the FirstNet/AT&T network?
Mr. Parkinson. Thank you, Senator.
The key around this is the vision that Congress established
back in 2012 when the legislation was passed and what we found
in the legislation is that Congress was looking to deploy a
nationwide interoperable network and the biggest risk we saw at
the time was that you would have states that chose not to adopt
the FirstNet platform. They would choose to opt out, use a
different technology, and that would have to interconnect with
the NPSBN, the National Public Safety Broadband Network,
FirstNet.
Luckily, as a result of the work in coordinating our
efforts with the states and working together with public
safety, every single state and territory and the District of
Columbia chose to opt into the network and as a result, we now
have a single nationwide interoperable network.
In terms of other carriers and other users from different
systems, really anything that we have internally at FirstNet is
prioritized based on local control. That means that that
agency, that local incident commander has the power and,
frankly, the control to choose how to operate the system.
That's for all incoming calls, data, any uses whatsoever.
There's nothing that a user has to do and there's nothing
that a user has to allow for prioritization or preemption to
occur. It's just inherent in the system and that is unique to
FirstNet.
It's all on the agency. They set these needs based on their
requirements and as far as connectivity to other non-FirstNet
users is concerned, all FirstNet users can call, text, send
data packages, similar to if you were on one system on your
commercial device and I was on a different one, we could do the
same thing. We could communicate with one another. That is what
happens at FirstNet and it's all because we've based this
network on global standards. That was a requirement in the
statute and that's something that we've followed to the T.
So the data package comes in from one carrier, from a
different user. It just works on FirstNet. We don't care where
it comes from. It just works and it has priority preemption on
the FirstNet system.
So when one considers the congressional plan and the vision
regarding opt-in and opt-out, we have interoperability through
that and from the technology perspective, we have full
interoperability.
Senator Thune. So how is FirstNet ensuring that all public
safety agencies, regardless of the network there that they use,
can fully utilize the applications that are important to their
mission?
Mr. Parkinson. It's such an important part. When we were
developing the RFP, we set out to set up 16 core objectives,
one of which was the development of an application ecosystem.
We set up an app developer's program which would allow for
folks who were interested in deploying and creating apps
specific for public safety to submit those into our app catalog
so that public safety users who were on the FirstNet system
could then download those applications that are much more
secure than we've seen elsewhere and they can leverage them
day-in and day-out.
So currently we have just north of a 130 applications on
the FirstNet ecosystem and that's growing. That's continuing.
We've seen that growing with many years to come and to be a
FirstNet user, you get access to those and that's unique.
Again, having that app catalog, that is unique and from any
other carrier you see across the nation, and it's something
that we're very, very proud of.
Senator Thune. Thank you.
Mr. Harrison, in your testimony, you talked about the
coverage of the FirstNet network in the Black Hills which
contains a lot of Federal land, and in addition to burdens of
deploying infrastructure in those areas because of the terrain,
there are also greater regulatory burdens that carriers face
when building out networks on Federal lands.
So I'm wondering maybe if you could talk about the
importance of having reliable coverage in these areas and the
benefits of streamlining the build-out in that region.
Captain Harrison. Yes, sir, Senator. I thank you for the
question.
Coverage is critical. We go in the Black Hills, like I was
saying awhile ago. It's so vast, but there are places you lose
complete total cell reception. Even radio reception, we can
lose, and so when we talk about the build-out, you know, since
two of the towers that we're really looking at building right
now, the ones in the Hill City area near Deerfield and near
Tree Fort, are on Federal land, there is a little extra red
tape to go through and so that's one of the lowdowns because
the building the tower, the physical structure, is not the hard
part. The hard part is all the fiscal stuff and getting land
and property and all that stuff handled before.
So I would say for us time is the enemy, because the more
times we have to have meetings or have to have another hearing
on something that we can build on that just delays the back end
of what we're looking for.
An example I can give you is just a couple days ago, we
were working a homicide Investigation in one of our area lakes
and there was no ability for me to communicate with the
sergeants that were on scene dealing with that, the scene,
because there's no cell coverage and it's just with the lay of
the land.
But I will tell you that position of those officers and the
detectives were standing in 2 days ago was less than five miles
from the build site that's being planned. So the delay in
getting that built hurt us yesterday and I'm hoping that won't
hurt us tomorrow. We can get that build done as soon as
possible so the citizens of our county can have the service
they need.
Senator Thune. Thanks. Thank you, Mr. Harrison.
Mr. Porter, during the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been an
unprecedented amount of traffic on our communications networks
and I believe we should continue to encourage more investment
by the private sector in our communications infrastructure and
when building out the FirstNet network.
Let me ask what regulatory hurdles have you faced and what
steps can Congress take to facilitate the deployment of
reliable broadband networks?
Mr. Porter. Thanks, Senator. So the pandemic, as you point
out, has shown the importance of broadband and particularly why
FirstNet was founded and its importance to public safety.
It's also reinforced the need for rural coverage and
capabilities which is a foundational element of FirstNet and
so, first, I want to thank this committee and, Senator, you,
for your efforts to expand broadband coverage, particularly
with the Streamline Act.
Our biggest challenge, as the Captain pointed out, is
access. The time it takes to gain access, it's a challenge at
the local, the state, and the Federal level, and, in
particular, Federal lands are a challenge to build. They can
take years to get access and rights to be able to go dig the
trench or build the tower and so it's that time of approval
that is the biggest challenge for us in continuing to deploy
and cover Rural America.
I appreciate this committee's efforts to streamline access
and approval procedures to help improve rural broadband.
Senator Thune. Thank you. And as Captain Harrison pointed
out in a very real-world way that those delays and the
bureaucracy and red tape associated with getting all that
necessary approval just really does delay the implementation of
these in critical areas of the places around the country where
we really need it.
I'll turn now to Senator Schatz for his questions.
Senator Schatz. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you for
great testimony.
The first question I have for Mr. Parkinson, and I
apologize if you mentioned this, but what's the time-frame for
the full build-out?
Mr. Parkinson. So we signed a contract with AT&T back in
2017, in March, and as part of the contract, we have a 25-year
contract with AT&T, and there's an initial five-year deployment
through multiple phases that ends in March 2023, and so the
state plans that the State of Hawaii, the State of South
Dakota, and all 50 states and territories and D.C. adopted,
that was related to that initial five-year deployment which is
due to end in March 2023.
Of course, there are an additional 20 years for us to make
strategic investments in areas, such as coverage and expanding
the network, but as I said, initial deployment March 2023.
Senator Schatz. So that's my question. I get that the sort
of contract period is 5 years, but in my mind's eye, if I'm
imagining what the Sheriff is talking about, which is pretty
much total connectivity with some very minor exceptions, when
do you think it's realistic to hit that goal?
Mr. Parkinson. I think, sir, the key here is the
operability and the access to information, the access to data.
I think the stories that you see coming from public safety
across the Nation do show a dramatic increase in the abilities
and the capabilities from a broadband perspective that FirstNet
has been able to provide teams.
We know that this is a situation that we have to
continually upgrade the network on. We have to expand coverage.
We have to bring new technologies to public safety so that they
can do their jobs better and more efficiently and to try and
keep us safer. So----
Senator Schatz. OK. So not so binary as connected versus
not connected because part of this is going to be you sort of
have gradations of connectivity and you do work-arounds and all
the rest of it.
Ms. Holmes, thank you for your service in Washington, D.C.
Thank you for trying your very best to keep us safe.
I want to talk to you about Next Gen 9-1-1 and its
potential, but I also wonder how worried we should be about the
ability to sort of hijack the process and flood the system to
the point where people can't sort out what is sort of
malfeasance in the cyber space.
Ms. Holmes. Thank you, Senator. So I think that we all lose
sleep, I've lost sleep on cybersecurity and how that looks in
the 9-1-1 space. I think what Next Gen 9-1-1, what you have is
a graduated space that we are attempting to do across the
country with close to 7,000 pace acts but we're all doing it
differently.
And so the goal with the unified national Next Gen 9-1-1 is
to basically put us all on the same path with the same
standards and headed toward the same goal.
Basically right now, the public has IP networks, right? You
can order a pizza from Dominos. They know where you are before
you even know where you are.
FirstNet has come to fruition and basically done what it
promised to do and it's allowing our first responders to stay
connected. It's allowing the 9-1-1 center to stay connected to
the first responders, but we do have a piece in there that is
not being coordinated in the way we want and that piece is from
the caller to the responder which is where I come in and that's
what Next Gen 9-1-1 is.
Part of the planning with Next Gen 9-1-1 is not only just
the 9-1-1 call, text, data, you're talking about transferring
calls to other pace acts. I get about 55,000 calls in the
District that belong to one of my border states because they're
coming in to my 9-1-1 center. We have to transfer it out.
Unfortunately, right now with our technology, we're only
transferring out the voice. I can't transfer the address. I
can't transfer anything else and so with Next Gen 9-1-1 you
would get that, but there has been much planning across the
states, regions. We have a regional approach here in D.C. that
does address things like cyber-security. How do we transfer
these calls? How do we train?
I think one of the key things that you brought up was the
influx of data and what type of information we get, not only if
there are any type of egregious acts, but how do we mine that
data and give it out to our responders, and so Next Gen 9-1-1
encompasses all of that.
It's much more than the technology. It's about the training
our people and so basically what I said in my testimony is
that, you know, we have to have some type of national cohesive
process going forward with it, and it's not that no one knows
that we need to do it. Everyone is in agreement across the
industry that we need to do it. It's just that the resources
and the coordination is not there.
Senator Schatz. And just a final point of clarification.
When we in Congress think about funding Next Gen 9-1-1,
that's going to be hardware, software training?
Ms. Holmes. Yes. So 911.gov, which is out of the Highway
and Transportation Agency, I believe, they did a cost study a
couple years ago and that cost study shows what it will cost
for the entire infrastructure for 9-1-1 in the Nation to
progress to Next Gen 9-1-1. That includes everything.
We're talking about the plug in the wall, the training, the
governance, the MOUs, all of that process, software, and
everything, so yes. It would be from literally end to end.
Senator Schatz. Thanks very much.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Senator Schatz.
When Ms. Holmes was talking about the 55,000 calls she gets
from border states, that's a lot of calls coming in from next
door and an issue that Senator Schatz doesn't have to worry as
much about in his home state probably.
Next up is Senator Fischer from Nebraska. Senator Fischer
joining us remotely.
STATEMENT OF HON. DEB FISCHER,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NEBRASKA
Senator Fischer. Are we OK?
Senator Thune. We hear you, yes. We don't see you but we
hear you.
Senator Fischer. OK. Thank you.
Senator Thune. There you go.
Senator Fischer. Captain Harrison, among rural
stakeholders, there has been some apprehension about FirstNet's
reliance on what is referred to as deployable networks in rural
areas versus deploying a fixed network.
I noticed that your agency may use one type of deployable,
the cell on wings known as C-O-Ws.
How did the functioning of this work in your experience,
and were first responder communications adequately supported?
Captain Harrison. Thank you, Senator, for that question.
The answer is the COWs, cells on wheels, worked awesome.
The example I'll give you is last fall, we had an elk hunter
that went missing and she was in an area that was near
Deerfield Lake, which is extremely--has no cell coverage.
There's absolutely zero cell coverage where we were. And so we
called FirstNet and within probably 12 to 14 hours, they had a
mobile cell tower there that we were able to fully communicate
back and forth with, back in dispatch which is obviously
important in having that communication, and so their COW again
made our work so much easier.
It would not have been able to have been done as easily as
it was if we had not had that and the timely response was
perfect for us and so if I could say, to answer your question
how was it, we found it to be extremely wonderful.
And the thing about it is there's supposed to be a tower
built there and that's kind of we're waiting for the Federal
land stuff to go through, like what we talked about, but in the
short time, the COW was perfect.
Senator Fischer. Great. Thank you. In my part of the state,
we have a lot of COWs but they don't have wings.
Mr. Porter, I am pleased to hear from Nebraska stakeholders
that FirstNet build-out in our state is proceeding ahead of
schedule. During last year's floods in Nebraska, FirstNet
deployed a SatCOLT to assist with FEMA operations.
How does FirstNet ensure the appropriate deployables are
where they need to be for unplanned events?
Mr. Porter. Thank you, Senator.
Yes, so our deployables, first of all go along with our
commitment to be where public safety needs us when they need us
and that can be, as Captain Harrison just said, maybe in a
remote location, a search and rescue mission, or, as you can
see behind me, we deploy our SatCOLTs, in the fires out West
and also in Cameron, Louisiana, after a hurricane.
So we've got a mix of SatCOLTs. We've got 72 deployables on
wheels and we've got deployables on wings that are drones and
then we also have our blimp, as well, that is FirstNet One.
They can provide sustained coverage of an area.
So we've got the opportunity to provide the necessary tool
to the environment and what we do is we work locally hand-in-
hand with public safety within the state and local communities
to prioritize where are these assets, where they are moving.
In fact, on the ground in the wildfires right now, we're
working hand-in-hand with FEMA as they're directing at the
Federal level with individual fire camps as they're talking
about where they need coverage and so we've got a lot of
opportunity to continue to grow this fleet, which we're doing
at FirstNet's direction, and we're very excited to be able to
provide these capabilities to public safety.
Senator Fischer. And also, Mr. Porter, in terms of how
FirstNet is assisting with other critical communications, such
as at Offutt Air Force Base and with the Buffalo County Hazmat
Team, would you expand on those latest efforts in Nebraska?
Mr. Porter. Yes. Great, Senator. Yes. So Offutt Air Force
Base is a great example of our continued innovation and what
we're doing with public safety and with the community.
It's important to remember that the Department of Defense
provides tremendous mutual aid to the communities outside of
the military installation and so they work hand-in-hand
together and so the FirstNet capabilities on the military
installation in support of that also cross the lines and help
the communities around.
So at Air Force Base Offutt there in your home state, it's
a continuation of what we saw in Tindall and Nellis Air Force
Bases. When we went and renovated those Air Force bases, arming
them with 5G and upgrading them and modernizing them, we are
now delivering that to three more additional Air Force bases,
as you mentioned, Offutt in your home state, and so we're very
excited about the opportunity to modernize with the Air Force
and with the Department of Defense in general. So thank you.
Senator Fischer. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Senator Fischer.
Senator Blackburn.
STATEMENT OF HON. MARSHA BLACKBURN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM TENNESSEE
Senator Blackburn. Thank you, Mr. Chairman, and thank you
to our witnesses.
I think that having a good dependable FirstNet system is
something we all want and, Mr. Porter, I want to chat with you
for just a second.
We had some pretty bad tornadoes in Tennessee this year and
I'd like to ask you--I know AT&T has a very strong presence in
Tennessee--what kind of impediments did you see to re-
establishing your networks in the wake of the tornadoes and
what did you hear from AT&T customers in the area and was your
FirstNet integration able to meet the needs? Was it adequate
during that time?
Mr. Porter. Great question, Senator Blackburn, and, yes,
the tornadoes in Tennessee were tragic and we were a part of
that recovery.
In fact, I think you'll find as you ask public safety the
real strength of FirstNet is that we're there when they need us
most after those disasters. So in the wake of that tornado, we
were quickly on the ground. We position our response operations
group and the deployable assets in positions so that we can
come in immediately following that. We stage them across the
country so that they can get anywhere they're needed very
rapidly and the FirstNet Authority provides oversight to make
sure that happens.
And so it was a dramatic response and I will tell you the
public safety community was extremely thankful. They were
pleased. They consistently told us we went above and beyond the
mission. We met their needs. We don't just show up with
deployables at these times.
I was on the ground in Louisiana after the hurricane and
just like that in Tennessee. We're there providing devices.
We're sometimes providing water and meals and helping these
communities.
Senator Blackburn. Let me ask you this. What about
FirstNet's capabilities in the rural areas and the remote
areas?
Mr. Porter. Yes. Great question. So in Tennessee, for
example, we're on air with new towers in Macon, Jackson,
Pickett, Bledsoe, Overton, Rutherford, Claiborne, Fentress,
Hancock, Warren, Polk, and Grundy Counties, and we've deployed
Band 14 in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Fayette, Guiles, and
Morey, Tennessee, and we've got more coming.
So we're providing a layer of permanent service in both
rural and non-rural sites, and we are measured for our build to
deploy both rural and non-rural, and then we supplement that
with our deployables to make sure that we can reach every area
within Tennessee or across the country.
Senator Blackburn. Sure. OK. Let me ask you one more thing
before my time runs out.
Ms. Holmes was talking about the Next Gen 9-1-1, which I
think is vitally important. So where are you all on having a
more innovative ecosystem for our first responders in these
areas where we don't have high-speed Internet or we don't have
cell service or we're just remote and unserved? Talk to me a
little bit about that because AT&T still has large gaps in
their fiber or their high-speed Internet systems even in
suburban areas. Believe you me, I know firsthand about this
one. So where are you all on building out that ecosystem?
Mr. Porter. Yes. As was mentioned before, over 125
applications in our application ecosystem. We've got compelling
and exciting ways that we're working with PSAPs, like Ms.
Holmes is, to help them use FirstNet.
In fact, we have an application here that was used in a
fire I'll show you in a rural area and essentially what it is
is it's an application that shows where the fire is. You can
communicate with everybody on the ground. You can see the
assets, your own assets and people moving, and so it's a
situational awareness app that was only possible through a
broadband network and anybody who goes to that fire, whether
it's mutual aid from across the country, they can access this
and you can see everyone moving. Even the FirstNet assets show
up on that application.
So this is a great example of where we're working with
public safety every day and we're using their innovation and
our technology to help better the abilities of public safety on
the ground.
Senator Blackburn. Thank you so much. Yield back.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Senator Blackburn.
I'm going to turn momentarily to Senator Blumenthal who is
here, but I do want to ask a question, if I might, as he gets
ready, and that's this is for Mr. Parkinson and Mr. Porter, but
in its most recent report, which I alluded to earlier, the GAO
had found that there was limited information and insights about
FirstNet's user experiences.
So could you perhaps speak to what steps you have taken to
address this concern?
Mr. Parkinson. Thank you, Senator. We appreciate the GAO
and the diligent work that they've done.
We received a lot of positive feedback as a result of that
and we take the relationship we have with the GAO very
seriously. We felt that the report was very good and accurate
and we took steps in preempting that report but also as a
result of it, one thing we've done is we've drawn from the
public safety community. We have a dedicated team of public
safety advocacy groups whose sole responsibility is to engage
with public safety in the field, to receive feedback from them,
to push information out to.
We've also drawn in and have on staff a number of public
safety professionals from various disciplines that we have that
integrate public safety knowledge in the organization.
Just this week on our website, we've updated a portal, a
new portal where public safety users can go and submit data
through our website, and I encourage everyone to go to
firstnet.gov who are FirstNet users, so that we can gather
additional information.
Over the coronavirus pandemic, we've had a great
opportunity to engage through webinars and through other
virtual events and we're very proud about the interaction we
have with public safety.
I think you can always do more and understanding the
evolving needs of public safety is an important part of that
and we continue to evolve how we engage with public safety.
So all in all, I'm proud of the work we've done but
obviously look forward to doing more public safety.
Senator Thune. Mr. Porter? Thank you.
Mr. Porter. Yes, Senator. Just to add on, you know, at
AT&T, we're excited to work with FirstNet on the
recommendations and implement those. As Mr. Parkinson said,
we've always got opportunity to improve.
