[Senate Hearing 119-484]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
S. Hrg. 119-484
THE FRONT LINES OF CONNECTIVITY: EXAMINING
FIRSTNET'S ROLE IN PUBLIC SAFETY
=======================================================================
HEARING
before the
SUBCOMMITTEE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS
AND MEDIA
of the
COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE,
SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
UNITED STATES SENATE
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
__________
JANUARY 28, 2026
__________
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
64-226 PDF WASHINGTON : 2026
SENATE COMMITTEE ON COMMERCE, SCIENCE, AND TRANSPORTATION
ONE HUNDRED NINETEENTH CONGRESS
SECOND SESSION
TED CRUZ, Texas, Chairman
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota MARIA CANTWELL, Washington,
ROGER WICKER, Mississippi Ranking
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
JERRY MORAN, Kansas BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska EDWARD MARKEY, Massachusetts
MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee GARY PETERS, Michigan
TODD YOUNG, Indiana TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
TED BUDD, North Carolina TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
JOHN CURTIS, Utah BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico
BERNIE MORENO, Ohio JOHN HICKENLOOPER, Colorado
TIM SHEEHY, Montana JOHN FETTERMAN, Pennsylvania
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia ANDY KIM, New Jersey
CYNTHIA LUMMIS, Wyoming LISA BLUNT ROCHESTER, Delaware
Brad Grantz, Republican Staff Director
Nicole Christus, Republican Deputy Staff Director
Lila Harper Helms, Staff Director
Melissa Porter, Deputy Staff Director
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SUBCOMMITTEE ON TELECOMMUNICATIONS AND MEDIA
DEB FISCHER, Nebraska, Chair BEN RAY LUJAN, New Mexico, Ranking
JOHN THUNE, South Dakota AMY KLOBUCHAR, Minnesota
ROGER WICKER, Mississippi BRIAN SCHATZ, Hawaii
JERRY MORAN, Kansas EDWARD MARKEY, Massachusetts
DAN SULLIVAN, Alaska GARY PETERS, Michigan
MARSHA BLACKBURN, Tennessee TAMMY BALDWIN, Wisconsin
TODD YOUNG, Indiana TAMMY DUCKWORTH, Illinois
TED BUDD, North Carolina JACKY ROSEN, Nevada
ERIC SCHMITT, Missouri JOHN HICKENLOOPER, Colorado
JOHN CURTIS, Utah JOHN FETTERMAN, Pennsylvania
BERNIE MORENO, Ohio ANDY KIM, New Jersey
TIM SHEEHY, Montana LISA BLUNT ROCHESTER, Delaware
SHELLEY MOORE CAPITO, West Virginia
CYNTHIA LUMMIS, Wyoming
C O N T E N T S
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Page
Hearing held on January 28, 2026................................. 1
Statement of Senator Fischer..................................... 1
Statement of Senator Lujan....................................... 2
Prepared statement........................................... 3
Statement of Senator Klobuchar................................... 4
Statement of Senator Moreno...................................... 29
Statement of Senator Hickenlooper................................ 31
Statement of Senator Budd........................................ 33
Statement of Senator Sullivan.................................... 42
Witnesses
Sheriff Michael A. Adkinson, Jr., Acting Chair, First Responder
Network Authority Board........................................ 5
Prepared statement........................................... 6
Scott Agnew, President, FirstNet and Public Safety Mobility, AT&T
Inc............................................................ 9
Prepared statement........................................... 10
Cory Davis, Vice President, Verizon Frontline at Verizon......... 15
Prepared statement........................................... 16
Mel Maier, Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director, APCO
International.................................................. 22
Prepared statement........................................... 23
Appendix
Letter dated January 21, 2026 to Hon. Ted Cruz and Hon. Maria
Cantwell from Jeff Norman, Milwaukee Police Department,
President, Major Cities Chiefs Association and Sheriff Chris
West, Canadian County, OK, President, National Sheriffs'
Association.................................................... 47
Response to written questions submitted to Michael A. Adkinson,
Jr. by:
Hon. Dan Sullivan............................................ 48
Hon. Maria Cantwell.......................................... 49
Hon. Brian Schatz............................................ 49
Hon. John Hickenlooper....................................... 52
Response to written questions submitted to Scott Agnew by:
Hon. Ted Cruz................................................ 53
Hon. John Thune.............................................. 56
Hon. Dan Sullivan............................................ 57
Hon. Eric Schmitt............................................ 59
Hon. Maria Cantwell.......................................... 59
Hon. Brian Schatz............................................ 61
Hon. John Hickenlooper....................................... 65
Response to written questions submitted to Cory Davis by:
Hon. Ted Cruz................................................ 67
Hon. John Thune.............................................. 70
Hon. Dan Sullivan............................................ 70
Hon. Maria Cantwell.......................................... 71
Hon. John Hickenlooper....................................... 71
Response to written questions submitted to Mel Maier by:
Hon. Maria Cantwell.......................................... 72
Hon. John Hickenlooper....................................... 74
Prepared statement...........................................