I will, though, say that the success of FirstNet shows the
demand and the excitement in public safety for FirstNet. We're
just over 2 years in the market and we already have 1.5 million
connections and we have 13,000 agencies that have signed up
with public safety and as Senator Blackburn pointed out, when
you are there on the ground in Cameron, Louisiana, or on Mexico
Beach, Florida, or in the Hills of South Dakota, and you're the
only coverage and people are in desperate situations, those are
extremely powerful connections and strong connections, and I
will tell you after those events, we have seen tremendous
momentum and acquisition to FirstNet.
Senator Thune. Thank you.
Senator Blumenthal.
STATEMENT OF HON. RICHARD BLUMENTHAL,
U.S. SENATOR FROM CONNECTICUT
Senator Blumenthal. Thanks, Mr. Chairman, and thank you for
holding this very important hearing.
When Congress first created FirstNet, we were responding to
the communications breakdowns that occurred in previous
national emergencies, as you know. I think we had our first
test of this system during the COVID-19 pandemic.
During this process, I've heard that your teams have been
responsive to Connecticut's questions and I appreciate it that
FirstNet has been able to support EAO and other medical centers
in their response to the pandemic. I hope that this close
collaboration will continue as Connecticut adopts and builds on
FirstNet and this health crisis continues unfortunately.
I wonder if you could tell me, Number One, what resources
are immediately available for Connecticut's medical centers and
others on the frontline of the COVID-19 pandemic?
I appreciate that AT&T has built out new tower sites in
Litchfield and Fairfield Counties for FirstNet, but there's
still more coverage needed. How are you coordinating with
Connecticut's first responders about where to locate new
towers, and as you know, GAO reported that some stakeholders
describe having little contact with FirstNet or receiving
insufficient information from FirstNet and AT&T.
For those in Connecticut who need answers from FirstNet and
who might need, for example, a satellite truck to ensure
access, who should they turn to and what assurances are there
that they will receive sufficient information and the right
support?
Mr. Porter. Thank you, Senator. So appreciate your
comments.
We've been very focused on working with the local and state
leadership there in your home state and we're excited and
pleased that you've been receiving good reports.
I'll tell you, you mentioned Litchfield and Fairfield,
we've also added Band 14 capability, the dedicated public
safety spectrum, for your public safety community to Hartford,
Bridgeport, New Haven, New London, Norwich, Litchfield, and
Windom.
And you asked what could we do to help the health care
workers on the frontline during this pandemic. I will tell you
we are on the frontlines, as well, with you. We're donning our
PPE and going out and serving field hospitals, quarantine
sites, and test facilities, and so we're right there with you,
and that's where we learn the most and get the best information
is by working side-by-side with public safety, and some of the
unique things you get with FirstNet.
First of all, the public health workers there get all of
the assets, all of the capabilities of FirstNet, but some
unique things they get. In our device ecosystem, we now have
over 150 devices in our device ecosystem. We even have a device
that you can drop into Clorox and pull back out for full
disinfection and protection of the health care worker on the
frontline.
We've got apps, as you heard, in the app ecosystem. We have
apps that as you're requesting mutual aid and they're moving
into the area, you can get statistics and information that
tells you the local environment as you're heading into that
area. So we've got tremendous capabilities and we're continuing
to work with public safety.
As far as communications, as I mentioned, the way that we
continue to get better and improve for public safety is working
hand-in-hand with the folks, the great leaders that are on the
ground there doing the heroic work in Connecticut.
We spend countless hours with them learning and
understanding where they want connectivity, what they need,
what they want us to prioritize, and how we can help them
better.
Mr. Parkinson. Senator, if I may just add, one additional
tool that we have is on our website, firstnet.gov, on the
FirstNet Authority site, there are dropdown menus where every
single public safety official is able to identify from their
state the FirstNet Authority's point of contact and so his or
her contact information is up there, both e-mail and cell
phone, and that's just another great resource that public
safety has in order to push information out to us and ensure
that their voice is heard in the system.
Senator Blumenthal. Thank you both. Thanks, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Senator Blumenthal.
Next up is Senator Capito remotely. Senator Capito.
STATEMENT OF HON. SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO,
U.S. SENATOR FROM WEST VIRGINIA
Senator Capito. Thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Have
you got me? Am I good?
Senator Thune. We've got you. You're on.
Senator Capito. All right. Great. Thank you for the hearing
today.
I was really pleased in May 2019 to be able to see FirstNet
put their tower site up in Kingwood, West Virginia. I also saw
the demonstration of their FirstNet satellite cell on light
trucks which was one of their first deployable network assets,
and my understanding has been that since we had that meeting
with FirstNet with the (audio glitch) has been very, very good.
So I'm curious to know, Mr. Parkinson, first of all, let's
see here. I don't know what to do. I'm hoping I'm OK. They just
asked me a question. Let me start it over again. OK. Am I OK?
Senator Thune. Yes, ma'am. We can hear you.
Senator Capito. All right. How ironic that I'm having these
issues. I'm having to be at home because I'm quarantining.
I'm wanting to know, Mr. Parkinson, in short, has there
been much disruption because of COVID? How have you all handled
that, and are you able to say that you're on target to meet
your goals that you set forward in your roadmap?
Mr. Parkinson. Senator, thank you.
The roadmap is the key component of what we do at FirstNet.
We unveiled it in August of last year and it comprises really
six core areas that we look at from the public safety
perspective.
It provides us the blueprint for where we're going to go
from investment and we are looking to update that sometime next
month. It's a goal we have to continually update that as we see
with public safety. Just as similar technology evolves, as will
our roadmap will in the direction we go.
We are very happy with the amount of information that we've
been able to push out to public safety. Again, it's been tricky
not being able to travel to visit with folks in person, but all
in all, we're very pleased with the progress we've made so far,
but look forward to making additional progress in the future.
Senator Capito. Thank you. Mr. Porter, let me ask a
question. When we went out to the site, I lost cell service on
my way out there. These are remote sites, as many of the sites
that you've talked about and our witnesses have talked about,
as well.
So as we look at what's happened for the need of rural
broadband that this committee works a lot on, do you see any
role at all where FirstNet could help, not just our first
responders, but then push out further from those spots more
broadband deployment as we seek to get to those more remote
homes, businesses, and other areas in the communities?
Mr. Porter. Great question, Senator. First of all, thank
you for being at that site and helping us participate in the
ribbon-cutting. We appreciate it.
Senator Capito. Thanks for the opportunity.
Mr. Porter. Yes. And we're very excited about the coverage
that we've provided there in West Virginia. Obviously a bunch
of rural area there, as well, where we've put Band 14 in
Huntington, Ashland, Monongahela, Charleston, and Parkersburg,
Marietta, and we've also hit with new sites, we've established
Hardy, Raleigh, Preston, and Mineral Counties.
So we're hard at work there in West Virginia, and we
appreciate your support.
In reference to how we can help every time we go and deploy
a Band 14 radio, it certainly helps public safety, but there
are also secondary benefits for the local community and that
happens in two ways.
Number One, when we hang the Band 14 radio, when that
network is not congested or we're seeing a high traffic
situation, the local community can join that band as a
secondary user and partake in the additional coverage provided
by Band 14.
Additionally, as a company, AT&T has decided that our
method when we deploy a Band 14 radio, we do something we call
a single touch climb, which means that we will go up and add
commercial spectrum to that tower oftentimes when we're
deploying a Band 14 radio. So now the local community gets the
benefit of their own commercial network as well as the benefit
of Band 14 when it's not in use or in a high-capacity
situation.
Senator Capito. Well, that's precisely where my interest
lies. I mean, I think we have opportunities here to get to
those last spaces and I think the utilization off of the, as
you said, climb once or however you characterized it might be
one of those.
The last question I want to ask is on--well, I see my time
has expired. So I did have a question on hot spots because our
Governor is creating hot spots for our educational delivery.
Is that a technology that FirstNet uses at all in any form
or fashion? I'm curious to know about that.
Mr. Porter. So, Senator, yes, it is one of our assets we
use. In fact, we often use it in emergency situations. We have
an array of solutions, as I mentioned, from deployables on
wheels to deployables on wings and blimps, but we also have
generators and hot spots and routers and switches and for me
personally, I was in Calcasieu, Louisiana, shortly after that
hurricane hit, and literally walked into a sheriff's department
and they were operating in an ag center for the short term
because they couldn't get down to Cameron, Louisiana, because
of the flooding, and so essentially we had to do what you just
said.
We essentially established communications with FirstNet and
with a router so that they had local connectivity inside their
facility. So we use all of our assets. We bring them all to
bear to help public safety.
Senator Capito. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you,
Mr. Chairman.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Senator Capito, and we look
forward to having you back from quarantine.
Next up, if he's out there, is Senator Tester.
STATEMENT OF HON. JON TESTER,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MONTANA
Senator Tester. I am, and thank you, Chairman Thune, and I
appreciate the opportunity. I want to thank the panelists for
joining us today.
During my time on this committee, I have repeatedly raised
concerns while cities across America will have access to 5G
technology, folks in Rural America will be left with no G.
This is a question for you, Mr. Parkinson. So, as FirstNet
builds out their public safety network, they cannot leave
anybody behind and, Mr. Parkinson, tell me how FirstNet will
balance updating technology, ensuring that every corner of a
state like mine will be covered?
Mr. Parkinson. Thank you for the question, Senator.
As part of the legislation that created FirstNet, there
were significant rural milestones were laid out in the
legislation and so when we were developing our procurement
which ultimately AT&T bid on and won, as part of the contract
with AT&T at every phase of the deployment, AT&T has to go out
and deploy in rural parts of the state, not only in Montana but
everywhere across the United States.
This is something that we continue to monitor. So as Mr.
Porter has referenced, the network's about 80 percent deployed.
We have a certain amount of oversight that we need to ensure
that AT&T meets the obligations that were adopted not only in
the state plan but in the contract overall which those state
plans are.
I don't think--I can't stand here or sit here, rather, and
say that every square inch of the United States is going to be
covered. There's just no carrier will ever do that.
What we can do, though, is taking advantage of the towers
that are out there, the deployable assets, and identifying
areas by working with public safety so that their needs can be
met is the most important thing, and I think that's where the
strength of a 25-year contract comes in.
We're not stopping in 2023. This will continue and
understanding the needs of public safety in Montana as well as
those in other states and territories. We solicit that
feedback. We bring it back into our strategic plan, feed it
into our roadmap, and will make future investments. I think
that's probably the best solution there.
Senator Tester. So, Mr. Parkinson, what kind of metrics are
you using to determine if they're meeting goals? Is it based on
square miles? Is it based on population? What is it based on?
Mr. Parkinson. Senator, we have a variety of assets and
tools that we use, data that AT&T supplies us that we have to
verify. There's also a certain amount of independent checking
that we are also able to do and----
Senator Tester. Just stop for a second. So the data that
AT&T gives you, is it based off of maps that currently exist?
Mr. Parkinson. Some of the data, AT&T has supplied state
maps that are part of the state plan portal, and every user who
was part of the Governor's decision to opt in can have access
to that information.
Senator Tester. How often do you check the accuracy of
those maps which has been a big issue on this committee, by the
way? The inaccuracy, not only--of all maps coming across the
board when it talks to this kind of technology.
Mr. Parkinson. Sure. The maps that we use, Senator, are
specific to the FirstNet deployment and we have certain
specifics in there that we continue to monitor. Our team is
some of the best in the business in ensuring that where AT&T is
meeting or exceeding their coverage, they do so.
There have been times where the timeline where AT&T had
planned to deploy didn't quite meet up with where we are. We
discussed that and we found solutions to that. Ultimately when
in 2023, the final operating procedure of this initial build is
met, AT&T will have covered the contractual requirements that
they have put out there as part of this.
Senator Tester. I would just say this. I appreciate that
answer and I think that you understand the issue.
The key is, is that if we have a first responder network
and you leave out Rural America, it's really not a first
responder network, and so, look, I get it, there are not many
people in certain areas of my state, but that doesn't make them
any less important and so I just want you to keep that in mind
moving forward.
This next question is for Jason Porter from AT&T, and I am
excited about AT&T's commitment to serving first responders
throughout the country.
The truth is, though, that AT&T's coverage in Montana has
been heading in the wrong direction. There are big parts of
Northeastern Montana where you used to be able to get AT&T
service but today you cannot, and as AT&T works to make
FirstNet available to first responders in those areas, tell me
if consumers can expect to see coverage again.
Mr. Porter. Thank you, Senator. I appreciate it, and, yes,
as you mentioned, some of your state has some of the most
challenging rural areas and we're committed and excited to
improve coverage in those areas, and, you know, as Mr.
Parkinson mentioned, we've got rigorous rural and non-rural
commitments that we must meet.
We also, as I mentioned in my oral, have a thousand
purpose-built sites and those are largely in rural areas that
we've committed to in the states and we've deployed 250 of
those and so in Montana, we've already added new sites in
Rosebud, Beaverhead, Stillwater, Mineral, and Hill Counties.
We've also added Band 14 in Billings and Great Falls, and
we're really excited about what we're doing in the tribal lands
there because we have also added a FirstNet site to the
Northern Cheyenne Reservation and we're excited about the
future of our build plans there in Montana to continue to
provide more and more coverage.
So we are very committed and, as I mentioned, every time we
deploy these sites, it benefits not just first responders.
There are two distinct benefits for the general population. One
of those is that every time we hang a Band 14 radio, the
general public gets to access that spectrum as a secondary user
when we are not in an emergency high-traffic event where
capacity is limited.
The other benefit for the general consumer is that when we
climb a tower in most cases, we do what we call a single touch
climb, which means we climb that tower, we hang the Band 14
radio, and we also hang commercial radios so that the general
population gets their commercial traffic and also can
participate on the Band 14 radio when it's not congested.
Senator Tester. Jason, I'm going to close really quick
because I'm way past. I appreciate you guys putting up those
towers. I really do. The one in Hill County is relatively close
to where I live in Montana, but I'm not in Northeastern Montana
and none of those towers you've mentioned are in Northeastern
Montana.
Thank you. Pay attention to those guys all across the
state. It's important, the ones you put up. We also need to
make sure the ones that don't have service get it back.
Thank you very much.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Senator Tester, and it is a big
state.
Next up is Senator Young, the Senator from Indiana.
STATEMENT OF HON. TODD YOUNG,
U.S. SENATOR FROM INDIANA
Senator Young. Thank you, Chairman.
I'm going to continue with some of Senator Tester's line of
questioning because I know it's your objective to try and serve
as many Americans as possible through your network, urban areas
and rural areas, and that comes with certain challenges, and
you spoke a bit about how you're addressing those challenges.
But why don't we turn to the state plans? You get state-by-
state plans to address this issue.
Mr. Porter and Mr. Parkinson, how have AT&T and FirstNet
worked with states like mine, Indiana, to identify coverage
gaps that will help public safety agencies extend coverage out
to where they need it?
Mr. Parkinson. If I could take that first, Senator. So the
state of Indiana is an incredibly powerful position and a very,
very strong position because of two things. One, the statewide
Interoperability and Integrated Public Safety Commission and
the people that you have working on that.
The statewide Interoperability Team, they really are
leading the Nation in terms of their ability to integrate
different systems. So in the state of Indiana, you have a
statewide LMR system, walkie-talkie radio system, and it's been
in existence for many, many years, and it's a very, very
powerful tool.
What the Commission has done in Indiana is they've
connected their statewide radio system into the AT&T-enhanced
push talk system demonstrating interoperability between these
two systems, between Landrover radio and LTE, and that is just
another tremendously powerful tool.
It's the first state in the Nation to do that. I know the
neighbors up in Michigan have been doing something similar, but
that is, I think, another example of the power of broadband and
what FirstNet can do. By integrating these two systems, you're
expanding the ability for public safety to have communications
in areas that they perhaps otherwise wouldn't have.
I don't know if Jason has got anything to add to that.
Mr. Porter. No. I just want to celebrate that, as well.
What Mr. Parkinson said really is groundbreaking, and we
appreciate your state for leaning in and it answers your
question honestly about how we operate with your state.
We operate by working hand-in-hand with them, whether it's
for the creation of interoperability, new applications in the
application ecosystem, new devices to our device ecosystem, or
coverage. What we do is we roll up our sleeves. We walk the
ground with public safety. We ask them what do they need and
how can we serve them, and we try to deliver what they ask for
as quickly as we possibly can, and so, you know, there are so
many sites that we've added there in Indiana.
Senator Young. Well, since Indiana is a national leader, as
you've indicated, in this area, as we are in most other areas,
it does beg the question, in all seriousness: are there other
things that we in Congress should be doing to ensure that
things continue to go smoothly across the country so that we
might incentivize other states to adopt this model or a
variance of this model and ensure that everyone has access to
first responders--rural, urban, and everything in between?
Mr. Porter. Senator, I will go first, and I welcome, you
know, the other participants' comments, as well, but I'll give
you a couple of areas.
Number 1, and we talked about it early on, the Streamlining
Act is a great opportunity for us to streamline, as we're
trying to go into rural areas, like Montana.
As was mentioned, Northeast Montana is hard to get into,
Federal lands, getting approvals to go into those lands. If we
can break down that red tape and those barriers so that we can
deploy these sites more rapidly for your general population as
well as for public safety, that's tremendous, and then as Ms.
Holmes mentioned, I think continuing to focus on Next Gen 9-1-1
and modernizing Next Gen 9-1-1.
We are eager to work with Next Gen 9-1-1 providers. We
already work with cloud-based CAD systems, like Rapid Deploy.
If we can continue to progress Next Gen 9-1-1 at a rate that
allows us to work together and modernize in unison that would
help public safety tremendously.
Senator Tester. Excellent. Thank you both, gentlemen, for
being here today.
I yield back, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Senator Young.
And I think we have remotely right now Senator Rosen.
Senator Rosen, are you there?
STATEMENT OF HON. JACKY ROSEN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NEVADA
Senator Rosen. I'm here.
Senator Thune. OK.
Senator Rosen. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. I appreciate it. I
appreciate everyone for being here today and lots of exciting
news on this front for sure. We absolutely need it.
I want to speak a little bit about your deployment in
Nevada because this past March, AT&T reported that FirstNet
network deployment is 80 percent complete and the company is
nearly a full year ahead of schedule on its network build. I
really applaud these efforts.
I think we can all agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has
highlighted the urgent need to bridge the digital divide and
ensure all Americans have access to reliable broadband
internet.
But in looking at the maps, various parts of Nevada have no
coverage. About a third of my state has low coverage,
especially in our rural and tribal communities, and according
to my state's Department of Public Safety, AT&T plans to build
out about 30 cell sites in Nevada in the next 6 months.
So, Mr. Porter, first of all, I wonder if you could utilize
existing cell sites, Number 1, but could you also provide us an
update on the progress of building out this infrastructure? Has
COVID-19 had an impact on your schedule? We know some parts
were ahead, and where do you stand right now?
Mr. Porter. Thank you, Senator. Appreciate it.
We are, as we've stated in my oral, very excited to
announce that we are about a year ahead of the build plan.
We've surpassed that and continue to deploy very, very rapidly,
and you asked whether COVID-19 is an impact.
COVID-19 has been one of the biggest challenges for public
safety that we've seen in our time. It's certainly been a
challenge. As I mentioned, it's like a fire, flood, and tornado
in every city across the country at the same time.
It has not impacted our build, but it has proven in the
need for a national public safety broadband network that
provides agency interoperability. So what we've seen is as we
go to cities and states, we see Federal, local, and state
representatives working together hand-in-hand, law enforcement
with fire, with EMS, and with medical. So it is going really,
really well.
In Nevada, as you mentioned, we've added sites in Reno.
We've added sites in Las Vegas and Storey, and we've also
supported some significant events. The Area 51 event in Alamo
was one that strikes me, as I remember going out and having
that deployment support, your communications in that area of
your state.
Senator Rosen. So do you have any time table for some of
our more rural, remote, frontier communities about how quickly
you might bring some more connectivity to them because our
tribal areas and our rural areas are often--you talked about
Area 51--fairly remote?
Mr. Porter. Right, yes. So, yes, we work hand-in-hand with
your state updating them on our plans, on our build status, and
where we're at, and I can get back to you with the specifics of
that build plan so you can see all the sites as they come in.
Senator Rosen. Well, that's fantastic. Would you also--one
of my questions was, is how you partner with our local
communities when you select the locations of the new cell
sites, your other infrastructure, and maybe all of you want to
speak to that in the short time that we have left so that I can
be sure when I'm talking to everyone across Nevada that they
know how they can be part of the process to get on the list.
Mr. Porter. Yes. That's great, and I'll go first and then
I'll let Mr. Parkinson weigh in, but we do. We work every day
with your state. Your state has established a state point of
contact for FirstNet and we work exclusively or extremely well
with your state and we're also working with public safety at
large, so all the agencies and departments can funnel requests
to us and through your POC, and so we do that to help
prioritize and make sure we're building at the places that your
state and your public safety teams need it the most.
Senator Rosen. Thank you.
Mr. Parkinson. And, Senator, from the FirstNet Authority
side, we have on firstnet.gov a single page for every state
which has the contact information of the FirstNet Authority
representative who works in your state with his or her contact
information, both e-mail and phone number. It's on
firstnet.gov. I encourage all the public safety in Nevada and
across the Nation to access that website to get that
information so they can have the direct relationship with the
FirstNet Authority.
Senator Rosen. Well, thank you for putting that out there.
We will make sure that those links are out for everyone in all
of our communities, as well.
I yield back my time. Thank you.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Senator Rosen.
I think we're going to wait just a minute here for Senator
Cantwell to arrive.
While we are, I would just ask both to you, Mr. Parkinson
and to Mr. Porter. Mr. Parkinson, could you discuss how
FirstNet plans to further improve its outreach and engagement
with public safety stakeholders at the Federal, tribal, state,
and local levels?
And the follow up for Mr. Porter, you briefly mentioned
AT&T's collaboration with rural providers to extend the
FirstNet network to more rural and tribal areas. Could you talk
about that further and what other steps you have taken to
ensure that Rural America is not left behind without reliable
broadband coverage?
So, Mr. Parkinson, could you go first?
Mr. Parkinson. Thank you, Senator.
The interaction with public safety at every level across
government is fundamental to the success of FirstNet. This,
after all, is public safety's network, and when FirstNet
engaged with public safety before the drafting of the RFP, we
had to ensure that local public safety data was inputted into
the RFP. So whoever the responders were, we're able to take
tangible information from public safety and craft their
responses to that because we know that public safety response
to local emergencies and everything is local but everything can
be different.
You can't find uniform solutions from Northern Maine in the
winter to Southern Florida in the winter. It's different
solutions.
So the network had to provide similar solutions that were
applicable at the local level and that goes across the level
from Federal, state, local, and this engagement that we have,
leveraging our public safety advisory group and engaging at the
Federal teams, we have a dedicated team whose sole purpose is
to engage with Federal agencies, trying to identify
partnerships where we can not only encourage folks to join the
FirstNet system but, most importantly, to identify how we can
partner with other Federal agencies.
There are so many tremendous assets that are out there that
we would like to take advantage of and have as part of the
FirstNet network, and I think that kind of strong collaboration
at the Federal, state, local, and tribal level is something
that we've had a good start on and we look forward to building
upon.
Mr. Porter. And, Senator, I will be brief, but you
mentioned rural. Rural coverage is obviously paramount for
public safety and so we're committed to it. It's a foundational
goal for FirstNet.
We've mentioned that there are rigorous rural and non-rural
build commitments and we are committed to meeting those. We are
also to do that extensively working with rural broadband and
rural wireless providers. In fact, Senator, in your state,
we're working with SDN Communications and what that allows us
to do is use those rural communities and their rural knowledge
and their ability to build locally to help us build out that
rural coverage that we so desperately need for public safety.
So we're real excited about the progress we've made. We'll
stay ahead of schedule and provide that critical connectivity.
Senator Thune. Thank you.
Senator Cantwell.
STATEMENT OF HON. MARIA CANTWELL,
U.S. SENATOR FROM WASHINGTON
Senator Cantwell. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thanks for
holding this hearing. It's so important to us in the Northwest,
particularly in fire season, and all that we're doing.
So I joined two letters, you know, to the Administration
asking that Washington State be declared a disaster area for
that and obviously get assistance. We have a Wildlife
Management Technology Act, which is helping firefighters get
access to mapping, GPS tools, and location of firefighters,
which we think is a critical part of how we address this issue
moving forward.
The FirstNet nationwide wireless broadband network
dedicated to the public safety is another aspect to that, and
so we need to have effective communications. So FirstNet in
2012 made progress in the deployment of, you know, an essential
network to help with that.
My question is I'm hoping that as we look at this moving
forward, and part of it is just we always get into this
situation where in disaster areas, not everybody has access,
and then people don't--what's the right way to say this? States
want to get their ducks in a row before they ask for the
declaration because when they ask for the declaration, they
don't have their ducks in a row, they feel like they'll get
turned down.
But in the meantime, a community's sitting there without
great access trying to coordinate a disaster response. So we've
been pushing for more clarity on that so that everybody just
has all the broadband access that they need in coordination.
So as I mentioned, fires are what we're dealing with. So,
Mr. Parkinson and Mr. Porter, how has FirstNet been able to
help during those disasters in providing, you know,
communication in the current fire season, and what are you
doing particularly with tribal areas because they're
particularly on the short end of the stick when it comes to
broadband capacity? Many of these are, you know, again the
center point.
Four years ago, one of our biggest fires, the Colville, had
to just--I mean, they were their own response, and so we need
to have good communication with them, as well.
Mr. Porter. Yes. So I can start. Senator Cantwell, thank
you.
First of all, I want to just thank your state for being so
progressive and such a leader in this area. I have regular
communications with Chief Lombard. Chief Lombard has been a
great fire leader out in your state and also, as you know,
serves on FEMA and we have done innovative things collectively
working together to put us closer together with his emergency
operations centers and his planning so that we can be there.
You mentioned the fires. We have a picture over here from
Washington that is us hand-in-hand with FEMA at their
operations center as well as the state EOC, emergency
operations center, as they're working.
So we're, you know, tightly integrated with your response
team to the fires, but I will say it goes even far beyond this.
We did deploy a SatCOLT in your state to help provide
coverage for the fire response, but it's so much more than
that. We actually have members of my team that are sleeping at
base camps, at fire camps, to make sure that we understand the
needs and are there to provide devices, to consult with
equipment and the use of it.
We've mentioned that we need multiple layers of support to
help public safety. So you can see the SatCOLT and the
deployable behind me, but there are also, as we mentioned,
routers and switches that we need to be able to deploy to help
these operations work and in the field give them hardened
devices and capabilities to be able to withstand the fire.
I also wanted to mention you talked about rural and tribal
areas. Your state is one of the areas that we've been very
focused on trying to build in those rural areas as well as the
other states.
We have put new sites on air in Lewis, Pacific, Grant, and
Yakima Counties. We've also deployed Band 14 in Seattle,
Tacoma, Spokane, Richland, Kennewick, Olympia, Bremerton,
Yakima, Kittitas, and Whitman, and we're very excited about the
new coverage that we put near Yakima Nation, and we've got
several other sites that are prepared for tribal lands that
we're working on access and ability to deploy.
Senator Cantwell. So do you think that we're ready to
integrate then with these other tools that we've given on
fighting fires so that you can do firefighter location and
system?
Mr. Porter. Yes. In fact, right behind this picture was--I
mentioned it earlier, but this is an application that is in our
application ecosystem and this you can only do with a broadband
network like FirstNet. You cannot do it with two-way radios.
This is an application that fire is using today and what
they do is they can see their own assets and people moving on
the ground and then they can also see the fire as it moves on
the ground and so they can use this to move their assets into
the ideal location to make the most effect to put that fire
under control and keep their people safe.
Senator Cantwell. Well, Mr. Chairman, there's no amount of
effort, I don't think, that we need to be doing here, given the
increase in the fires, but in the Carleton Complex, this is how
the Colville got left on their own, but then another two
counties over, Pend Oreille, literally that county was left to
their own.
The resources that we have as the Federal Government and
the state were all, you know, right in the center trying to
deal with basically the Okanogan and various aspects of that.
So then more fire starts for which now we're seeing, rapid
fire starts. These people literally, the county citizenry, were
left on their own, and guess what they were trying to do?
Communicate to the whole county what people should do, but they
didn't even have broadband. So literally these rural counties
are left to fight these disasters on their own and the one
thing--listen. I believe in our citizenry. They are--I'm, you
know, working on legislation with my colleague, Cathy McMorris
Rodgers in the House, and some of our Senate colleagues, to how
do we, you know, empower them more to help us in these
emergencies.
But one of the things they need is broadband. So I hope we
can continue this effort, and I hope we can get the network
smart enough so that we really know where everybody's deployed
in fighting the fires.
So thank you, Mr. Chairman.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Senator Cantwell.
We have been joined by Senator Klobuchar.
STATEMENT OF HON. AMY KLOBUCHAR,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA
Senator Klobuchar. Thank you very much, and thank you to
you, as well, Senator Cantwell. I'm sorry. I was at another
hearing and I just got here. In Judiciary, there are a few
things going on there.
As co-chair of the Senate Next Generation 9-1-1 Caucus with
Senator Burr, our focus is ensuring safe and reliable
communication networks for public safety professionals, and
FirstNet, the only nationwide network dedicated to the public
safety community, is critical to do that.
Senator Cortez Masto and I have introduced the Next
Generation 9-1-1 Act to create a Federal grant program to help
state and local governments deploy Next Generation 9-1-1
systems and just yesterday, Senator Burr and I introduced the
Emergency Reporting Act to improve standards that require
mobile carriers to report network outages to 9-1-1.
And we have made, as you all know, progress with FirstNet.
Our 9-1-1 systems yet are still in urgent need of upgrade.
Do you agree that we need to upgrade our 9-1-1 system?
Mr. Parkinson. Yes, ma'am.
Senator Klobuchar. OK.
Mr. Porter. Yes, ma'am.
Senator Klobuchar. All right. And where are our virtual
people? I think they're above somewhere.
Ms. Holmes. I am here. This is Karima. Yes, ma'am, I do.
Senator Klobuchar. OK. Mr. Porter is right here. OK.
Captain Tony Harrison?
Captain Harrison. Yes, ma'am.
Senator Klobuchar. OK. Very good. Ms. Holmes, do you agree
that Next Generation 9-1-1 technology could complement our
existing FirstNet infrastructure? Ms. Holmes?
Ms. Holmes. I'm sorry. I have problems unmuting. Yes, I do.
I think the systems are complementary.
Senator Klobuchar. OK. Very good. And then to both of you,
our virtual guests here, reliable 9-1-1 emergency
communications are vital, especially during natural disasters.
Ms. Holmes, do you believe legislation, like the one that
we just introduced, would help ensure more reliable
communication or reporting for public safety professionals
during emergencies, wildfires, hurricanes, other natural
disasters?
Ms. Holmes. Yes, Senator, without a doubt. I was able to
peruse your legislation and to be completely honest, I think it
is in the mind and it is the words of every 9-1-1 leader in
this country. I think that it's very important, if I may just
add quickly, that one of the things that I try and stress and
make sure is understood is that these are incidents that occur
and usually our first responders are the citizens, the
residents, the callers, and they don't have the cell phone
number to the responder. They have 9-1-1. We have the cell
phone number to the responder and so just as important as
making sure that our responders are connected, we want to make
sure that our callers are connected to our public safety
answering points.
Senator Klobuchar. OK. Thank you.
I'm going to focus this on a Minnesota question here which
would probably help with South Dakota, as well, because it's
about bad weather.
Minnesota has unique, we'll call it that, that's a nice
euphemism, public safety needs given our weather conditions,
including snowstorms and very, very cold weather, making
communications between public safety professionals even more
difficult.
We'll have situations where people will be out on a
snowmobile and get lost or run out of gas and have to
communicate.
Mr. Parkinson, can you provide an update on the progress of
building out these networks to meet the public needs of states,
particularly those with unique weather challenges?
Mr. Parkinson. Thank you, ma'am. Indeed, Senator, one of
the key things we have to think about when drafting the
procurement, the RFP, back in 2015, was providing local
solutions, local solutions to local problems, and the weather
topic that you mentioned up in Minnesota is very different to
the weather challenges that one has to face in Southern
Florida, for example.
We did think about that, and the data that we were able to
capture from public safety back in 2015 and the ongoing
interaction we had with public safety throughout the nation,
not just in Minnesota but across the country, allows us to have
insight into what those local needs are so that as the network
is deployed and as, frankly, the technology evolves over time,
we'll be able to offer solutions on the FirstNet system that
are unique and that are tailored to local public safety.
I think that's a key strength of the power of the network.
Senator Klobuchar. OK. Very good. Thank you.
Captain Harrison, what is your view on state and local
coordination with FirstNet? Should there be more meetings? What
additional measures should be taken to improve the
communication with local officials and FirstNet?
Captain Harrison. Thank you, Senator. I don't know if more
meetings are necessarily what we need versus just having--I
referenced this in my testimony--the ability for FirstNet to
actually go forward with the building they want to do to
actually get the end product out there.
I've not been involved with the meetings at my level, but
I'm involved In the result and that's what I know the citizens
of our county and our officers and deputies are certainly the
most interested in.
Senator Klobuchar. OK. Very good. One last question.
As we confront the coronavirus pandemic, we have to ensure
that people suffering from mental health crises can easily
access life-saving support and in March, I co-sponsored the
National Suicide Hotline Designation Act, which would designate
9-8-8 as the three-digit number for a national suicide
prevention and mental health crisis hotline. The legislation
passed the Senate in May.
I guess I could ask this of Mr. Parkinson. Do you believe
9-1-1 systems need to advance to coordinate efforts to respond
to emergencies, particularly related to mental health, and do
you believe 9-1-1 centers with advanced technologies have an
advantage in helping individuals with mental health issues?
Mr. Parkinson. Thank you for the question, ma'am.
It's a little bit out of the wheelhouse in the work that
we're doing with regards to FirstNet, but that being said,
integration to provide solutions to every man and woman across
the United States to ensure that they are safe is fundamental
to the success of what we're trying to achieve at FirstNet.
I think working with members across both parties and both
chambers and across the nation, we've seen the need for
FirstNet to answer local needs, as I mentioned before, and
that's not just related to weather systems. That's not just
related to how public safety responds, but it's taking into
account disabilities. It's taking into account the hard-of-
hearing, for example, and all of that, I think, is necessary
for us to look at and, to be honest, we're doing well, but, of
course, we can do better, and I think that's something that we
can continue to work perhaps with you and your staff on to
ensure that we can integrate some of those solutions going
forward.
Senator Klobuchar. Ms. Holmes, do you just want to add
anything on the mental health front with 9-1-1?
Ms. Holmes. I do. I do want to add that about 15 years ago,
for 8 years, I was a 9-1-1 call-taker, and I had taken multiple
calls with suicidal callers or callers that are having mental
health and that is a very hard call to take.
So thank you, first of all, for establishing the three-
digit suicide hotline. That will definitely help us in 9-1-1,
and then the question about mental health is huge. That's
something that we're discussing here in the District,
especially since COVID-19. We didn't see a spike in calls about
mental health, and I think this ties back into Next Gen 9-1-1.
The 9-1-1 centers can't carry the data that is needed.
It will be great if we could have data or health reports
about individuals with mental health that we could pass on to
maybe not the responders but to mental health providers to
respond and so those type of things, of course, is needed.
We do need to talk. You know, 9-1-1 is an easy number to
call, but we want to make sure that the infrastructure is
updated and able to carry information like that.
Mr. Porter. Senator, if I may, I just want to thank you for
your passion to help mental health and really help those in
need and, you know, the public safety area which is our focus
here today with FirstNet, it struggles with mental health and
with suicide rates, as well. They have high suicide rates.
When I was in the Army, we were obviously dealing with PTSD
and trying to recover from those things and so this is an
example of where FirstNet is going far beyond the directive to
provide coverage in these rural areas and applications and
services.
What we are doing at FirstNet, we've taken on the mission
of partnering with public safety to help alleviate and try to
give them the tools and capabilities to help remediate and
minimize mental health and suicide within public safety, and
we've brought on one of the experts in the field, a Ph.D., who
came from the Army, who is now providing services to help with
mental health within fire, police, EMS, doctors and nurses, and
as you know in this pandemic, the doctors and nurses on the
frontlines that are dealing with this pandemic will have
ramifications of that for years.
So equipping them with these capabilities is essential, we
feel.
Senator Klobuchar. Thank you very much, Mr. Porter.
Senator Thune. Thank you, Senator Klobuchar.
We have a vote on, 5 minutes left. This has been very
helpful. Thank you to you gentlemen and to both of our remote
panelists, Captain Harrison and Ms. Barnes, and very much
appreciate.
I would simply say, too, that we will keep the hearing
record open for a couple of weeks and there are members who
will probably want to submit questions for the record. We would
ask that you all when you receive them, if you could respond to
them as quickly as possible and then we'll be able to complete
the hearing record.
But this is a subject that we'll continue to pay attention
to here and obviously we want to make sure that everything is
moving forward as smoothly as can be possible, and we're
grateful for the light that you all helped shed on how this is
being implemented in rural areas of the country which many of
us on this panel represent.
So thank you for your time today, and with that, this
hearing is adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:51 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Roger Wicker to
Edward Parkinson
Question 1. AT&T has completed eighty percent of its buildout of
the FirstNet network. Yet, according to FirstNet's annual report to
Congress, the network only provides coverage to forty-five percent of
the rural population. How does FirstNet plan to complete the deployment
of new towers in Mississippi?
Answer. Deployment of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband
Network (NPSBN) to support communications in rural America remains a
top priority for the FirstNet Authority. The program has worked closely
with the Department of Commerce (the Department), including the
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), to
make rural broadband for public safety one of the Department's Annual
Performance Goals (APG).
To track rural deployment progress on the APG, the FirstNet
Authority analyzes network deployment utilizing the Office of
Management and Budget's definition of rural population using U.S.
Census Bureau data. In September 2019, the FirstNet network covered
approximately 45 percent of the rural population, or approximately 23
million of the approximately 51 million people who constitute the
Nation's rural population. By the end of March 2020, this coverage had
increased by over 8 percent to cover almost 54 percent, or
approximately 27.4 million people in rural areas. This growth in
coverage surpasses the network deployment targets for the year as
FirstNet continues the initial five-year network deployment, scheduled
for completion in 2023.
Regarding the specific buildout of the NPSBN in Mississippi, the
FirstNet Authority's contractor, AT&T, is responsible for deploying,
operating and maintaining the network in Mississippi, as detailed in
its State Plan, including the siting of any new towers. To ensure this
work continues and the deployment is completed as promised, the
FirstNet Authority maintains rigorous network management and oversight
to verify and validate AT&T's contractual obligations and ensure that
public safety in Mississippi and all across the Nation have access to
quality NPSBN services that meet their needs.