, prepared statement.............................................
THE FRONT LINES OF CONNECTIVITY: EXAMINING
FIRSTNET'S ROLE IN PUBLIC SAFETY
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 28, 2026
U.S. Senate,
Subcommittee on Telecommunications and Media,
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. Deb Fischer,
Chair of the Subcommittee, presiding.
Present: Senators Fischer [presiding], Sullivan, Budd,
Sheehy, Moreno, Lujan, Klobuchar, and Hickenlooper.
OPENING STATEMENT OF HON. DEB FISCHER,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NEBRASKA
Senator Fischer. Good morning, I call this hearing to
order. Welcome to the Subcommittee, and also to our witness
panel today.
I know that Winter Storm Fern delayed this hearing and, I
appreciate that you all made it here through a number of
obstacles. So thank you very much.
This hearing will examine a critical piece of our national
infrastructure, the Public Safety Broadband Network established
by the First Responder Network Authority, commonly known as
FirstNet. In communities large and small, first responders save
lives every single day, often in situations where each second
counts and communication means the difference between life and
death.
FirstNet was created to give them a dedicated nationwide
broadband network that is efficient, reliable, and effective. A
network that stands apart from congested commercial systems and
prioritizes public safety users first.
Today, with millions of connections operating across all 50
states and U.S. territories, FirstNet has become a
communications lifeline for police officers, firefighters, EMS,
and other first responders. Its unique features, like priority
access during emergencies, are tools that first responders
increasingly depend upon. Reauthorizing the network before it
sunsets next February means that Congress needs to get to work
now. Otherwise, this critical network faces uncertainty,
undermining years of investment and trust with public safety.
Beyond simply extending FirstNet's legal authority, we must
ask: Are we ensuring the network lives up to its promise?
Recent findings by the Commerce Department's Inspector General
raise questions about weaknesses in FirstNet's oversight
structure.
FirstNet was created as an independent authority within the
Commerce Department to balance operational flexibility with
accountability. But the Inspector General's findings make clear
that the current governing structure has not provided
consistent performance oversight.
This is not a critique of the mission, it is a call to
improve the function of FirstNet authority. First, we need to
understand how we got here. When FirstNet was conceived in the
wake of the 9/11 attacks, it was a complex undertaking, a
national mission-critical network with strict public safety
requirements, uncertain economics, and no proven business
model. AT&T was the only mobile carrier willing and able to
make a bid that met those needs. The company committed capital,
technical expertise, and operational capability to build
something that never existed before, without that bid, this
network would not exist in its current form.
This is an achievement, but it should not be confused with
a blank check. In fact, the scale and importance of the public
safety assets that AT&T now operates makes stronger oversight
more essential, not less. Reauthorization is not about
questioning good faith, it is about ensuring that a network
built through public-private partnerships continues to serve
its core mission with transparency, resilience, and
adaptability.
Finally, we cannot lose sight of the voice of first
responders themselves. Independent surveys show overwhelming
support from first responders for reauthorizing FirstNet, not
because it is perfect, but because the consequences of losing
priority network access, well it would be unthinkable.
FirstNet is more than a network, it is part of our national
public safety backbone. Reauthorization gives us the chance,
not just to maintain continuity, but to improve the network for
those who run toward danger so that we can all be safer. Thank
you.
I would now like to recognize my friend and Ranking Member,
Senator Lujan, for his opening remarks. Senator Lujan.
STATEMENT OF HON. BEN RAY LUJAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NEW MEXICO
Senator Lujan. Thank you, Chair Fischer. And also thank you
to Chair Cruz, and Ranking Member Cantwell for calling the
hearing on this critical issue. And thank you to each of our
witnesses who are here today.
Now, the issues that we are talking about today before this
committee are critically important, but I cannot go further
without acknowledging what is on the minds of people across the
country.
One of Alex Pretti's colleagues said, and I quote, ``The
default look on his face was a smile''. Another said: ``Alex
wanted to be helpful to help humanity, have a career that was a
force of good in the world.'' We all know Alex is dead. He was
killed.
Renee Good's mother said that: ``Renee was one of the
kindest people I have ever known. She was extremely
compassionate. She has taken care of people all her life. She
was loving, forgiving, and affectionate. She was an amazing
human being.'' Renee is also dead. She was killed.
They are dead because of policy decisions made by President
Trump, Secretary Noem, and White House Deputy Chief Stephen
Miller.
This administration decided to ignore the pleas of
Minnesota's elected leadership and law enforcement by occupying
and terrorizing Minnesota. When Federal agents killed these
law-abiding Americans, the administration's response was to
call Alex Pretti, the VA nurse who held veterans' hands as they
died, Trump administration called him quote ``A domestic
terrorist'', and quote, ``would be assassin''.
What did they say about Renee Good, a poet, a mother of
three? They called her a domestic terrorist. There are many
lies by people who have no shame, who seem to take pleasure in
terrorizing communities, wrecking families, and dividing the
American people.
Now, last night, Senator Thom Tillis said what all of us
know, that what Secretary Noem has quote, ``Done in Minnesota
should be disqualifying, it is just amateurish. It is
terrible''. Senator Tillis is right. And Senator Murkowski, who
both said Kristi Noem should resign or she should be fired. I
will add one more name to that list, Stephen Miller. Both
failed Alex and Renee. Both failed the American people.
Now, I ask my Republican colleagues to join Senators Tillis
and Murkowski by speaking up and defending the rule of law and
defending our shared humanity. What is happening now is not OK.
It is not normal. People can't pretend that. We have a chance
to work together to do something here. I don't understand why
this is hard. Now is the moment for accountability. We owe that
to the families who are grieving their loved ones, and
Americans who feel like they don't recognize the country we are
living in.
Now, with that, Chair Fischer, and Chair Cruz, and Ranking
Member Cantwell, I will stop in this space. And I ask unanimous
consent to submit my opening--my prepared opening statement on
the topic of today's hearing into the record.
Senator Fischer. Without objection.
[The prepared statement of Senator Lujan follows:]
Prepared Statement of Hon. Ben Ray Lujan, U.S. Senator from New Mexico
In New Mexico, we are far too familiar with the devastation and
destruction that comes with wildfires, flooding and other natural
disasters. In those moments, when our first responders run towards
danger, when lives are on the line, when seconds matter--communications
need to be reliable and resilient. Today's hearing focuses on the
reauthorization of FirstNet, our Nation's dedicated public safety
network.
Congress created FirstNet in 2012 as a response to the tragedies on
9/11 when firefighters, police officers, and emergency medical
personnel were unable to communicate due to incompatible and
overwhelmed communications systems. The goal was to build an
interoperable nationwide broadband network dedicated to public safety.