Question 2. How is FirstNet making sure that its AT&T cellular
towers are ``hardened'' to withstand natural disasters such as
hurricanes and tornadoes?
Answer. The FirstNet Authority learned early during consultation
with public safety stakeholders that hardening and redundancy is a
priority for public safety communications, along with extending the
reach of coverage in rural areas and making portable network assets
available upon request to augment network coverage and capacity. These
needs were included in the request for proposal (RFP) and ultimately
informed the FirstNet Authority's contract with AT&T to build, operate,
and evolve the FirstNet network. As a result of this public-private
partnership, the FirstNet Authority is delivering a robust and reliable
network pursuant to the requirements in the contract with AT&T that
were based upon guidance and input from public safety stakeholder
organizations, including the National Public Safety Telecommunications
Council (NPSTC), APCO International, and the FirstNet Authority's
Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC), to name a few.
In building out the NSPBN, the program has taken a multi-pronged
approach to strengthen the network's physical resilience, recognizing
there is no one-size-fits-all solution for every geography and every
natural disaster. The FirstNet network is hardened though structural
design; network, power and transport redundancy where possible; and the
fleet of dedicated FirstNet deployable network assets. The NPSBN exists
to equip first responders with a nationwide interoperable
communications network and reliable, high-speed and dedicated
connectivity when it is needed during emergencies and daily operations.
In the event that a tower serving FirstNet users is damaged during
a natural disaster or disrupted due to commercial power or transport
outages, FirstNet-subscribed agencies have access to a dedicated fleet
of portable network deployable assets, including: 72 Satellite Cells on
Light Trucks (SatCOLTs), 3 Cells on Wings (Flying COWs), and other
solutions such as FirstNet One, an aerostat (large blimp), to boost
network coverage and capacity. These mobile cell sites link to FirstNet
via satellite, do not rely on commercial power availability, and
provide similar capabilities and connectivity as a cell tower.
Before natural disasters with advanced warning, such as an
approaching hurricane, deployable assets are pre-staged to promptly
respond to potential requests for network support from FirstNet-
subscribed agencies. The deployment of these assets is led by the
FirstNet Response Operations Group (ROG) that manages the FirstNet
deployable program in alignment with the National Incident Management
System and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) National
Response Framework to better guide the deployment of these assets. This
Federal guidance helps to prioritize deployments based upon their
situational awareness of life safety, incident stabilization, and
property conservation.
FirstNet ROG liaisons provide support to state emergency operations
centers and the FEMA National Response Coordination Center during
large-scale emergency events, which helps to enable effective alignment
with local, state, tribal, and Federal first responders and inform the
staging and deployment of the portable network assets. FirstNet-
subscribed agencies can request deployable assets through their
FirstNet Solutions Consultant or by directly calling FirstNet Customer
Care, which is staffed 24x7x365.
In addition, to enable redundancy and improve performance
nationwide, core network elements are geographically distributed across
multiple locations.
The public-private arrangement between the FirstNet Authority and
AT&T is a 25-year commitment. As the program is only approximately two
and a half years into the five-year initial deployment, one unique and
exciting aspect about FirstNet is that public safety stakeholders will
guide the future buildout, expansion, and evolution of the NPSBN. The
FirstNet Authority has established a Roadmap to guide future
investments and plans to continuously consult with first responder
stakeholders. This will inform how the network evolves in the years to
come to meet the unique needs and priorities of public safety.
Question 3. In your testimony you highlight several instances where
FirstNet has used deployable assets to augment coverage and capacity.
Please list all 2020 requests for deployable assets to augment the
coverage and capacity of the FirstNet network. Please include the
corresponding entity that requested and used the deployable asset,
where that entity is located, and the reason why the FirstNet network's
coverage and capacity was not sufficient.
Answer. The FirstNet Authority, in collaboration with the program's
contracted partner, AT&T, offers agencies subscribed to FirstNet access
to a dedicated fleet of portable network deployable assets, including:
72 SatCOLTs, 3 Flying COWs, and other solutions such as FirstNet One,
an aerostat (large blimp), to boost coverage during disasters or large
planned events. These mobile cell sites link to FirstNet via satellite,
do not rely on commercial power availability, provide similar
capabilities and connectivity as a cell tower, and are available to
public safety subscribers 24/7 at no extra cost.
FirstNet deployables provide public safety users with dedicated
coverage and capacity when public safety needs it, in a variety of
situations, including during emergency operations in remote locations
with limited connectivity, as well as when a disaster has impacted
wireless towers, such as in a fire, tornado, hurricane, or other severe
storm event. The ability to request support from the dedicated fleet of
FirstNet deployable assets is a unique advantage for FirstNet users and
makes sure first responders on FirstNet have the connectivity they
need--when and where they need it.
The FirstNet Authority has contracted with AT&T to provide the
deployable network solution to FirstNet customers. In 2020, the program
has actively supported public safety personnel so that they can remain
connected as they responded to the COVID-19 pandemic, wildfires in the
western United States, an active hurricane season in the Gulf of
Mexico, and many other emergency and planned situations. Already this
year, as of October 12, 2020, FirstNet users have submitted hundreds of
requests for deployable assets, including 59 requests to provide
connectivity to support wildfire response, more than 60 requests
related to COVID-19 response operations, and 49 requests for network
support following Hurricane Laura, 8 requests for Hurricane Sally, and
2 requests for Hurricane Delta.
While the FirstNet Authority cannot publicly share all of the
customer requests for deployable assets because of the terms of the
customer privacy agreements AT&T holds with FirstNet customers, below
are some publicly released examples from agencies that have agreed to
publicly share their experiences using the deployable program:
FirstNet helps public safety respond to tornado damage in
Tennessee: https://firstnet.gov/newsroom/blog/firstnet-helps-
tennessee-public-safety-respond-torna
do-damage
Communications Boosted at Birkebeiner Race with FirstNet
Deployable in Wisconsin: https://firstnet.gov/newsroom/blog/
communications-boosted-birkebeiner
-race-firstnet-deployable
FirstNet One Takes to the Skies; Elevates Public Safety
Communications Following Hurricane Laura: https://
about.att.com/innovationblog/2020/09/fn_
one_hurricane_laura.html
FirstNet deploys mobile cell sites supporting Navajo Nation
COVID-19 response: https://indiancountrytoday.com/the-press-
pool/firstnet-deploys-mobile-cell-sites-supporting-navajo-
nation-covid-19-response-vT6EEqWDSUyDwK2-4eg-Fg
FirstNet: Caring for Those Who Care for You: https://
about.att.com/innovation
blog/2020/05/fn_covid_19_response.html
Additionally, the FirstNet Authority would like to submit for the
record a recent study released about the FirstNet deployable program by
the Police Executive Research Forum. The study can be viewed here:
https://www.policeforum.org/assets/FirstNetDeployables.pdf.
Question 4. How many fire departments use FirstNet as their primary
provider? How many law enforcement agencies use FirstNet as their
primary provider? How many Federal agencies in the Department of
Justice or Department of Homeland Security have adopted FirstNet as
their primary provider?
Answer. After contracting with AT&T in March 2017 and working with
Governors and state public safety leadership in all U.S. states,
territories, and the District of Columbia, FirstNet formally began
offering service to public safety customers in March 2018. By the start
of Fiscal Year (FY) 2020, there were approximately 9,000 public safety
agencies and 750,000 device connections on the FirstNet network. By the
end of FY 2020, there were more than 13,000 public safety agencies and
1.5 million device connections on the network.
FirstNet public safety users are now using the service throughout
the country every day in their efforts to save lives. The FirstNet
service, offered by AT&T, is a voluntary service to adopt, and it is up
to the public safety entity or agency to decide to subscribe to the
service. FirstNet subscribers are a diverse group of public safety
entities across a variety of disciplines; and these connections include
fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and Federal agencies such
as those within the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department
of Homeland Security.
The number of entities, agencies and other FirstNet subscriber
information is contract-sensitive trade secret proprietary information
that the FirstNet Authority is not authorized to publicly disclose. We
would be happy to meet with you and your staff to discuss this matter
further.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Rick Scott to
Edward Parkinson
Question 1. After Hurricane Michael devastated Florida's panhandle,
our law enforcement lost communications due to the power and cell
outages. And earlier this month, Hurricane Sally brought record
flooding and rain to the Pensacola area, causing outages across the
Panhandle.
How has FirstNet enhanced telecommunication to ensure that, no
matter the situation, our first responders and law enforcement stay
connected?
Answer. FirstNet users have access to dedicated Band 14 spectrum,
with priority and preemption, to deliver fast and reliable connectivity
for first responders and other public safety personnel. The FirstNet
network provides public safety with its own ``fast lane'' so that users
have wireless connectivity even if commercial networks are congested.
When FirstNet-subscribed agencies need additional connectivity (for
example, due to a natural disaster), they have access to a dedicated
fleet of deployable network assets available on request at no cost to
the agency. These assets are often pre-staged to areas just outside of
where a hurricane is expected to land, to ensure that agencies have
connectivity immediately following the storm.
In the wake of recent storms, AT&T deployed its FirstNet-dedicated
aerostat, FirstNet One, to provide coverage to particularly affected
areas. As a resilient and dedicated network with priority and
preemption and deployable resources at the ready, FirstNet provides
enhanced communications capabilities to the Nation's public safety
responders for every-day use and in emergency situations.
Question 2. Have gaps in FirstNet been identified during the build
out? How are they being addressed?
Answer. The FirstNet Authority is required to consult with federal,
state, tribal, and local public safety entities to ensure that the
FirstNet network is designed to meet the needs of first responders
across the country. Consultation is critical to the FirstNet
Authority's work. Consultation informed the Request for Proposal that
resulted in the 25-year contract to AT&T to build and maintain the
network and was key in the development of customized State Plans
outlining how the FirstNet network would be deployed over a five-year
period in each state and territory. These State Plans were designed to
meet the needs of first responders and other public safety personnel
across the country. FirstNet coverage was planned with local
practitioners and officials--and ultimately approved by governors--
because public safety knows what works for them. The FirstNet Authority
will oversee continuous improvements, expansions, and upgrades to the
network to ensure that it will adapt and evolve to meet the changing
needs of public safety.
Question 3. What is the pathway for our states with rural areas to
receive the same quality FirstNet services?
Answer. Deployment of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband
Network (NPSBN) to support communications in rural America remains a
top priority for the FirstNet Authority. The program has worked closely
with the Department of Commerce (the Department), including the
National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA), to
make rural broadband for public safety one of the Department's Annual
Performance Goals (APG).
To track rural deployment progress on the APG, the FirstNet
Authority analyzes network deployment completion utilizing the Office
of Management and Budget's definition of rural population using U.S.
Census Bureau data. In September 2019, the FirstNet network covered
approximately 45 percent of the rural population, or approximately 23
million of the approximately 51 million people who constitute the
Nation's rural population. By the end of March 2020, this coverage had
increased by over 8 percent to cover almost 54 percent, or
approximately 27.4 million people in rural areas. This growth in
coverage surpasses the network deployment targets for the year as
FirstNet continues the initial five-year network deployment scheduled
for completion in 2023.
The FirstNet Authority is responsible for verifying AT&T's delivery
of the NPSBN, including in rural areas, to ensure Florida's public
safety community receives the enhanced communications capabilities
promised in Florida's State Plan. To ensure this work continues and the
deployment is completed, the FirstNet Authority maintains strong
network management and oversight to validate AT&T's contractual
obligations and ensure that public safety is receiving quality NPSBN
services that meet their needs.
Question 4. What is FirstNet and AT&T doing to ensure that the
network and technology are secure and protected from our adversaries or
bad actors?
Answer. Congress was clear in Middle Class Tax Relief and Job
Creation Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-96) that securing the FirstNet network
from cyber threats was fundamental to the successful implementation of
the NPSBN. End-to-end cybersecurity is critical to the network and its
users. In partnering with AT&T, the FirstNet Authority is capitalizing
on years of planning and experience to create the secure environment
that first responders expect. The FirstNet Authority and AT&T have
worked closely with respect to the design for the FirstNet network's
cyber solution and the overall security of the network. Among the key
components of the enhanced cybersecurity of the NPSBN design is the
nationwide dedicated core network AT&T is implementing. Rather than
simply treating public safety as another customer, FirstNet subscribers
are handled by a separate core, ensuring higher levels of reliability,
redundancy, and protection through the dedicated processing of its
network traffic.
Another essential enhancement is AT&T's dedicated Security
Operations Center (SOC) that monitors, detects, and mitigates threats
in cybersecurity for the NPSBN. The SOC provides 24/7/365 coverage and
support for all cybersecurity considerations and is backed up by the
full global network visibility of AT&T to ensure proactive security for
public safety.
The cybersecurity team is also working cross-functionally to ensure
that future users understand FirstNet's cyber solution and have trust
in the tools used on the FirstNet network. Fundamental to these efforts
is objective oversight of the cybersecurity solution for the NPSBN.
This oversight includes an independent verification and validation of
the solution's compliance with the objectives set forth in the FirstNet
Authority's contract with AT&T. This ongoing process will be extensive
and dynamic, and will include specific reporting, real-time access to
incident tracking, onsite meetings, and other avenues as the system
evolves.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Marsha Blackburn to
Edward Parkinson
Interoperability
Question 1. FirstNet was created to provide a single platform for
first responders to communicate to address the challenges they
confronted during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina and
other emergency events.
How has FirstNet improved interoperability across public safety
agencies and jurisdictions?
Answer. Through a successful effort by the FirstNet Authority that
culminated in individualized network deployment plans for every state
and territory, all states and territories decided to opt-in to the
FirstNet network. As a result, the FirstNet Authority has established a
single, interoperable nationwide network, as required by Congress,
which ensures that users from different jurisdictions, agencies, and
across levels of government have seamless interoperable communications.
By utilizing one contiguous band of spectrum, Band 14, and operating on
a single, dedicated nationwide core network, FirstNet has overcome the
interoperability challenges and risks incumbent in a network comprised
of patchwork systems.
FirstNet is also inherently interoperable with other networks. Per
the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-96)
requirements, the FirstNet network solution is based upon open
commercial standards such as 3GPP--the same standards that apply to
commercial LTE networks. Additionally, the FirstNet network connects to
the public Internet and Public Switched Telephone Network.
Consequently, public safety subscriber communications between FirstNet
and other networks interconnect in the same manner as is the current
practice between commercial carriers, including calls, texts, and
multimedia messages to any other wireless user on any other network.
The FirstNet App Catalog also offers innovative solutions that allow
interoperability between traditional Land-Mobile Radios (LMRs) and
FirstNet smartphones and devices.
Any first responder data that flows through FirstNet receives
priority as it transits the network. There is nothing that a public
safety user has to do to allow for its data to be prioritized--it is
simply inherent to the network. In addition to their data being
processed on a priority basis, primary users (e.g., law enforcement,
fire service, EMS) are designated such that they have the ability to
preempt others to ensure access to the system even in cases of
emergencies and congestion. As far as connectivity to non-FirstNet
users, all users can call, text, message with any other commercial/
landline network worldwide just like normal cellular today.
Network Performance
Question 2. I understand there has been some issues with devices
operating on FirstNet's signal strength as compared to devices
operating on commercial networks.
What steps has FirstNet taken, or expects to take, to ensure that
the coverage meets its required objectives, including a signal strength
required to provide acceptable network performance for its users'
needs?
Answer. Network performance and signal strength are critical to
first responder user needs, especially in comparison to traditional
commercial networks. To address those needs there are a number of steps
the FirstNet Authority is taking, such as improving coverage over the
life of the contract with AT&T and offering enhanced technology, such
as High-Power User Equipment (HPUE) that will improve signal strength
and network performance.
The FirstNet Authority is responsible for ensuring that its
contractor, AT&T, deploys, operates, and maintains the Nationwide
Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN) for 25 years. Part of this
responsibility includes validating that the coverage deployed in
Tennessee and across the United States meet the required objectives,
including signal strength, and that the network provides acceptable
performance for the Nation's first responders.
The initial deployment plan for the NPSBN commenced in 2018 and the
network's wireless coverage continues to expand on a regular basis as
AT&T progresses towards completing the nationwide network build.
Additionally, FirstNet users have access to not only Band 14 (the
FirstNet Authority's licensed spectrum) but all of AT&T's LTE spectrum
bands and the company's entire coverage footprint.
To ensure performance, AT&T is regularly conducting field tests and
the FirstNet Authority lab team conducts similar tests in a lab setting
that demonstrates the signal strength threshold for Band 14 is
sufficient to satisfy the throughput required by public safety. The
FirstNet Authority is also responsible for ensuring AT&T delivers
enhanced communications capabilities such as push-to-talk and video
connectivity, among other solutions. As the network build continues
over the next several years, additional capabilities are becoming
available such as HPUE devices that will further extend the range and
improve the experience of public safety users. These devices have a
longer range than traditional radios.
Communication Apps
Question 3. Communication Apps on the FirstNet App Catalogue are
paramount to keeping our first responders safe, aware, and informed of
any given situation.
I know some of these apps use considerable bandwidth while in use.
Can you please site examples or specific apps that extend the reach of
radio users with LTE interoperability and improve the capabilities of
radio with multi-media data and video exchanges?
Answer. Mission Critical Push-to-Talk (MCPTT) is a set of standards
established by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to address
some of the most specific needs of first responders for their LTE-based
communications. When realized, mission critical services are not just a
feature within the network but rather represent an entire ecosystem
encompassing the applications, devices, and services that leverage the
network. One of the FirstNet Authority's Roadmap priorities is to
operationalize this concept, striving for consistency of experience and
ease of adoption throughout the mission critical services suite of
capabilities.
The FirstNet Authority shares what it learns from public safety
engagements with AT&T as a collaborative effort to improve the network
and its services for public safety. The FirstNet Authority actively
engages with AT&T in early beta trials of new products, and shares
feedback and lessons learned to help hone those products more
specifically toward first responder needs.
The FirstNet Authority followed this process to support AT&T as
they developed FirstNet Push-to-Talk (FirstNet PTT), the first
nationwide, mission-critical standards-based service of its kind ever
released in the United States. This product focuses on augmenting Land
Mobile Radio (LMR), giving responders additional ways to expand their
communication capabilities.
The FirstNet PTT Release 1.0 delivered initial foundational
capabilities for public safety including: one-to-one calling, group
calling, ability to declare an emergency and preempt other PTT calls,
text messaging to groups or individuals, and mutual aid capabilities.
Release 1.0 was followed shortly by release 1.5 that introduced a
downloadable application that could be installed on Android devices
such as the Samsung S9 and S10. The FirstNet Authority continues to
support the development of future upgrades that will expand offerings
and boost the ecosystem of devices able to support these applications.
Interoperability with existing LMR systems is key to making
FirstNet PTT complement an agency's existing communication plans. LMR
to FirstNet PTT via Radio over Internet Protocol (ROIP) interfaces will
be available for talk-group interoperability between FirstNet PTT users
and LMR users this fall. The more sophisticated interfaces that deal
with the demands of larger systems and larger numbers of talk-groups
are scheduled for a future release.