As we consider reauthorization, it is essential that we assess
whether FirstNet continues to meet its core mission: providing public
safety with priority, preemption, and a communications network they can
trust in both everyday operations and during disasters.
There is no question that FirstNet has delivered real benefits. But
acknowledging FirstNet's importance does not mean suspending oversight.
In fact, its importance is exactly why Congress must take a critical
look at the facts as we approach reauthorization in February 2027.
My goal today is to hear testimony from our diverse panel of
witnesses to help inform Congress on the proper oversight,
accountability, and transparency measures that will help structure
FirstNet's reauthorization.
We must understand the reliability and resiliency of today's public
safety communications. The networks have vastly evolved over the last
decades--today we have 5G, satellite connectivity, deployable assets,
and software-based solutions that are constantly evolving.
Public safety also relies on these competing communications
networks to do their jobs and often subscribe to more than one network
to ensure redundancy--because they understand that lack of
communication can cost lives.
That's where the other nationwide carriers come in. Verizon's
Frontline and T-Mobile's T-Priority are two additional public safety-
focused networks that also provide priority and preemption, network
slicing, deployable assets, and specialized support for first
responders.
This evolution and competition in the marketplace matters. It also
underscores why this hearing is so important in addressing whether
FirstNet is structured to keep pace with these technological and market
changes.
This is why we must also examine the series of findings across
multiple reports from the Department of Commerce's Office of Inspector
General. These reports raise serious questions about FirstNet's
contract oversight and governance.
Oversight is not about undermining FirstNet. It is about
strengthening it. We must be thoughtful and willing to listen to the
needs of public safety to ensure that we are properly shaping the next
generation of public safety communications for years ahead.
Thank you--and again I look forward to hearing from our witnesses.
Senator Klobuchar. Madam Chair.
Senator Fischer. Senator Klobuchar.
STATEMENT OF HON. AMY KLOBUCHAR,
U.S. SENATOR FROM MINNESOTA
I am here because of--I am head of the 9-1-1 Caucus, and I
am interested in this hearing. But I did want to thank Senator
Lujan for his remarks about what is happening in my state. And
just say that I have spent a lot of time in the last few weeks
with local law enforcement, not just the Minneapolis Police
Chief, but our Sheriff's, the Metro Police, and it has become
really hard for them to do their normal work. And that is one
of the problems with what is happening here.
So I hope that having talked to the White House, that in
fact they are going to bring these ICE agents out of Minnesota.
They have already started bringing border control out of
Minnesota. And then I hope we can work together to overhaul
this agency.
And with that, I am going to go to Judiciary and then come
back for my questions, Madam Chair. Thank you.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Senator Klobuchar, and thank
you, Senator Lujan, for your comments.
At this time, I would like to introduce our panel of
witnesses. Our first witness is Sheriff Michael Adkinson,
Acting Chair of the First Responder Network Authority Board. In
this role, Sheriff Adkinson leads the FirstNet Authority Board,
which oversees the FirstNet network and ensures it meets the
needs of the public safety community.
Our second witness is Scott Agnew, President of FirstNet
and Public Safety Mobility at AT&T. Mr. Agnew oversees AT&T's
management and operation of the FirstNet network, which
currently serves more than 7.8 million devices nationwide.
Our third witness is Cory Davis, Vice President of Verizon
Frontline. In this capacity, Mr. Davis oversees Verizon's First
Responder Communications Services supporting more than 45,000
public safety agencies across the United States.
And our final witness is Mel Maier, Chief Executive Officer
and Executive Director of the Association of Public Safety
Communications Officials International. He previously served as
the vice chair of FirstNet Authority's Public Safety Advisory
Committee.
Welcome to all of you. Sheriff Adkinson, you are recognized
to give your opening remarks, please.
STATEMENT OF SHERIFF MICHAEL A. ADKINSON, JR., ACTING CHAIR,
FIRST RESPONDER NETWORK AUTHORITY BOARD
Mr. Adkinson. Thank you, Chair Fischer, Ranking Member
Lujan, Members of the Committee.
As previously stated, my name is Mike Adkinson, and I am
the Acting Chair of the FirstNet Authority Board, but in my day
job, I am a sheriff, and uniquely a sheriff that oversees
professional fire rescue, emergency medical, emergency air
medical, as well as 911 communications. What we know is that 25
years ago, as you stated, this Nation suffered an unimaginable
tragedy, and out of that tragedy came the opportunity to be
better, to take actions that prevent this happening again.
It was the birth of FirstNet. It was the birth of the
public broadband safety network. A network built entirely for
public safety to ensure that we are able to carry out our
mission to protect the men and women of public safety but more
importantly to protect the citizens. And that is the ultimate
goal of what we are about and what we do.
I can tell you in the decade of its existence almost at
this point, I believe it to be a generational success in
infrastructure. There are things that I think have made a
difference, and I will reference some of those personally in
just a moment. But I will say this, at tens of thousands of
agencies and millions of users the ability to have
interoperable communication is critical, and FirstNet has been
a success at that. And I am very proud to be a part of that.
As one of the early opt-in states in Florida, we understood
that this was critical. We have seen it at multiple hurricane
events, unfortunate tragedies, things that sometimes are
unimaginable, the ability for our first responders to
communicate is without question a priority, and that is what
this network is ultimately about.
You mentioned the Inspector General Report, I would be
remiss if I didn't lean into them. I have been on this Board
for about a year and a half. There were six new board members
that came in, approximately October of last year, and from my
standpoint, this is clear that there is one overriding
responsibility and that is to maintain the trust integrity of
the American people and the efficacy of what we do.
To that end, we instructed the executive director to lean
into these reports, resolve these issues. There is no other
acceptable answer than, yes. Whatever it takes to resolve these
issues, that is what we are going to do. I think we have done a
good job of starting working toward that. There is work to be
done. Oversight and accountability is critical in any
operation, particularly where people's lives are at stake. We
do not have the ability to be wrong here. So we have to do what
is necessary to improve what we are doing and how we are doing
it.
You are not going to hear me say anything other than that.
It is unacceptable. And quite frankly, if you are explaining,
you are losing, you just need to resolve problems, and that is
what we are about.
To that end, as we move toward discussion of
reauthorization, I think there are a couple of things that can
be considered that I think make practical solutions available
to improve the efficacy of what we do. Let me give you an
example, I mentioned that there were six new board seats that
came on. That is an incredibly difficult way to maintain
continuity and consistency when you run a board. We had asked
that you consider staggering these terms every 3 years. That
was the way the legislation originally intended it. Once it got
off cycle the law did not allow, as I understand it, for the
Secretary to change it back to 3 years.
Second, we would ask that you consider expanding the role
of public safety on this Board. There are three seats, but we
would ask that you dedicate five so that the men and women in
public safety have a direct and continued priority impact on
the reinvestments and where these need to be made. We think
that is critical to be successful.
And then last, in regards to a Government standpoint, you
know, we use the word ``accountability'' and we use the words
``responsibility''. They are not the same thing. They are
entirely different things.
We had asked that--as I said before, there is too many
captains on this ship. There needs to be an unambiguous line of
authority in the way things are done. I believe this Board,
this Authority is capable of making decisions, but we have to
have the authority to do that.
And finally, I would leave you with this. As a state that,
unfortunately, has suffered hurricanes, and will continue--and
they will happen again, we don't seek perfection, we seek the
effort of perfection in everything we do.
And today is the anniversary of the D.C. tragedy, the crash
where 67 individuals lost their lives. And I will tell you that
FirstNet was there helping monitor those communications, and
making a difference, and providing opportunities. That is when
the system operates at its best. Thank you.
[The prepared statement of Sheriff Adkinson follows:]
Prepared Statement of Sheriff Michael A. Adkinson, Jr., Acting Board
Chair, First Responder Network Authority
Chairman Fischer, Ranking Member Lujan, and distinguished Members
of the Subcommittee, my name is Michael Adkinson, Sheriff of Walton
County, Florida and the Acting Board Chair of the First Responder
Network Authority. I am honored to appear before you today to provide
testimony regarding FirstNet's role in public safety.