Many agencies throughout the country are using FirstNet certified
devices, which are certified by the National Institute of Standards and
Technology's (NIST) Communications Technology Laboratory, to
disseminate video to responders in the field, something they simply
could not achieve on narrowband LMR devices. A preponderance of
Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) solution providers are now offering a
mobile version of their field applications so that first responders can
continue to receive and transmit data about the calls they are
responding to--whether on foot, on a bike, or in a vehicle. These data-
intensive applications can include photo and video attachments in
addition to other information. These features have been widely
requested by responders, as they enhance their ability to locate
individuals in need and track how quickly back-up or mutual aid will
arrive. Ultimately, these applications serve to improve responder
safety, communications, and response times.
Spectrum
Question 4. Public Safety and commercial partners are making
immense investments in equipment to support FirstNet implementation.
What oversight is FirstNet taking to ensure the long-term viability
and use of these systems given the push to frequently change how the
spectrum is used and the historic disablement of other devices that
used it?
Answer. The FirstNet Authority must be vigilant in its
responsibility to be self-sustaining while also continuing to future-
proof the FirstNet network for public safety. One area that the
FirstNet Authority has been focused on is the future investment into
the FirstNet network. Earlier this year, the FirstNet Authority Board
approved the first set of investments for enhancing the NPSBN.
Specifically, the Board approved more than $200 million for initial
network upgrades to set FirstNet on the path to 5G and to expand the
dedicated fleet of deployable assets.
Evolving the network to 5G is expected to be a multi-phase effort,
beginning with upgrades to the dedicated FirstNet network core. The
physically separate, highly available, redundant, and highly secure
network core is foundational to FirstNet. This infrastructure acts as
the nervous system of the network, separates all public safety traffic
from non-public safety user traffic, and enables differentiated
services for network users. In the future, 5G is expected to drive
major increases in the quantity and types of connected devices for
FirstNet users, including connected vehicles, unmanned aerial vehicles,
and the Internet of Things.
The FirstNet Authority's investments are made possible through a
sustainable business model that enables the organization to continually
improve and advance the network. The investments align with the
FirstNet Authority's Roadmap, which outlines the key priorities and
activities for advancing and evolving the network beyond current
contractual commitments. In addition, the FirstNet Authority
established a set of investment principles to further guide the
decision-making process for network investment.
Regarding devices, the FirstNet network currently supports a
multitude of devices, over 200+ certified for use on FirstNet by NIST's
Communications Technology Laboratory, which are based on international
standards and support 3G to 5G. The FirstNet Authority will continue to
ensure that flexibility, choice, and affordability characterize the
device portfolio available to FirstNet subscribers.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Richard Blumenthal to
Edward Parkinson
FirstNet plays a vital role ensuring public safety by enabling
connectivity, especially in areas without reliable broadband. The
COVID-19 pandemic underscores it importance. However, in conducting
oversight of FirstNet, the Government Accountability Office (``GAO'')
found local, state, and tribal stakeholders felt a lack of engagement
by FirstNet and AT&T. The stakeholders described minimal contact and
insufficient information from FirstNet and AT&T. At the hearing, you
and Mr. Porter introduced firstnet.gov, explaining that public safety
officials in each state could use this website to locate the name,
phone number, and e-mail for the FirstNet point of contact in their
state. While a start, this falls short of addressing the greater
transparency and information sharing recommended by the GAO report. I
seek additional information about FirstNet and AT&T's accountability to
their stakeholders and any improvements made in light of the GAO
report.
Question 1. In accordance with GAO's recommendations, do you make
the state-specific FirstNet commitments and metrics available to
Congress and state officials?
Answer. In accordance with the GAO's recommendation, the FirstNet
Authority, in collaboration with AT&T, is strengthening its process by
which the state-specific commitment reports are shared with the states
and is developing a regular cadence and approach to sharing information
with states and Congress that is consistent, reliable, and transparent.
The FirstNet Authority anticipates completing this action by December
2020.
Question 2. On your recently launched website, firstnet.gov, you
provide contact information for the FirstNet Authority representative
in each state. Beyond the information listed, how are public safety
officials able to contact and communicate with you?
Answer. The FirstNet Authority encourages public safety officials
to contact and communicate with the program in any way possible.
Firstnet.gov is an excellent resource for public safety to connect with
state and regional representatives via e-mail or phone with questions,
feedback, or requests for information about the program. There is also
a general e-mail box ([email protected]); phone number (571-665-6100);
and mailing address (12201 Sunrise Valley Dr., Reston, VA 20192) that
public safety officials can use to communicate with the FirstNet
Authority. All of this information appears on the firstnet.gov website.
Additionally, in an effort to continue to survey public safety feedback
on the program, the FirstNet Authority has launched a public safety
user survey tool at: https://www.firstnet.gov/public-safety/public-
safety-advocacy. Moreover, the FirstNet Authority's Public Safety
Engagement team is dedicated to ongoing, pro-active engagement with
Federal, tribal, state, and local stakeholders across the country to
educate public safety about the program and solicit input to ensure the
network continues to meet their needs.
If individuals want to learn more about the FirstNet network
service or how to subscribe, the FirstNet Authority directs them to
FirstNet.com, which is the website managed by the Nationwide Public
Safety Broadband Network contractor, AT&T. For billing, verification,
and/or account assistance, FirstNet subscribers can call the FirstNet-
dedicated customer service number: 800-574-7000.
Question 3. The GAO report recommended increased transparency and
sharing of deployment and oversight information with stakeholders. What
concrete steps have you taken towards implementing these changes?
Answer. The FirstNet Authority is working collaboratively with AT&T
to examine and identify oversight and monitoring information that can
be shared with public safety stakeholders, consistent with adequate
protection of program-sensitive and trade-secret information. The
FirstNet Authority also plans to determine the best methods and
appropriate frequency for the release of such oversight and monitoring
information to stakeholders. Finally, the program is modifying the
process and approach for sharing relevant portions of the state-
specific commitment reports with the states. These actions commenced
earlier this year, and the FirstNet Authority anticipates completing
them by December 2020.
Question 4. Do you plan to take any further action to better
communicate with and receive feedback from your stakeholders? If so,
what is the plan? If not, please describe how and why your current
communication methods are sufficient in addressing stakeholder
concerns.
Answer. The FirstNet Authority plans to continue to find new and
better ways to communicate with and receive feedback from stakeholders.
Guided by the FirstNet Authority's Strategic Plan, the program is
enhancing its efforts to obtain feedback on public safety sentiment
through surveys, targeted engagements, and contractually delivered
data. Aligned with these efforts, the FirstNet Authority is analyzing
new and existing data to identify public safety satisfaction indicators
and measurements that align to and drive future engagements and
contract oversight.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Kyrsten Sinema to
Edward Parkinson
Question 1. Throughout the country, first responders put their
lives on the line to protect us, and reliable communications are
critical to their response efforts. Wildfire season is always a
difficult time for my state, and the current public health crisis
further complicates fire season for Arizona families.
I am pleased to hear many positive reports from Arizona public
safety officials in our larger communities that have switched to
FirstNet, such as in Phoenix, Mesa, and Flagstaff. But we need to
continue these efforts to more rural areas of the state. I have spoken
to Arizona first responders in rural areas that cannot utilize FirstNet
services due to a lack of infrastructure.
It is critical to have infrastructure in place so that firefighters
and other first responders can ensure a swift initial response to
contain fires. What is FirstNet doing to ensure first responders in
rural areas have the accessible communications network necessary for
their work, particularly in the following areas of Arizona: the
southern border with Mexico; the Grand Canyon tourist area; the
northwest portion of the state; and rural areas with a high likelihood
of wildfires and other potential natural disasters.
Answer. The FirstNet Authority agrees that it is critical to have
infrastructure in place in Arizona so that first responders can
communicate to perform their life-saving missions. When the FirstNet
Authority engages and consults with public safety agencies in Arizona
and across the United States, frequently the number one priority is the
need for additional wireless coverage.
The FirstNet Authority's contractor, AT&T, is responsible for the
completion of Arizona's State Plan deployment, and the deployment of
new towers in the state. This initial deployment commenced in 2018 and
will continue through 2023. The FirstNet Authority is responsible for
verifying AT&T's delivery of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband
Network (NPSBN), including in rural areas, to ensure Arizona's public
safety community receives enhanced communications capabilities. To
ensure this work continues and the deployment is completed, the
FirstNet Authority maintains strong contract management and oversight
to validate AT&T's contractual obligations and ensure that public
safety is receiving quality NPSBN services.
The public-private arrangement between the FirstNet Authority and
AT&T is a 25-year commitment. As the program is only approximately two
and a half years into the five-year initial deployment, one unique and
exciting aspect about FirstNet is that public safety stakeholders will
guide the future buildout, expansion, and evolution of the NPSBN. The
FirstNet Authority has established a Roadmap to guide future network
investments and plans to continuously consult with first responder
stakeholders. This will inform how the network evolves in the years to
come to meet the unique needs and priorities of public safety.
Question 2. Tribal communities in Arizona have been
disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus and face particular
challenges for connectivity. Please describe your progress developing
FirstNet infrastructure in tribal areas and your engagement and
coordination with tribal communities on the development of FirstNet in
tribal areas.
Answer. The FirstNet Authority respects the nation-to-nation
relationship that exists between Federally recognized Indian tribes and
the United States government. In partnership with the Public Safety
Advisory Committee's Tribal Working Group, the FirstNet Authority
adopted a Tribal Consultation Policy to establish a foundation for
honoring tribal sovereignty, accompanied by productive communications,
consideration, and engagement with tribal governments surrounding the
deployment of the NPSBN.
The FirstNet Authority and its contractor, AT&T, have worked with
several tribes to plan for and deploy infrastructure on tribal lands,
such as the Cocopah, the Navajo, Tohono O'odam Nation, Pascua Yaqui,
and White Mountain Apache. Additionally, deployable FirstNet
infrastructure has supported public safety response in tribal
communities. For example, FirstNet recently supported a response to
COVID-19 on the Navajo Nation by providing several deployable assets to
critical response locations in coordination with partnering Federal
agencies.
Question 3. How many deployable resources are stationed in the
state of Arizona? Have you performed any analysis to determine if the
number of deployable resources is sufficient to meet the needs of first
responders during the busiest times, such as wildfire season?
Answer. The FirstNet Authority, in partnership with its contractor,
offers FirstNet-subscribed agencies access to a dedicated fleet of
portable network deployable assets, including: 72 Satellite Cells on
Light Trucks (SatCOLTs), 3 Cells on Wings (Flying COWs), and other
solutions, such as FirstNet One, an aerostat (large blimp), to boost
coverage during disasters or large planned events. These mobile cell
sites link to FirstNet via satellite, do not rely on commercial power
availability, provide similar capabilities and connectivity as a cell
tower, and are available to public safety subscribers 24/7 at no extra
cost.
While the FirstNet Authority cannot publicly release where these
deployable assets are located because that information is contract-
sensitive and proprietary, these dynamic FirstNet-dedicated assets can
be deployed and staged anywhere across the country as circumstances
warrant. During emergency situations or planned events where augmented
coverage and capacity are required and following an established
services request process, AT&T will then evaluate the request and
provide the warranted FirstNet dedicated deployable services at no cost
to public safety, within a 14-hour delivery window.
FirstNet deployables provide public safety users with dedicated
coverage and capacity when they need it, in a variety of situations,
including during emergency operations in remote locations with limited
connectivity, as well as when a disaster, such as a fire, tornado,
hurricane, or other severe storm event, has impacted cell towers. The
ability to request support from the dedicated fleet of FirstNet
deployable assets is a unique advantage for FirstNet users and ensures
first responders on the network have the connectivity they need--when
and where they need it.
The FirstNet Authority has contracted with AT&T to provide the
deployable network solution to FirstNet customers. In 2020, the program
has actively supported public safety personnel so that they are able to
remain connected during responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, wildfires
in the western U.S., an active hurricane season in the Gulf of Mexico,
and many other emergency and planned situations. As of October 12,
2020, FirstNet users have submitted hundreds of requests for deployable
assets, including 59 requests to provide connectivity to support
wildfire response, more than 60 requests related to COVID-19 response
operations, 49 requests for network support following Hurricane Laura,
8 requests for Hurricane Sally, and 2 requests for Hurricane Delta.
While the FirstNet Authority cannot publicly share all of the
customer requests for deployable assets because of the terms of the
customer privacy agreements AT&T holds with FirstNet customers, here
are some publicly released examples from agencies that have agreed to
publicly share their experiences using the deployable program:
FirstNet deploys mobile cell sites supporting Navajo Nation
COVID-19 response: https://indiancountrytoday.com/the-press-
pool/firstnet-deploys-mobile-cell-sites-supporting-navajo-
nation-covid-19-response-vT6EEqWDSUyDwK2-4eg-Fg
FirstNet helps public safety respond to tornado damage in
Tennessee: https://firstnet.gov/newsroom/blog/firstnet-helps-
tennessee-public-safety-respond-tornado-damage
Communications Boosted at Birkebeiner Race with FirstNet
Deployable in Wisconsin: https://firstnet.gov/newsroom/blog/
communications-boosted-birkebeiner
-race-firstnet-deployable
FirstNet One Takes to the Skies; Elevates Public Safety
Communications Following Hurricane Laura: https://
about.att.com/innovationblog/2020/09/fn_
one_hurricane_laura.html
FirstNet: Caring for Those Who Care for You: https://
about.att.com/innovation
blog/2020/05/fn_covid_19_response.html
Additionally, the FirstNet Authority would like to submit for the
record a recent study released about the FirstNet deployable program by
the Police Executive Research Forum. The study can be viewed here:
https://www.policeforum.org/assets/FirstNetDeployables.pdf.
Finally, an internal analysis of the deployable program aided the
FirstNet Authority in the decision to invest in more of these
deployable assets in the future, so that the program may continue to
support public safety when and where they need connectivity. Earlier
this year, the FirstNet Authority Board approved the first set of
investments for enhancing the NPSBN. Specifically, the Board approved
more than $200 million for initial network upgrades to set FirstNet on
the path to 5G and to expand the dedicated fleet of deployable assets.
Question 4. In my outreach with Arizona first responders, some
mentioned particular applications and capabilities which they are
looking to deploy to advance their response efforts. Please describe
FirstNet's progress on push to talk capabilities, and on connectivity
to unmanned aircraft and helmet cams.
Answer. Mission Critical Push-to-Talk (MCPTT) is a set of standards
established by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to address
some of the most specific needs of first responders for their LTE-based
communications. When realized, mission critical services are not just a
feature within the network but rather represent an entire ecosystem
encompassing the applications, devices, and services that leverage the
network. One of the FirstNet Authority's Roadmap priorities is to
operationalize this concept, striving for consistency of experience and
ease of adoption throughout the mission critical services suite of
capabilities.
The FirstNet Authority shares what it learns from public safety
engagements with AT&T as a collaborative effort to improve the network
and its services for public safety. The FirstNet Authority actively
engages with AT&T in early beta trials of new products, and shares
feedback and lessons learned to help hone those products more
specifically toward first responder needs.
The FirstNet Authority followed this process to support AT&T as
they developed FirstNet Push-to-Talk (FirstNet PTT), the first
nationwide, mission-critical standards-based service of its kind ever
released in the United States. This product focuses on augmenting Land
Mobile Radio (LMR), giving responders additional ways to expand their
communication capabilities.
The FirstNet PTT Release 1.0 delivered initial foundational
capabilities for public safety including: one-to-one calling, group
calling, ability to declare an emergency and preempt other PTT calls,
text messaging to groups or individuals, and mutual aid capabilities.
Release 1.0 was followed shortly by release 1.5 that introduced a
downloadable application that could be installed on Android devices
such as the Samsung S9 and S10. The FirstNet Authority continues to
support the development of future upgrades that will expand offerings
and boost the ecosystem of devices able to support these applications.
Interoperability with existing LMR systems is key to making
FirstNet PTT complement an agency's existing communication plans. LMR
to FirstNet PTT via Radio over Internet Protocol (ROIP) interfaces will
be available for talk-group interoperability between FirstNet PTT users
and LMR users this fall. The more sophisticated interfaces that deal
with the demands of larger systems and larger numbers of talk-groups
are scheduled for a future release.
Many agencies throughout the country are using FirstNet-certified
devices, which are certified by the National Institute of Standards and
Technology's (NIST) Communications Technology Laboratory, to
disseminate video to responders in the field, something they simply
could not achieve on narrowband LMR devices. A preponderance of
Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) solution providers are now offering a
mobile version of their field applications so that first responders can
continue to receive and transmit data about the calls they are
responding to--whether on foot, on a bike, or in a vehicle. These data-
intensive applications can include photo and video attachments in
addition to other information. These features have been widely
requested by responders, as they enhance their ability to locate
individuals in need and track how quickly back-up or mutual aid will
arrive. Ultimately, these applications serve to improve responder
safety, communications, and response times.
Additionally, the FirstNet Authority has been engaging with
agencies throughout the country to understand their utilization of
unmanned aerial systems (UAS) and body/helmet worn camera video to
enhance their operational response and increase situational awareness.
In September 2020, the FirstNet Authority team spoke with
representatives from the Chandler Arizona Police Department (Chandler
PD) regarding UAS operations, how the data products are consumed, and
how FirstNet can be used to transmit sensor video to those consumers.
The region's FirstNet Authority Public Safety Advisor will continue to
engage with the Chandler PD team as they develop their UAS data
dissemination solution.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Jacky Rosen to
Edward Parkinson
DEPLOYMENT IN NEVADA: According to my state's Department of Public
Safety, AT&T plans to build out about 30 cell sites in Nevada in the
next 6 months.
Question 1. Can you describe FirstNet's partnerships with rural and
regional carriers to expand service to these communities?
Answer. One of the FirstNet Authority's top priorities is expanding
coverage for first responders where they need connectivity in rural
areas across the country. As the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job
Creation Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-96) specifically calls out, the network
must be deployed in rural America, not just urban centers. The FirstNet
Authority stimulated the speed of deployment in its contract with AT&T
by encouraging rural carrier partnerships with service providers that
had existing infrastructure that complemented AT&T's coverage
footprint. This has allowed AT&T to expand the Nationwide Public Safety
Broadband Network's (NPSBN) reach in parts of Nevada, and other regions
of the country, more rapidly than by putting up brand new cell sites in
those harder to reach rural and tribal areas.
LOCAL, STATE, AND TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT: The January GAO report on
FirstNet described comments from some local, state, and Tribal
stakeholders about a perceived lack of engagement. These stakeholders
claimed that they initially had extensive consultations with FirstNet,
but later were not receiving much information or transparency on
broadband deployment and FirstNet oversight. GAO made several
recommendations to FirstNet on improving information-sharing and
collaboration with shareholders.
Question 2. Can you share how FirstNet has begun implementing these
recommendations for local, state, and Tribal engagement?
Answer. In accordance with the GAO's recommendation, the FirstNet
Authority, in collaboration with AT&T, is strengthening its process by
which the state-specific commitment reports are shared with the states
and is developing a regular cadence and approach to sharing information
with states that is consistent, reliable, and transparent.
Additionally, the FirstNet Authority plans to continue to find new and
better ways to communicate with and receive feedback from local, state,
Federal, and tribal stakeholders. Guided by the FirstNet Authority's
Strategic Plan, the FirstNet Authority is enhancing its efforts to
obtain feedback on public safety sentiment through surveys, targeted
engagements, and contractually delivered data. Aligned with these
efforts, the FirstNet Authority is analyzing new and existing data to
identify public safety satisfaction indicators and measurements that
align to and drive our future engagements and contract oversight.
Question 3. How does FirstNet partner with local communities,
especially when selecting locations of new cell sites or other
infrastructure?