Introduction
Nearly twenty-five years ago, on September 11, 2001, our Nation
endured a devastating attack that exposed a critical vulnerability in
our public safety infrastructure. America's first responders answered
the call of duty that day, moving toward danger with unwavering courage
and selflessness. Yet they were hampered by communication systems that
were fragmented, incompatible, and overwhelmed. This failure to
communicate cost lives.
In response, Congress made a deliberate and historic decision--
guided by the recommendations of the 9/11 Commission and the urgent
appeals of the public safety community--to establish a single,
nationwide, interoperable broadband network dedicated exclusively to
public safety. That decision became the foundation for legislation
creating the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN), known
as FirstNet.
Today, Congress's vision is an operational reality for our Nation's
first responders. FirstNet spans millions of square miles, delivering
coverage across urban centers, rural communities, tribal lands, and
U.S. territories. The network provides capabilities that public safety
did not previously have, including 24/7 priority and preemption for
first responders, nationwide interoperability, a dedicated core, on-
demand mobile cellular assets, and scalable broadband capacity for
mission-critical applications. As of September 30, 2025, over 30,000
public safety agencies and organizations have adopted FirstNet,
including where I serve as sheriff in Walton County, Florida.
The Foundation for Success
Congress laid the foundation for FirstNet's success through the
Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012.\1\ The Act
created a model that sought to combine private sector innovation with
government oversight to ensure performance and coverage standards
essential to public safety.
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\1\ Pub. L. No. 112-96, Title VI, 126 Stat. 156, see: https://
www.congress.gov/112/plaws/publ96/PLAW-112publ96.pdf
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First and foremost, Congress allocated 20 megahertz of nationwide
spectrum, now known as Band 14, exclusively for public safety, ensuring
first responders have prioritized access to communications when it
matters most.
Second, Congress required the FirstNet Authority to be self-
sustaining and to collect and reinvest fees generated under its
nationwide public safety broadband network contract. The Government
Accountability Office estimated that constructing and operating a
nationwide public safety broadband network over the first 10 years
could cost between $12 billion to $47 billion, depending on factors
such as business model, use of existing infrastructure, reliability,
and coverage.\2\ Congress provided $7 billion from commercial spectrum
auction proceeds for the initial 4G LTE buildout. Additionally, under a
public-private arrangement, FirstNet's contractor,
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\2\ GAO Report (2015): Cost estimate range $12-$47 billion for
construction and operation over 10 years (GAO-15-407 Highlights PDF)
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AT&T, agreed to pay approximately $18 billion over its 25-year
contract term for the Band 14 spectrum lease. The FirstNet Authority
determines how those funds are reinvested into the network, consistent
with the law. This public-private model, initially capitalized with
auction proceeds and sustained by contract fees, allows continuous
improvements to public safety communications without requiring new
taxpayer funding.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\3\ GAO Report (2022): FirstNet statutory requirements and
reinvestment responsibilities (GAO-22-104915)
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Finally, Congress established a 15-member Board, which I am honored
to serve on, composed of leaders from public safety, the private
sector, and experts in finance and technology representing state,
local, and Federal perspectives. This diverse composition ensures
decisions reflect both the operational realities of first responders,
and the technical demands of a nationwide public safety broadband
network. It is incumbent on the Board to provide strategic direction
and rigorous oversight to guarantee (i) that the FirstNet Authority
fulfills its statutory mandate and (ii) that the network evolves to
meet the changing mission-critical needs of public safety. Through this
governance structure, Congress sought to ensure accountability,
transparency, and a direct voice for public safety in shaping the
future of emergency communications.
FirstNet also demonstrated something critically important that did
not exist before its creation: that there is a viable market for high-
quality, mission-critical broadband services tailored to public safety.
By aggregating demand, setting clear performance expectations, and
proving that first responders would adopt and pay for a network built
to their needs, FirstNet helped catalyze private-sector investment well
beyond the confines of the original public safety broadband network
contract.
At the same time, success should not breed complacency. We must not
rest on our laurels. As technologies evolve and public safety's
operational demands grow more complex, there are opportunities to
improve how the network is managed, how investments are prioritized,
and how performance is measured. Continued vigilance is necessary to
ensure that FirstNet delivers a clear net benefit to public safety,
that reinvestments are disciplined and aligned with mission needs, and
that robust oversight mechanisms remain firmly in place. Congress
wisely paired innovation with accountability in the original statute;
honoring that balance means continually asking hard questions, refining
governance, and ensuring transparency so that FirstNet remains worthy
of the trust placed in it by first responders and the American public.
A Network Built by and for Public Safety
From the start, FirstNet was built with continuous input from the
public safety community. The Act requires consultation with federal,
state, local, tribal, and territorial stakeholders, and it established
the Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) to ensure the network
reflects real-world operational needs. Through these channels, public
safety informs coverage objectives, network hardening, priority and
preemption, mission-critical services, deployable assets, rural and
remote coverage, in-building solutions, cybersecurity, and resiliency
needed to operate during disasters, major events, and daily incidents.
This engagement ensures that FirstNet is not merely a network with
public safety features layered on top: it is a purpose-built public
safety platform that adapts as threats evolve and technology advances.
The FirstNet Authority also works with public safety officials to
plan for major events. Preparations are underway for the 2026 FIFA
World Cup soccer tournament in multiple U.S. cities and for America 250
events to ensure mission execution and public safety.
FirstNet Future Investment
The FirstNet Authority has continued to make investments that
expand coverage and evolve capabilities. In 2024, the Board approved a
multi-year investment initiative to deliver full 5G capabilities via a
standalone core, expand mission-critical services, bolster the
deployable fleet, enhance in-building coverage, and add new sites to
improve reach and reliability. FirstNet also convened coverage
enhancement workshops across the country with state and local agencies
to drive future investments where public safety needs them most.
Office of Inspector General Oversight
Of course, there remains room for improvement. As members of this
Subcommittee well know, the Department of Commerce Office of Inspector
General (OIG) has performed significant oversight of the FirstNet
Authority since 2014. In 2024 alone, there were four audit reports and
two management alerts addressing a range of issues, including contract
modifications, coverage objective targets, and device connection
targets. These reviews underscore the importance of rigorous oversight
of the FirstNet contract.
As the Acting Board Chair, I take these recommendations seriously.
My colleagues and I on the Board have directed FirstNet Authority
management to resolve and close these recommendations expeditiously and
to address the overarching theme identified by the OIG. Our duty to
serve the public safety users of FirstNet requires us to provide strong
oversight of the network and to not accept excuses, but rather focus on
outcomes.
Reauthorization
Under the Act, FirstNet is scheduled to terminate in February 2027,
which will create a risk to continued network operations and may result
in a potential loss of service for public safety users. Reauthorization
presents a prime opportunity to not only affirm Congress's commitment
to public safety, but to improve FirstNet and set it up for success for
future years. A currency of trust has been developed in the continuity
of service provided by FirstNet. It would be hard to overstate the
potential risk to public safety if that were to be eroded by a failure
of reauthorization. We would risk the collapse of the nationwide
interoperability effort the 9/11 Commission sought to address.
The success of FirstNet hinges on private sector innovation paired
with rigorous oversight. However, over the past 14 years, there have
been persistent challenges with contract oversight and accountability.
As Acting Board Chair I have observed that the roles and
responsibilities of NTIA, the Board, and the Authority are not well
defined in the statute. Bluntly, when everyone is responsible no one is
accountable. Reauthorization provides Congress with a clear opportunity
to address these challenges directly by clarifying statutory roles,
responsibilities, and the chain of command among NTIA, the Board, and
the Authority.