Answer. The FirstNet Authority is required to consult with Federal,
state, tribal, and local public safety entities to ensure that the
FirstNet network is designed to meet the needs of first responders
across the country. Consultation is critical to the FirstNet
Authority's work. Consultation informed the Request for Proposal that
resulted in the 25-year contract to AT&T to build and maintain the
network and was key in the development of customized State Plans
outlining how the FirstNet network would be deployed over a five-year
period in each state and territory. These State Plans were designed to
meet the needs of first responders and other public safety personnel
across the country. FirstNet coverage was planned with local
practitioners and officials--and ultimately approved by governors--
because they know best what their first responders need. The FirstNet
Authority will oversee continuous improvements, expansions, and
upgrades to the network to ensure that it will adapt and evolve to meet
the changing needs of public safety.
The FirstNet Authority is aware that emergency responders' needs
will change. To keep up to date, the FirstNet Authority employs a
dedicated team whose mission is to engage with public safety
nationwide, including in local communities, to learn what works, what
does not, and how services can be improved. That feedback is
instrumental in helping to shape the future of the network.
Question 4. I know that the cost of upgrading equipment can be a
barrier for our state and local agencies. Do you know of any available
grant funding to help state and local agencies transition to FirstNet?
Answer. The FirstNet Authority understands the budget constraints
many public safety agencies must manage and that FirstNet, while
voluntary, does come at a cost. The program's contractor, AT&T, has
worked hard to control costs so that the network can be affordable for
public safety agencies and is incentivized to do so through NPSBN
contract. The FirstNet Authority also understands that state and local
agencies often look to Federal grant programs for assistance. Federal
financial assistance has long been a critical funding resource for
public safety, and will help drive NPSBN user adoption by providing
financial support to many first responders who subscribe to the
network.
Federal grants are a significant resource to support state, local,
tribal and territorial emergency communications systems across the
Nation and grant dollars fund emerging technology systems, training,
equipment, and planning costs. Most recently, funding in the
Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES Act) provided
some assistance for the procurement of devices and other information
technology equipment. The FirstNet Authority engages with Federal,
state, tribal, and local agencies in discussions around grant programs
that these agencies have available to them.
Although these programs are not administered by the FirstNet
Authority, they include, but are not limited to: the Homeland Security
Grant Program at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, a number of
grants at the U.S. Department of Justice such as the Edward Byrne
Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program and the Tribal Access
Program, and grant programs at the U.S. Department of Health and Human
Services and the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
The FirstNet Authority has also received feedback from users, such
as the Indiana Integrated Public Safety Commission, that found FirstNet
can cut costs across public safety departments. In the case of Indiana
(see: https://firstnet.gov/newsroom/podcast/episode-29-indiana-
approach-lmr-lte-interoperability) use of FirstNet devices and an app
that enables smartphones to communicate with traditional Land-Mobile
Radios (LMRs) has meant that agencies are able replace certain radio
equipment with low-cost smartphones.
SOFTWARE APPLICATION CYBERSECURITY: Earlier this year, AT&T struck
an agreement with Nellis Air Force Base to deploy its 5G services and
deliver FirstNet to the base. This agreement provides the necessary
coverage to the 9,500 military and civilian personnel and over 40,000
members of our military population in the area, including families and
retirees.
I applaud and support the efforts made to bring the next generation
of telecommunications and 9-1-1 first responder services to one of
Nevada's crown jewels, but given the critical infrastructure at play, I
also want to ensure that the cybersecurity policies and standards are
top-notch and that the users of the network are not vulnerable.
One specific aspect of cybersecurity I'm interested in is how the
data shared over this network and application ecosystem is protected.
Question 5. How is the First Responder Network Authority ensuring
that the sensitive data, like exact location and other identifiable
information, is not vulnerable to bad actors, especially when talking
about software applications for the public safety market?
Answer. Congress was clear in the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job
Creation Act of 2012 (P.L. 112-96) that securing the FirstNet network
from cyber threats was fundamental to the successful implementation of
the NPSBN. End-to-end cybersecurity is critical to the network and its
users. In partnering with AT&T, the FirstNet Authority is capitalizing
on years of planning and experience to create the secure environment
that first responders expect. The FirstNet Authority and AT&T have
worked closely with respect to the design for the FirstNet network's
cyber solution and the overall security of the network. Among the key
components of the enhanced cybersecurity of the NPSBN design is the
nationwide dedicated core network AT&T has deployed. Rather than simply
treating public safety as another customer, FirstNet subscribers are
handled by a separate core, ensuring higher levels of reliability,
redundancy, and protection through the dedicated processing of its
network traffic.
Another essential enhancement is AT&T's dedicated Security
Operations Center (SOC) that monitors, detects, and mitigates
vulnerabilities and threats that might impact the cybersecurity of the
NPSBN. The SOC provides 24/7/365 coverage and support for all
cybersecurity considerations and is backed up by the full global
network visibility of AT&T to ensure proactive security for public
safety.
The cybersecurity team is also working cross-functionally to ensure
that public safety users understand FirstNet's cyber solution and have
trust in the tools used on the FirstNet network. Fundamental to these
efforts is objective oversight of the cybersecurity solution for the
NPSBN. This oversight includes an independent verification and
validation of the solution's compliance with the objectives set forth
in the FirstNet Authority's contract with AT&T. This ongoing process is
extensive and dynamic, and will include specific reporting, real-time
access to incident tracking, onsite meetings, and other avenues as the
system evolves.
Question 6. What processes are in place for vetting the software
applications developed for that market?
Answer. The FirstNet Authority takes cybersecurity and the security
of applications that public safety uses on the network extremely
seriously. Today, the FirstNet Applications Catalog (App Catalog) is
available to FirstNet subscribers and identifies a range of vetted and
reliable public safety focused applications. While first responders can
use applications from any commercial store, the FirstNet App Catalog
only includes those that have undergone a rigorous vetting and approval
process.
Any application in the App Catalog must meet public safety
criteria, including security and data privacy conditions to be listed
or certified. The software is reviewed and vetted to 1) verify the
application is directly relevant to the needs of first responders, 2)
be highly confident the software is secure and protects data, and 3)
demonstrate a history of limited unplanned outages with three 9's (99.9
percent) availability. Additionally, applications can become FirstNet
CertifiedTM. These applications have demonstrated their
ability to limit unplanned outages with four 9's (99.99 percent)
availability and meet the additional criteria of resiliency,
scalability, and optimized use of mobility resources.
The FirstNet App Catalog is growing quickly ‒ 150
applications are now included. Every addition to the FirstNet App
Catalog means more ways for public safety to take advantage of the
unique features of the FirstNet network. Each application in the
catalog is identified with a primary activity it enables, making it
easy for responders to identify the ones they may need.
WILDFIRES: The ongoing wildfires in the West are devastating our
communities, businesses, and our environment. They also pose a danger
to our communications and critical infrastructure, making it harder for
our first responders to respond. I know that FirstNet currently has
over 70 deployable assets, and is helping to ensure that our
firefighters and other first responders have connectivity and enhanced
network coverage during the current wildfires, as well as other
emergencies.
Question 7. Can you describe FirstNet's plans to grow your fleet of
deployables and how they can improve effectiveness for public safety
operations?
Answer. The FirstNet Authority, in collaboration with its
contracted partner, AT&T, offers FirstNet subscribed agencies access to
a dedicated fleet of portable network deployable assets including: 72
Satellite Cells on Light Trucks (SatCOLTs), 3 Cells on Wings (Flying
COWs) and other solutions, such as FirstNet One, an aerostat (large
blimp) to boost coverage during disasters or large planned events and
are available to public safety subscribers 24/7 at no extra cost. These
mobile cell sites link to FirstNet via satellite, do not rely on
commercial power availability, and provide similar capabilities and
connectivity as a cell tower.
FirstNet deployables provide public safety users with dedicated
coverage and capacity when they need it, in a variety of situations,
including during emergency operations in remote locations with limited
connectivity, as well as when a disaster, such as a fire, tornado,
hurricane or other severe storm event, has impacted cell towers. The
ability to request support from the dedicated fleet of FirstNet
deployable assets is a unique advantage for FirstNet users and ensures
first responders on the network have the connectivity they need--when
and where they need it.
The FirstNet Authority has contracted with AT&T to provide the
deployable network solution to FirstNet customers. In 2020, the program
has actively supported public safety personnel so that they are able to
remain connected during responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, wildfires
in the western United States, an active hurricane season in the Gulf of
Mexico, and many other emergency and planned situations. As of October
12, 2020, FirstNet users have submitted hundreds of requests for
deployable assets, including 59 requests to provide connectivity to
support wildfire response, more than 60 requests related to COVID-19
response operations, 49 requests for network support following
Hurricane Laura, 8 requests for Hurricane Sally, and 2 requests for
Hurricane Delta.
Below are some examples of public safety's use of the deployable
program:
FirstNet supporting public safety response to the Wildfires
in the western U.S.: https://about.att.com/newsroom/2020/
west_coast_wildfires.html
FirstNet deploys mobile cell sites supporting Navajo Nation
COVID-19 response: https://indiancountrytoday.com/the-press-
pool/firstnet-deploys-mobile-cell-sites-supporting-navajo-
nation-covid-19-response-vT6EEqWDSUyDwK2-4eg-Fg
FirstNet helps public safety respond to tornado damage in
Tennessee: https://firstnet.gov/newsroom/blog/firstnet-helps-
tennessee-public-safety-respond-torna
do-damage
Communications Boosted at Birkebeiner Race with FirstNet
Deployable in Wisconsin: https://firstnet.gov/newsroom/blog/
communications-boosted-birkebeiner
-race-firstnet-deployable
FirstNet One Takes to the Skies; Elevates Public Safety
Communications Following Hurricane Laura: https://
about.att.com/innovationblog/2020/09/fn_
one_hurricane_laura.html
FirstNet: Caring for Those Who Care for You: https://
about.att.com/innovation
blog/2020/05/fn_covid_19_response.html
Additionally, the FirstNet Authority would like to submit for the
record a recent study released about the FirstNet deployable program by
the Police Executive Research Forum. The study can be viewed at:
https://www.policeforum.org/assets/FirstNetDeployables.pdf.
Finally, an internal analysis aided the FirstNet Authority's
decision to invest in more of these deployable assets, so that the
network can continue to support public safety when and where they need
connectivity. Earlier this year, the FirstNet Authority Board approved
the first set of investments for enhancing the NPSBN. Specifically, the
Board approved more than $200 million for initial network upgrades to
set FirstNet on the path to 5G and to expand the dedicated fleet of
deployable assets.
Question 8. How do FirstNet and AT&T work with our public land
management agencies--such as Forest Service or Bureau of Land
Management--during wildfires and other disasters?
Answer. AT&T's FirstNet Response Operations Group Program operates
in alignment with the National Incident Management System and the
Incident Command System, developed by the Federal Emergency Management
Agency. This approach helps FirstNet coordinate with a multitude of
agencies across various levels of government and prioritize deployments
based on a number of situational awareness factors. It also facilitates
the efficient deployment of mobile assets for requesting FirstNet-
subscriber agencies during critical incidents, such as wildfires.
The FirstNet Authority, through its Public Safety Engagement team,
has educated Federal agencies on the use and integration of public
safety broadband data during planned and unplanned events. The FirstNet
Authority and AT&T have been working closely with the U.S. Department
of the Interior (DOI) Office of Wildland Fire over the past two years
in planning and execution of a proof-of-concept to bring broadband onto
the fireground during complex wildland fires. Select Incident
Management Teams are utilizing the FirstNet solution and equipment
packages to determine performance characteristics and processes through
the 2020 fire season in order to determine practicality for a wider
distribution and implementation in the future. The U.S. Forest Service
and other DOI bureaus, such as the Bureau of Land Management, have been
involved in this proof-of-concept effort as part of the overall
interagency approach to battling wildfires.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Roger Wicker to
Jason Porter
Question 1. How is AT&T ensuring that its cellular towers are
sufficiently ``hardened'' to withstand natural disasters such as
tornadoes and hurricanes in Mississippi?
Answer. Whether it is an owner or a lessee of a macro cell tower,
AT&T confirms that every tower in Mississippi on which network
facilities are attached has undergone structural analysis to ensure
that it has been built to the Telecommunications Industry Association
Standards and International Building Code. Additionally, there are
annual inspections to affirm compliance with these standards. Similar
analyses are conducted before modifications or attachments to towers
are made.
AT&T has placed fixed generators at 80 percent of new site build
locations in the state to guard against loss of commercial power, and
further ensures a minimum of four hours of battery backup power at
locations without a fixed generator. The sites in Mississippi with
battery backup are also covered by the company's national generator
overlay plan that provisions generators at existing mobility locations
when they are needed. All generators are exercised on a monthly basis
to ensure they will run in the event of a commercial power loss, and
AT&T completes preventive maintenance on each location twice per year.
Where AT&T has entered into shared generator agreements with other
tower owners, AT&T has service level agreements in place to ensure that
the generator will be in working condition 24/7/365.
In hurricane and tornado-prone areas like Mississippi, AT&T has
taken extra hardening steps such as installing back-up and permanent
generators at critical cell sites and switching facilities, locating
critical equipment in less vulnerable areas, and protecting against
flooding by elevating critical equipment in flood-prone areas. AT&T
supports FirstNet users in Mississippi with its FirstNet Response
Operations Group (ROG), which serves as public safety's direct partner
for their connectivity needs, whenever they need it. This group,
established in 2018, is staffed by a team of former first responders
and helps manage the FirstNet-dedicated fleet of deployable assets,
such as the mobile cell sites that link to FirstNet via satellite and
do not rely on commercial power availability.
Examples of recent FirstNet deployable responses in Mississippi
include:
A FirstNet SatCOLT boosted connectivity for first responders
at a response center in Soso, MS following an EF4 tornado in
April, 2020.
A FirstNet deployable asset supported the annual PATRIOT
South 2020 emergency response training at the Bobby L. Chain
Airport in Hattiesburg, MS and Camp Shelby in March, 2020.
A FirstNet SatCOLT boosted connectivity for first responders
at Keesler Air Force Base during the ``Thunder Over the Sound''
airshow in Biloxi, MS in May, 2019.
In addition to these specific initiatives, AT&T has over 120 years
of complex network management and recovery experience and leads one of
one of the Nation's largest and most advanced network disaster recovery
programs. These resources can be brought to bear on any contingency
that may occur in Mississippi. Since 1992, AT&T has invested more than
$650 million in its domestic world-class Network Disaster Recovery
(NDR) Team and equipment, which is dedicated to recovering AT&T voice
and data service in areas affected by a disaster. The NDR solution
combines network infrastructure and support trailers, recovery
engineering software applications and a response team with both full-
time and volunteer AT&T team members. This team, including Disaster
Recovery First or ``DRF'' responders, have spent more than 145,000
working hours on field exercises and deployments in training for all
types of situations. We practice our disaster response plans several
times each year in anticipation of events, both foreseen and
unforeseen.
The AT&T Business Continuity Team (BCT) has extensive experience in
planning for and responding to a wide variety of situations that can
affect the AT&T network. The BCT plans are designed to get the network
back to a Business as Usual (BAU) state as quickly and safely as
possible. The BCT planning process is predicated on continuous
improvement: it includes incorporating improvement opportunities from
previous events into future response activities, as no two natural
disasters are ever exactly like. The BCT publishes the Business
Continuity Preparedness Handbook, https://www.att.com/Common/about_us/
pdf/business_continuity_handbook.pdf (last accessed Oct. 22, 2020),
and, as part of its Business Continuity Management mission, administers
the Telecommunications Service Priority, Wireless Priority Service and
Government Emergency Telecommunications Service programs for AT&T.
Finally, the AT&T Global Technology Operations Center (GTOC) 3P
(Preventive, Predictive, Pro-Active) Process collects, identifies, and
evaluates the consolidated view of any high-risk network
vulnerabilities that occur in a particular area in order to determine
if there is a need to develop a mitigation network response plan. The
GTOC Service Continuity Compute & Storage organization establishes
safeguards to minimize the risk, cost, and duration of disruption to
essential business processes. The work of the GTOC is essential to all
AT&T up-front prevention and mitigation efforts, as well as to
comprehensive emergency response and recovery plans.
Question 2. When does AT&T estimate that all new towers that were
committed to be built in Mississippi's FirstNet State Plan will be
completed?
Answer. AT&T has five years, until 2023, to build out coverage as
agreed by Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant, the Federal government, and
AT&T in the FirstNet State Plan for Mississippi. For the next 20-plus
years, continuous improvements, expansions, and upgrades will be made
and the network in Mississippi will adapt and evolve to meet changing
needs. AT&T is on target to meet or exceed its contractual obligations
to the FirstNet Authority with respect to the completion of
Mississippi's FirstNet State Plan deployment, including the deployment
of new towers. Under the state plan deployment there are a number of
new, purpose-built FirstNet tower sites coming to Mississippi, and Band
14 has been added to existing sites. New, purpose-built FirstNet tower
sites are on-air in Lucedale, George County and in Leakesville, Greene
County, near the De Soto National Forest while Band 14 has been
deployed in the Mississippi Cellular Market Areas of Jackson, Benton,
Biloxi-Gulfport, Lamar, Tunica, Leake, Smith, Pascagoula, Washington,
Bolivar, Yalobusha, and Copiah.
The specific FirstNet buildout information presented to each state,
including Mississippi, is confidential for both security and
competitive reasons. We would be happy to provide additional specific
information to your office in a private setting.
Question 3. What is the percentage of the rural geographical
coverage in Mississippi by AT&T FirstNet's Band 14 network?
Answer. FirstNet is built for all first responders, including
career or volunteer; federal, tribal, state or local; urban, suburban
or rural. That is why reaching rural and remote parts of America is one
of our top priorities. Over 1,000 new, purpose-built FirstNet sites are
currently planned as part of the initial nationwide FirstNet network
expansion. Most of these sites are in rural areas. Thus far we have
launched over 250 of these sites across the country--including areas in
Mississippi such as outlined above.
There are strict rural and non-rural coverage targets that must be
met at every phase of the initial five-year buildout of the FirstNet
Band 14 spectrum. Now in year three of the buildout, AT&T remains ahead
of schedule on the nationwide deployment, reaching over 80 percent of
the contracted nationwide Band 14 build in both non-rural and rural
areas. AT&T is on track to meet its state deployment plan in
Mississippi, where FirstNet adoption has been strong in both rural and
urban areas. There are now thousands of FirstNet users from across
public safety disciplines, including AAA Ambulance Service in
Hattiesburg, MS that serves 16 counties in southern Mississippi. The
24-hour emergency and non-emergency medical transport service is using
FirstNet to share life-saving information with dispatch, EMS units,
hospitals and other medical providers in rural areas, which often face
communications challenges. The FirstNet Authority prepared a use case
video featuring AAA Ambulance Service. In August 2018, Acadian
Ambulance also announced its use of FirstNet. Acadian Ambulance
provides services to communities in Mississippi, Texas, and Louisiana.
We would be happy to meet with your office to provide additional
details.
The specific FirstNet Band 14 coverage information for each state,
including Mississippi, is confidential for both security and
competitive reasons. We would be happy to provide additional details to
your office in a private setting.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Rick Scott to
Jason Porter
Question 1. What is the pathway for our states with rural areas to
receive the same quality FirstNet services?
Answer. The pathway for each state was established in coordination
with each state in the context of their individual custom deployment
plans, in which States were able to identify where they had coverage
priorities. These priorities in turn informed the placement of the new
FirstNet tower sites. Over 1,000 new, purpose-built FirstNet sites are
currently planned as part of the initial nationwide FirstNet network
expansion. Most of these sites are in rural areas. Thus far we have
launched over 250 of these sites across the country--including areas in
Florida.
New, purpose-built FirstNet tower sites are now on-air in Florida,
including in the following counties: Orange, Lake, Citrus, Gulf,
Suwanee, Lee, Putnam, Glades, Osceola, Saint Johns, Marion, Flagler,
Sumter, Nassau, Hendry, Brevard, Bradford, Alachua, and Hernando. And
more new towers are on the way. Band 14 has been deployed in the
following Cellular Market Areas in Florida: Miami, Tampa, Orlando,
Jacksonville, W. Palm Beach, Citrus, Fort Myers, Lakeland, Melbourne,
Daytona Beach, Pensacola, Fort Pierce, Sarasota, Collier, Bradenton,
Tallahassee, Ocala, Glades, Gainesville, Hardee, Fort Walton Beach,
Putnam, Panama City, Walton, Hamilton, Dixie, Monroe, Jefferson, and
Calhoun.
AT&T prepares regular updates regarding the FirstNet Band 14 and
new site deployment progress in each state to keep state stakeholders
apprised of the FirstNet buildout. Additionally, rural and non-rural
areas alike receive the same quality FirstNet services, and the entire
first responder ecosystem, including health care workers on the
pandemic frontlines, have access to competitively priced FirstNet
services.
Congress baked this collaborative process into FirstNet's enabling
legislation, which required the FirstNet Authority to consult with
federal, state, tribal, and local public safety entities to ensure that
the FirstNet network was designed to meet the needs of first responders
across the country. Since 2012, multi-stakeholder consultation has
informed every action taken by the FirstNet Authority, including its
original Request for Proposal (RFP) and subsequent contract award to
AT&T to build and maintain the network.
Indeed, the FirstNet Authority set milestones for rural and
nonrural coverage in the RFP that the private-sector partner would have
to meet. In addition, AT&T, in its role as the private-sector partner
under the contract, is collaborating with rural wireless network
providers across the country to help build out additional LTE coverage
and extend FirstNet's reach in rural and tribal communities. In
addition, AT&T has also worked with rural broadband providers to
provide the fiber transport for some of the new FirstNet tower sites.
The specific FirstNet buildout information presented to each state,
including Florida, is confidential for both security and competitive
reasons. We would be happy to provide additional specific information
to your office in a private setting.
Question 2. What are FirstNet and AT&T doing to ensure that the
network and technology is secure and protected from our adversaries or
bad actors?
Answer. Congress's mandate to establish a single and secure
nationwide public safety interoperable broadband network is fulfilled
through FirstNet's encrypted physically separate core, and in this key
respect is differentiated from every other commercial wireless network.
The highly available, redundant, physically separate, dedicated core
was designed to comply with many standard security regulations and
needs, and it will continue to evolve to take advantage of new
technologies and address emerging requirements. FirstNet is designed
with end-to-end encryption tools to support public safety users
transmitting encrypted data securely across Long-Term Evolution (LTE)-
enabled devices.
No other major commercial wireless provider submitted bids during
the FirstNet RFP process, indicating that other carriers were not
willing, or did not see a business case, in building a new network to
public safety's requirements, including stringent security
requirements, that would also subject them to the Federal government's
scrutiny and accountability. The FirstNet solution--a single, highly
secure and interoperable network with a single, common, highly secure
core as required by Congress--addresses the security risks that would
otherwise be introduced in an alternative network architecture in which
multiple networks controlled by a multitude of carriers create
additional security risks, additional points of failure, and multiple
opportunities for service degradation.
Integral to FirstNet's secure capabilities is a dedicated Security
Operations Center (SOC) and security engineering organization, both
staffed by dedicated FirstNet security experts at AT&T. The SOC
monitors and manages FirstNet traffic 24x7 and employs many of the
security systems and procedures that AT&T has honed over decades of
operating its highly secure global networks. The FirstNet security
engineering unit focuses solely on the security needs of FirstNet but
collaborates closely with the thousands of other engineers working
throughout AT&T.
FirstNet also offers a highly secure app ecosystem, including the
FirstNet App Catalog that features mobile apps particularly valuable to
public safety, such as apps related to situational awareness and apps
particularly useful for EMS. These apps, most of which are provided by
third-party app providers, are examined for security, reliability and
relevance to public safety according to standards set by the FirstNet
Authority before they are listed in the FirstNet App Catalog. These
standards go well beyond the basic security reviews required for apps
to be listed in commercial application stores and catalogs.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Marsha Blackburn to
Jason Porter
Interoperability
Question 1. Mr. Porter: FirstNet was created to provide a single
platform for first responders to communicate to address the challenges
they confronted during the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Hurricane Katrina
and other emergency events.
How has FirstNet improved interoperability across public safety
agencies and jurisdictions?
Answer. The events of September 11, 2001 showcased a lack of
interoperability across public safety agencies and jurisdictions, and
spurred Congress to work to establish FirstNet to address this
fundamental issue. FirstNet implements Congress's vision to the issues
exposed by 9/11 by delivering interoperability across all public safety
agencies and jurisdictions on the network, meaning that they can
communicate seamlessly with each other using a common, highly secure
network platform that avoids the congestion that impacts commercial
networks in times of emergency.
The current pandemic has showcased this value. In New York City,
for example, FirstNet equipped hundreds of ambulances, EMS and other
first responders with a common, interoperable communications platform
and dedicated connectivity when needed to help them coordinate the
transport of patients between hospitals and health systems across the
state. Coordinating with New York public safety agencies, government
officials, and city hospitals, the FirstNet team at AT&T provided a
cross-agency solution to marshal hundreds of ambulances that came into
the city from outside the region to provide mutual aid.
Apart from the pandemic, in early March, tornadoes tore a 60-mile
path through West and Middle Tennessee, devastating many communities
including those in Putnam County, where first responders within the
Emergency Operations Center (EOC) turned to FirstNet to provide the
critical communications necessary to do their jobs. As Brandon Smith,
Putnam County's EOC manager explained, ``we knew we had damaged cell
networks almost immediately. . . Our immediate priority became to
create a network for first responders to communicate. Having a single
network, with Uplift capabilities and deployable assets tailored to our
needs, was an essential part of our plan and is why we quickly reached
out to FirstNet.'' https://southregion.att.com/firstnet-americas-
public-safety-communications-platform-provided-vital-support-in-
aftermath-of-march-tornadoes-in-putnam-county/
Within hours, FirstNet deployed dedicated portable network assets,
including Satellite Cells on Light Trucks (SatCOLTs) to Putnam County.
SatCOLTs are heavy-duty mobile cell sites that link to FirstNet via
satellite and do not rely on commercial power availability. They
provide first responders with similar capabilities and connectivity as
a cell tower. In total, the FirstNet Team at AT&T and the AT&T Network
Disaster Recovery Team deployed eight assets across Putnam County in
the days following the tornadoes to serve both first responders and
residents. These deployed resources reinforced communications
capabilities and allowed first responders from multiple organizations
to more efficiently and effectively coordinate their efforts over
FirstNet's fully interoperable platform.
In addition, the land mobile radio (LMR) network tower--which is
public safety's traditional two-way radio system--serving Cookeville
and the surrounding area was damaged by the storm. In the storm's
immediate aftermath and the days that followed, FirstNet served as the
primary line of communications for first responders supporting search
and rescue and recovery efforts.
Finally, when the President of the United States arrived in
Tennessee to tour the devastation, a local first responder agency
requested a FirstNet dedicated deployable asset to aid their
communication and further enable interoperable coordination across the
federal, state and local agencies on duty during the presidential
visit.
Network Performance
Question 2. Mr. Porter: I understand there has been some issues
with devices operating on FirstNet's signal strength as compared to
devices operating on commercial networks.
What steps has FirstNet taken, or expects to take, to ensure that
the coverage meets its required objectives, including a signal strength
required to provide acceptable network performance for its users'
needs?
Answer. As noted in a recent study by the Police Executive Research
Forum (PERF), ``signal strength is not the only measure--or even the
most important measure--for evaluating LTE networks for public
safety.'' In the key takeaways section of PERF's study, they note that
the ability to move data, text, photos and videos quickly and reliably
is critical. PERF's evaluation during everyday drive tests and two
large-scale demonstrations on the National Mall found that FirstNet had
faster data download and upload speeds and greater performance and
reliability than major commercial networks, even in locations where
FirstNet exhibited weaker signal strength. See more detailed
information in the report at the following website--https://
www.policeforum.org/assets/FirstNetCaseStudy.pdf
Additionally, there are strict nationwide rural and non-rural
coverage targets that must be met at every phase of the initial five-
year buildout of the FirstNet Band 14 spectrum, and AT&T is meeting
those targets. In Tennessee, new, purpose-built FirstNet tower sites
are now on-air in Macon, Jackson, Pickett, Macon, Bledsoe, Overton,
Rutherford, Claiborne, Fentress, Hancock, Warren, Polk, and Grundy
counties, with more new towers on the way. Band 14 has been deployed in
the Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, Fayette, Giles, and Maury cellular
markets.
In addition, FirstNet offers first responders a robust ecosystem of
devices and mobile applications, including solutions to help public
safety agencies further enhance reliability, such as with mobile
routers, modems, and the Rapid Deployment Kit (RDK). The RDK solution
provides a 300-foot connected wi-fi bubble via LTE or satellite to
support mobile command posts and emergency incidents in rural and
remote locations. AT&T has witnessed great responsiveness from device
manufacturers in connection with rolling out Band 14 capable devices
that convey the power and capabilities of the FirstNet network to
subscribers.
Communication Apps
Question 3. Mr. Porter: Communication Apps on the FirstNet App
Catalogue are paramount to keeping our first responders safe, aware,
and informed of any given situation.
I know some of these apps use considerable bandwidth while in use.
Can you please cite examples or specific apps that extend the reach of
radio users with LTE interoperability and improve the capabilities of
radio with multi-media data and video exchanges?
Answer. Prior to FirstNet, public safety encountered difficulty
when trying to communicate across agencies due to lack of interoperable
communications between existing land mobile radio (LMR) systems. And
when a significant public safety crisis occurred, heavy public use
often caused traditional wireless communications networks to become
congested, making it difficult for first responders to communicate on
those networks.
Public safety communication is rapidly changing, and FirstNet and
LTE-enabled technology are the future. We can expect to see as much
progress over the next 60 months as what has occurred over the last 60
years. LTE-enabled technology offers distinct benefits. LMR networks
have not traditionally supported apps, video and multimedia, but
FirstNet does. FirstNet is driving innovation with push-to-talk
solutions over LTE that are built to mission critical standards.
Additionally, LMR-to-LTE interoperability enables state, tribal and
local governments to extend the reach of their existing radio system.
As part of our commitment to public safety and the FirstNet
Authority, we have built FirstNet Push to Talk based on the public
safety standards set by the Third Generation Partnership Project
(3GPP). This is the body responsible for LTE and 5G global standards.
In addition to voice services, FirstNet PTT's rich, future capabilities
gives first responders access to the timely and relevant information
they need for enhanced situational awareness. With FirstNet PTT, public
safety users have the highest priority on the network \1\, enabling
dependable, high performance group communications. FirstNet PTT is
built right into the core of the FirstNet network. With PTT servers in
six data centers across the country, calls are routed through the
nearest node to provide lower latency and faster access. Engineered to
the key performance indicators defined by the global standard, FirstNet
PTT delivers low latency and high availability, resulting in superior
calling performance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Preempts all traffic other than mandated emergency calling.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Spectrum
Question 4. Mr. Porter: Public Safety and commercial partners are
making immense investments in equipment to support FirstNet
implementation.
What oversight is FirstNet taking to ensure the long-term viability
and use of these systems given the push to frequently change how the
spectrum is used and the historic disablement of other devices that
used it?
Answer. AT&T has witnessed great responsiveness from device
manufacturers in connection with rolling out Band 14 capable devices
that will fully convey the power and capabilities of the FirstNet
network to subscribers. Unlike the proprietary, closed architecture
platforms and closed device ecosystems with limited advanced
capabilities that have long characterized legacy public safety
operational solutions, FirstNet is built upon open standards, including
3GPP international wireless standards. FirstNet is driving innovation
through a robust device and mobile application ecosystem that is
lowering costs, increasing choice and boosting capabilities for first
responders, affording far greater flexibility and affordability than
legacy solutions.
AT&T made a commitment to the FirstNet Authority to offer a robust
solutions ecosystem for public safety that will continue to evolve over
the life of the contract to meet public safety's needs. FirstNet offers
innovative device options that enable first responders to tap into the
power of FirstNet. As part of our commitment with the FirstNet
Authority, we are working closely with device manufacturers to deliver
next generation technologies to public safety. And so far, we've kept
that commitment, working with the device community to include Band 14
in new offerings. There are now more than 180 FirstNet
ReadyTM devices available to FirstNet users.
AT&T also committed to the FirstNet Authority to launch, and then
to continue to improve and evolve throughout the life of the contract,
a dedicated applications ecosystem that consists of a FirstNet
Applications Catalog featuring applications specific to public safety,
as well as an applications developer program. In 2017, AT&T launched
the FirstNet App Catalog and Developer Program dedicated to America's
first responders. The catalog now identifies more than 150 highly
secure apps tested for public safety that can help agencies enhance
their situational awareness and other capabilities.
While competition, constant network evolution and regular
advancements to the device ecosystem have been characteristics of the
flourishing commercial wireless marketplace in America, AT&T has made
efforts to address this dynamic in the context of the first responder
community through such innovative offerings as the Free Smartphones for
Life initiative launched at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under
this initiative, FirstNet subscribed public safety agencies can get
premium FirstNet ReadyTM smartphone devices for free for
their agency-paid users. This offer helps agencies equip their first
responders with the latest technology and cost effectively connect them
to critical communications when and where they need it most and ensures
that they are able to upgrade their devices every two years at no cost,
keeping them up to date with the latest technology at no charge. The
Free Smartphones for Life offer is available to agencies that commit to
a new FirstNet Mobile--Unlimited for Smartphone line of service or
eligible upgrade with either a 2-year service agreement or a new AT&T
Installment 30-month agreement, among other conditions.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Richard Blumenthal to
Jason Porter
Richard Blumenthal: FirstNet plays a vital role ensuring public
safety by enabling connectivity, especially in areas without reliable
broadband. The COVID-19 pandemic underscores it importance. However, in
conducting oversight of FirstNet, the Government Accountability Office
(``GAO'') found local, state, and tribal stakeholders felt a lack of
engagement by FirstNet and AT&T. The stakeholders described minimal
contact and insufficient information from FirstNet and AT&T. At the
hearing, you and Mr. Parkinson introduced firstnet.gov, explaining that
public safety officials in each state could use this website to locate
the name, phone number, and e-mail for the FirstNet point of contact in
their state. While a start, this falls short of addressing the greater
transparency and information sharing recommended by the GAO report. I
seek additional information about FirstNet and AT&T's accountability to
their stakeholders and any improvements made in light of the GAO
report.
Question 1. In accordance with GAO's recommendations, do you make
the state-specific FirstNet commitments and metrics available to
Congress and state officials?
Answer. While the GAO recommendation was directed to the FirstNet
Authority, AT&T, in its role as private sector partner to the FirstNet
Authority, prepares periodic state-level status updates, as it is
contractually required to do. AT&T maintains a FirstNet lead for every
state who has the job of interacting with state, local officials and
public safety leaders. The FirstNet Team at AT&T is available to meet
with state leaders to provide them with an update on the progress of
the deployment of Band 14 and new FirstNet purpose-built tower sites in
their state. We are also happy to provide updates to Congress upon
request as necessary. The specific FirstNet buildout information for
each state is confidential for both security and competitive reasons.
Question 2. On your recently launched website, firstnet.gov, you
provide contact information for the FirstNet Authority representative
in each state. Beyond the information listed, how are public safety
officials able to contact and communicate with you?
Answer. The firstnet.gov site is operated by the FirstNet
Authority, which provides the contact information for a public safety
advocate for each region of the country. Separately, AT&T, in its role
as private sector partner to the FirstNet Authority, has assigned a
FirstNet Solutions Consultant for every state who is available to
support any FirstNet subscriber, whether public safety, health care, or
any other type of eligible Primary or Extended Primary FirstNet User.
Eligible FirstNet users may visit the ``FirstNet Built with AT&T''
website at http://www.firstnet.com to request outreach by a FirstNet
Solutions Consultant.
Question 3. The GAO report recommended increased transparency and
sharing of deployment and oversight information with stakeholders. What
concrete steps have you taken towards implementing these changes?
Answer. This recommendation was made to the FirstNet Authority,
which has accepted GAO's recommendations relating to ways to further
enhance its contract oversight and stakeholder outreach processes, and
AT&T looks forward to working with FirstNet Authority to implement
those recommendations. In addition, as noted above, AT&T prepares
regular state-level status updates, as it is contractually required to,
on the progress of the deployment of Band 14 and new FirstNet purpose-
built tower sites in their state. AT&T further solicits direct and
indirect feedback from first responder stakeholders, and we appreciate
the value of performance studies, like the one released by the Police
Executive Research Forum.
Question 4. Do you plan to take any further action to better
communicate with and receive feedback from your stakeholders? If so,
what is the plan? If not, please describe how and why your current
communication methods are sufficient in addressing stakeholder
concerns.
Answer. FirstNet Authority, as noted above, intends to implement
the GAO recommendations with respect to transparency and keeping state
stakeholders apprised of the progress to meet the buildout commitments.
AT&T, as FirstNet Authority's private sector partner, looks forward to
working with FirstNet Authority to implement those recommendations. In
addition, as also noted above, AT&T is preparing regular state-level
status updates on the progress of the deployment of Band 14 and new
FirstNet purpose-built tower sites in each state. AT&T maintains a
FirstNet lead for every state who has the job of interacting with
state, local officials and public safety leaders. AT&T further solicits
direct and indirect feedback from first responder stakeholders, and we
appreciate the value of performance studies, like the one released by
the Police Executive Research Forum. We are also happy to provide
updates to Congress upon request.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Kyrsten Sinema to
Jason Porter
Question 1. Throughout the country, first responders put their
lives on the line to protect us, and reliable communications are
critical to their response efforts. Wildfire season is always a
difficult time for my state, and the current public health crisis
further complicates fire season for Arizona families.
I am pleased to hear many positive reports from Arizona public
safety officials in our larger communities that have switched to
FirstNet, such as in Phoenix, Mesa, and Flagstaff. But we need to
continue these efforts to more rural areas of the state. I have spoken
to Arizona first responders in rural areas that cannot utilize FirstNet
services due to a lack of infrastructure.
It is critical to have infrastructure in place so that firefighters
and other first responders can ensure a swift initial response to
contain fires. What is FirstNet doing to ensure first responders in
rural areas have the accessible communications network necessary for
their work, particularly in the following areas of Arizona: the
southern border with Mexico; the Grand Canyon tourist area; the
northwest portion of the state; and rural areas with a high likelihood
of wildfires and other potential natural disasters.
Answer. FirstNet is built for all first responders, including
career or volunteer; federal, tribal, state or local; urban, suburban
or rural. That is why reaching rural and remote parts of America,
including in Arizona, is one of AT&T's top priorities as FirstNet's
contractor. We are also collaborating with rural wireless network
providers across the country to help build out additional LTE coverage
and extend FirstNet's reach in rural and tribal communities, including
in Arizona.
There are strict nationwide rural coverage targets that must be met
at every phase of the initial five-year buildout of the FirstNet Band
14 spectrum, and AT&T is meeting those targets. New, purpose-built
FirstNet tower sites are already on air in Yavapai and Pima counties,
and more towers are on the way. The State of Arizona identified
coverage along the state's southern border and around the Grand Canyon,
as well as on tribal lands, in rural regions and in and around state
prisons as priority coverage areas, which informed the development of
the FirstNet State Plan for Arizona.
FirstNet adoption has been strong in Arizona, including within the
State's largest cities and counties and in the rural and tribal areas.
There are thousands of FirstNet users from across public safety
disciplines on FirstNet in Arizona, including the Mesa Police
Department and the Arizona Department of Emergency and Military
Affairs.
Some examples of the value that the FirstNet Response Operations
Group and the dedicated fleet of FirstNet portable network assets have
brought to some of the areas you outline in your question are:
A FirstNet Satellite Cell on Light Truck (SatCOLT) boosted
connectivity for tribal first responders at the Navajo Nation
Fair in September, 2019.
A FirstNet SatCOLT augmented connectivity for public safety
at the Granite Mountain Hotshots Memorial event in Yarnell, AZ
in February, 2019.
In October, 2019, a FirstNet deployable asset was sent to
provide connectivity in Pima County after communication was
disrupted due to infrastructure damage at a tower site.
A FirstNet deployable was staged and available on standby
while firefighters battled a wildland fire near Page, AZ in
2019.
The specific details on the progress of the FirstNet buildout
available to state leaders in each state, including Arizona, is
confidential for both security and competitive reasons. We would be
happy to further discuss this question with your office in a private
setting.
Question 2. Tribal communities in Arizona have been
disproportionately impacted by the coronavirus and face particular
challenges for connectivity. Please describe your progress developing
FirstNet infrastructure in tribal areas and your engagement and
coordination with tribal communities on the development of FirstNet in
tribal areas.
Answer. Tribal lands represent a large portion of the land-base for
the entire state and include diverse geographies, including canyons,
mountains, large desert areas and underpopulated regions where
communication is challenging. As noted, FirstNet's reach in rural and
tribal communities in Arizona is being extended by AT&T through its
deployment of wireless infrastructure and through its collaboration
with rural wireless network providers to help build out additional LTE
coverage.
FirstNet enables unique solutions to address the communications
needs in rural and remote locations. For instance, two FirstNet
SatCOLTs provided connectivity for Navajo Nation first responders and
FEMA personnel in response to the COVID-19 outbreak on the reservation
in Window Rock, AZ and Tse Bonito, NM. Further examples of deployable
assets sent to rural and tribal lands are outlined in our response to
your first question.
We are proud that Navajo Nation President Jonathan Nez publicly
expressed his gratitude to AT&T for a recent contribution to the Navajo
Nation COVID-19 Relief Fund and the support for FirstNet users during
the public health crisis by noting, ``AT&T has developed a strong
partnership with the Navajo Nation over the years by working together
to implement FirstNet to help our Nation's first responders, and now
with their generous donation that will benefit our frontline warriors
and our Navajo people.'' https://southwestregion.att.com/att-supports-
navajo-nation-covid-19-response
Question 3. How many deployable resources are stationed in the
state of Arizona? Have you performed any analysis to determine if the
number of deployable resources is sufficient to meet the needs of first
responders during the busiest times, such as wildfire season?
Answer. Examples of such resources deployed to Arizona are provided
above. In terms of planning and analysis, AT&T leads one of the
Nation's largest and most advanced network disaster recovery programs.
AT&T is the first company nationwide to receive the United States
Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) Private Sector Preparedness
Program (PS-Prep) certification. AT&T supports FirstNet users with its
FirstNet Response Operations Group (ROG), which serves as public
safety's direct partner for their connectivity needs, whenever they
need it. This group, established in 2018, is staffed by a team of
former first responders and helps to manage the FirstNet-dedicated
fleet of deployable assets, such as our mobile cell sites that link to
FirstNet via satellite and do not rely on commercial power
availability. There are dedicated AT&T personnel in Arizona providing
support and coordination with state and local first responder
organizations.
The FirstNet deployable fleet has 72 FirstNet Satellite Cell on
Light Trucks (SatCOLTs) that are stationed nationwide, three Flying
cells on wings (Flying COWs), and an aerostat blimp designed for use
following large-scale, catastrophic events. In addition to deploying
new permanent infrastructure, the dedicated fleet of FirstNet portable
network assets is available 24/7 to FirstNet subscribed agencies at no
charge to them. The FirstNet deployable assets provide first responders
connectivity when and where they need it--both during large planned
events and during times of emergency. The portable network assets link
to FirstNet via satellite and do not rely on commercial power
availability.
These dynamic assets can be deployed and staged anywhere across the
country as circumstances warrant. During emergency situations or
planned events where augmented coverage and capacity are required,
FirstNet and AT&T will evaluate the request, and when warranted, AT&T
will provide the deployable services at no cost within a 14-hour
delivery window.
Question 4. In my outreach with Arizona first responders, some
mentioned applications and capabilities which they are looking to
deploy to advance their response efforts. Please describe FirstNet's
progress on push to talk capabilities, and on connectivity to unmanned
aircraft and helmet cams.
Answer. As part of our commitment to public safety and the FirstNet
Authority, we have built FirstNet Push to Talk based on the public
safety standards set by the Third Generation Partnership Project
(3GPP). This is the body responsible for LTE and 5G global standards.
In addition to voice services, FirstNet PTT's rich, future capabilities
gives first responders access to the timely and relevant information
they need for enhanced situational awareness. With FirstNet PTT, public
safety users have the highest priority on the network,\1\ enabling
dependable, high performance group communications. FirstNet PTT is
built right into the core of the FirstNet network. With PTT servers in
six data centers across the country, calls are routed through the
nearest node to provide lower latency and faster access. Engineered to
the key performance indicators defined by the global standard, FirstNet
PTT delivers low latency and high availability, resulting in superior
calling performance.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Preempts all traffic other than mandated emergency calling.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
FirstNet PTT offers users an opportunity where both the device and
the network are working hand in hand to constantly improve the user PTT
experience. For these and other reasons, public safety has recognized
the value of FirstNet PTT as a complement and supplement to their
existing LMR solution.
With respect to connectivity to unmanned aircraft, at the
Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta in New Mexico, public safety
agencies employed a drone detection system to monitor restricted
airspace above the event and surrounding areas. FirstNet provided the
critical connection needed to support the system as well as on-the-
ground operations. This is illustrative of the kind of connectivity to
unmanned aircraft that FirstNet can provide. And FirstNet capabilities
can be harnessed and are being harnessed for use with body cams and
other solutions, including mobile apps from FirstNet's highly secure
app ecosystem.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Jacky Rosen to
Jason Porter
DEPLOYMENT IN NEVADA: According to my state's Department of Public
Safety, AT&T plans to build out about 30 cell sites in Nevada in the
next 6 months.
Question 1. Do you have an idea of how soon those towers can be
used to bring connectivity to rural areas? And how will this help the
overall broadband connectivity in the state of Nevada?
Answer. AT&T has five years, until 2023, to build out the FirstNet
Band 14 coverage as agreed to by the Nevada Governor, the Federal
government, and AT&T in the FirstNet State Plan for Nevada. For the
next 20-plus years, continuous improvements, expansions, and upgrades
will be made and the FirstNet network in Nevada will adapt and evolve
to meet changing needs. AT&T is on target to meet or exceed its
contractual obligations to the FirstNet Authority with respect to the
completion of Nevada's FirstNet State Plan deployment, including the
deployment of new, purpose-built FirstNet towers and collaboration with
rural wireless providers to extend the reach of LTE coverage. As a
result of the FirstNet Band 14 buildout, new tower sites are now on air
in Reno and Storey counties and more are on their way. In addition,
Band 14 has been deployed in the Las Vegas and Storey cellular markets.
Examples of FirstNet Response Operations Group (ROG) deployable
responses in Nevada include:
Four deployable assets were deployed to boost connectivity
for public safety communication and coordination during the
Area 51 event in Alamo, Crystal Springs, Hiko, and Amargosa
Valley, NV in September, 2019. The FirstNet ROG had several
members of its team on the ground to support public safety at
the event.
A FirstNet satellite cell on light truck (SatCOLT) augmented
connectivity for first responders at Burning Man in Gerlach, NV
in August, 2019.
In December, 2019, a FirstNet SatCOLT supported the command
center in preparation for and during the city's New Year's Eve
celebration in Las Vegas, NV.
A FirstNet deployable asset augmented connectivity for first
responders on FirstNet during an event at the Las Vegas
Speedway in May, 2019.
A FirstNet deployable asset supported firefighters and
provided connectivity at the command camp in response to the
Goshute Cave Fire near Ely, NV in September, 2018.
In response to the quality FirstNet performance and the unique
support that is provided to first responders on FirstNet--ensuring they
have connectivity when and where they need it--FirstNet adoption is
progressing in rural, urban and tribal areas in Nevada. There are
thousands of FirstNet users from across public safety disciplines in
Nevada, including the Las Vegas Fire Department. The specific FirstNet
buildout information available to state leaders in each state,
including Nevada, is confidential for both security and competitive
reasons. We would be happy to further discuss this question with your
office in a private setting.
As new FirstNet towers are built in the state and Band 14 spectrum
is deployed, including in rural areas, commercial cellular coverage and
speeds on AT&T's wireless network will improve as well because AT&T's
commercial spectrum bands will be added to the FirstNet towers and
deployed at the same time as Band 14 spectrum.
LOCAL, STATE, AND TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT: The January GAO report on
FirstNet described comments from some local, state, and Tribal
stakeholders about a perceived lack of engagement. These stakeholders
claimed that they initially had extensive consultations with FirstNet,
but later were not receiving much information or transparency on
broadband deployment and FirstNet oversight. GAO made several
recommendations to FirstNet on improving information-sharing and
collaboration with shareholders.
Question 2. I know that the cost of upgrading equipment can be a
barrier for our state and local agencies. Do you know of any available
grant funding to help state and local agencies transition to FirstNet?
Answer. There are a host of grant funding programs available to
state, tribal and local agencies that can provide additional resources
to help agencies expand their use of FirstNet, including the U.S.
Department of Homeland Security's State, Tribal and Urban Area Homeland
Security Grant Program and other grant programs available through the
U.S. Department of Justice, U.S. Health and Human Services, and other
Federal agencies. And there is an opportunity for the Federal
government to recalibrate some of these grant programs, so that they
can better help state, tribal and local agencies transition to
FirstNet.
Across the country, state, local and tribal governments are at a
crossroads and considering how best to support the communications needs
of their first responders, while planning and budgeting to maintain
aging legacy systems and looking to implement the advanced, LTE-enabled
communications solutions that ride upon FirstNet. As decision makers
look to modernize their jurisdictions' radio networks and other legacy
systems, as well as improve redundancy, reliability and extend the
reach of these systems, FirstNet can help to reduce both upfront costs
and the recurring costs related to maintenance, operation and upgrades.
FirstNet enables state, tribal and local government agencies to begin
shifting from a capital expenditure (CapEx) model to an operating
expense (OPEX) model. This means they subscribe for service, instead of
bearing the enormous financial responsibility of building and
maintaining a network. In addition, FirstNet's mobile device ecosystem
provides a suitable and cost-effective alternative to costly two-way
radios.
However, many of the existing grant programs are oriented to CapEx
grants, rather than OPEX funding. These grant programs were originally
developed to help defray the high CapEx costs associated with legacy
communications systems, such as LMR and customer premise equipment
(CPE) technology, but many do not support the monthly recurring costs
commonly associated with subscribing to a wireless network, such as
FirstNet. Even with the assistance of CapEx oriented grants,
proprietary, closed architecture platforms can result in higher costs
for the state, tribal and local jurisdictions to bear with fewer
advanced capabilities for first responders. In comparison, FirstNet is
built upon open standards, including 3GPP international wireless
standards. FirstNet is driving innovation through a robust device and
application ecosystem that is lowering costs, increasing choice and
boosting capabilities for first responders.
Finally, AT&T is doing its part to ensure that first responders
have the equipment to do their jobs using their dedicated Nationwide
Public Safety Broadband Network, FirstNet. AT&T has made efforts to
address this dynamic in the context of the first responder community
through such innovative offerings as the Free Smartphones for Life
initiative launched at the outset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Under this
initiative, FirstNet-subscribed public safety agencies can get premium
FirstNet ReadyTM smartphone devices for free for their
agency-paid users. This offer helps agencies equip their first
responders with the latest technology and cost effectively connect them
to critical communications when and where they need it most and ensures
that they are able to upgrade their devices every 2 years at no cost,
keeping them up to date with the latest technology at no charge. The
Free Smartphones for Life offer is available to agencies that commit to
a new FirstNet Mobile--Unlimited for Smartphone line of service or
eligible upgrade with either a 2-year service agreement or a new AT&T
Installment 30-month agreement, among other conditions.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Jacky Rosen to
Captain Tony Harrison
LOCAL, STATE, AND TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT: The January GAO report on
FirstNet described comments from some local, state, and Tribal
stakeholders about a perceived lack of engagement. These stakeholders
claimed that they initially had extensive consultations with FirstNet,
but later were not receiving much information or transparency on
broadband deployment and FirstNet oversight. GAO made several
recommendations to FirstNet on improving information-sharing and
collaboration with shareholders.
Question 1. How does FirstNet partner with local communities,
especially when selecting locations of new cell sites or other
infrastructure.
Answer. It has been my experience that FirstNet staff is very
responsive to our requests, no matter those requests. I was not in on
that ``ground level'' conversation when FirstNet was initially setting
up the logistics on their infrastructure and service. My only
experience has been moving from one carrier to the FirstNet plan and
the request for deployables on three or four different events. South
Dakota is a smaller state so there are not as many of us (Law
Enforcement type) so the FirstNet folks know me well and I know them
well and we have a good relationship.
Question 2. I know that the cost of upgrading equipment can be a
barrier for our state and local agencies. Do you know of any available
grant funding to help state and local agencies transition to FirstNet?
Answer. Again, I was not in on the ground level, so I am not 100
percent of any grant funding available to transition. Our agency did
not receive any grant funding to make the transition to FirstNet. I do
know FirstNet provided us with substantial discounts not only for our
office plans but also those deputies who moved their personal plans
could do so at a discount under the FirstNet plan. We are grateful for
that as any costs we can pass onto the taxpayer is a good thing.
______
*To avoid any conflict of interest, Karima Holmes asked Chief
Information Officer Teddy Kavaleri to respond to questions submitted
for the record to her by Members of the Committee.*
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Richard Blumenthal to
Karima Holmes
FirstNet plays a vital role ensuring public safety by enabling
connectivity, especially in areas without reliable broadband. The
COVID-19 pandemic underscores it importance. However, in conducting
oversight of FirstNet, the Government Accountability Office (``GAO'')
found local, state, and tribal stakeholders felt a lack of engagement
by FirstNet and AT&T. The stakeholders described minimal contact and
insufficient information from FirstNet and AT&T. At the hearing, Mr.
Parkinson and Mr. Porter introduced firstnet.gov, explaining that
public safety officials in each state could use this website to locate
the name, phone number, and e-mail for the FirstNet point of contact in
their state. While a start, this falls short of addressing the greater
transparency and information sharing recommended by the GAO report. I
seek additional information about FirstNet and AT&T's accountability to
stakeholders like you and any improvements they made in light of the
GAO report.
Question 1. In accordance with GAO's recommendations, has FirstNet
and AT&T made DC-specific commitments and metrics available to you?
Answer. Yes, FirstNet has made DC-specific commitments and metrics
available to us. Specifically, in December 2017 FirstNet submitted a
letter to Washington, DC Mayor Muriel Bowser outlining all the
commitments related to network build and offer elements they were
prepared to make upon the city's opt-in. These commitments include
building ten (10) new sites to provide additional coverage within the
District of Columbia within 5 years of opt in, a 3 million dollar
investment to enhance in-building coverage, consideration of the city's
specific requirements in their National Disaster Recovery Plan, support
with locating and establishing a highly secure site for the FirstNet
Satellite Colt, access to deployable assets and the NDR team and its
assets, as well as LTE connectivity on five (5) command vehicles for
first responders.
FirstNet has honored its commitment to provide all these resources.
Question 2. FirstNet recently launched their website, firstnet.gov,
to provide contact information for the FirstNet Authority
representative in each state. Have you used this website? Are there
other primary methods you use to contact and communicate with FirstNet
and AT&T?
Answer. When the Office of Unified Communications, the city's 911/
311 center, signed on we were provided with points of contact who have
been consistently accessible and available. In addition to this primary
method of contact, the agency is also aware of FirstNet's user help
desk, which is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The agency
receives an extremely informative bi-weekly newsletter as well.
The Office of Unified Communications has not needed to use the
recently launched website to obtain contact information for FirstNet
Authority representatives.
Question 3. Have you had any issues with transparency or
information sharing from FirstNet and AT&T?
Answer. Shortly after opt in the District of Columbia's Statewide
Interoperability Coordinator (SWIC) and the Office of Unified
Communications supported a user performance and reliability test of the
FirstNet system during a large-scale event. Official requests for the
test results were not honored immediately and the city was engaged in a
protracted exchange in order to obtain the test data. Several months
later, the results, which were favorable, were released.
Since that time several other similar tests have been conducted and
the results of each have been released immediately upon request.
Question 4. The GAO report recommended increased transparency and
sharing of deployment and oversight information with stakeholders.
Since this recommendation, have you noticed any change in quantity or
quality of communications from FirstNet and AT&T?
Answer. Since the challenges described in the response to Question
3, the Office of Unified Communications has experienced greatly
improved transparency and responsiveness. In addition, representatives
from FirstNet and AT&T consistently participate and contribute to the
District's monthly Interoperability Communications Committee (ICC)
meetings and also on bi-weekly in-building coverage project status
meetings.
Question 5. Do you have any recommendations for how FirstNet and
AT&T can better support public safety officials like you?
Answer. As public safety officials we are concerned about
FirstNet's seeming non-response to Verizon's competitive campaign and
efforts to maintain their presence in the public safety market. We
believe that this may be causing confusion for other public safety
organizations and could be a factor in their delay in opting in.
Further we are concerned that if many of these organizations do not
sign on with FirstNet, the result will be contrary to the objective of
creating a true nationwide network.
______
Response to Written Question Submitted by Hon. Jacky Rosen to
Karima Holmes
LOCAL, STATE, AND TRIBAL ENGAGEMENT: The January GAO report on
FirstNet described comments from some local, state, and Tribal
stakeholders about a perceived lack of engagement. These stakeholders
claimed that they initially had extensive consultations with FirstNet,
but later were not receiving much information or transparency on
broadband deployment and FirstNet oversight. GAO made several
recommendations to FirstNet on improving information-sharing and
collaboration with shareholders.
Question. I know that the cost of upgrading equipment can be a
barrier for our state and local agencies. Do you know of any available
grant funding to help state and local agencies transition to FirstNet?
Answer. The Office of Unified Communications (OUC) is not aware of
any available grant funding to support transitions to FirstNet.
Fortunately, however, the cost for the OUC to transition was not
prohibitive.
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