Further, the law currently limits reinvestment to the network core
or radio access network (RAN). While this made sense in 2012 during the
launch of 4G LTE, as we move toward software driven and AI enabled 6G
capabilities we risk locking FirstNet into technologies that were
state-of-the-art 14 years ago. Expanding reinvestment authorities to
include emerging technologies and services, such as cybersecurity
enhancements, deployable assets, and advanced analytics will ensure the
network continues to meet evolving public safety needs and affords our
first responders access to the best possible technology.
There are a host of reforms Congress can consider to codify lessons
learned over the past 14 years. This includes a simple but important
reform near and dear to my heart--staggering the Board terms across
three years to ensure more continuity and consistency among our
membership. By way of example, in November of 2024 six new board
members were empaneled at the same time. This, as you can imagine,
brings serious continuity challenges. I also am a strong believer in
the voice that public safety can provide to the Board. While the law
requires that three of the board members represent public safety, I
encourage Congress to increase this number to five. In practice, this
is how the Board is typically staffed and allows the Secretary of
Commerce to nominate a broad array of public safety voices to the
Board--from police (including local sheriffs like myself and major city
police like my fellow board member Chief Norman), to fire, to EMS and
9-1-1. Finally, the administration will be submitting additional views
and I will fully support them.
I look forward to discussing these ideas and more today. And, of
course, I stand ready to work with Congress and the Members of this
Subcommittee to improve the FirstNet program for our first responders
across the Nation. Thank you.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Sheriff Adkinson.
Mr. Agnew, you are recognized.
STATEMENT OF SCOTT AGNEW, PRESIDENT, FIRSTNET AND PUBLIC SAFETY
MOBILITY AT AT&T
Mr. Agnew. Chairman Fischer, Ranking Member Lujan, Chairman
Cruz, Ranking Member Cantwell, and Members of the Subcommittee;
thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today.
My name is Scott Agnew, and I serve as President of
FirstNet and Public Sector Mobility at AT&T. I am responsible
for ensuring AT&T fulfills its Federal obligation to deploy,
operate, and continuously evolve the FirstNet network for
America's first responders.
At the outset, let me be clear, AT&T strongly supports
reauthorization of the First Responder Network Authority, and
we support so doing well in advance of the February 27th
expiration.
Before FirstNet, public safety relied on fragmented radio
systems and congested commercial networks that too often fail
during disasters. Congress created FirstNet to solve that
problem. And today, FirstNet is delivering that vision.
FirstNet represents one of the most successful public-
private partnerships in modern infrastructure policy. In 2017,
AT&T was selected to build, operate this nationwide public
safety network without taxpayer funding. The network was
completed on time and on budget in March 2023, and continues to
grow and improve. Over the life of the 25-year contract, AT&T
expects to invest approximately $40 billion of its own capital
to build and operate FirstNet.
Since 2017, we have built out the network to cover nearly
three million square miles, making it hundreds of thousands of
square miles on average in commercial networks. This is a
critical advantage for rural, tribal, and remote communities.
Today, more first responders trust FirstNet to reliably
communicate than any other network.
Importantly, FirstNet provides always on priority and
preemption across band 14 and all of AT&T's 5G and LT spectrum.
So whether it is planned, like major sporting events, or
natural disasters like flooding in Texas or Washington State,
or wildfires in Montana or New Mexico, first responders can
communicate when networks are congested.
In addition, the network will continue to expand. As
designed by Congress, the network will evolve based on direct
feedback from public safety. The FirstNet Authority has planned
to invest more than $8 billion over the next decade to improve
the network. This includes delivery of a physically separated
5G core, our work with AST in Midland, Texas to deliver public
safety grade, direct this device satellite connectivity and
FirstNet Fusion, the first mission-critical communication
platform that will enable unprecedented interoperability across
agencies, carriers, and technologies.
The true measure of FirstNet's performance during crisis,
during hurricanes Helene and Milton, FirstNet supported more
than 260 emergency requests across multiple states, restoring
coverage and sustaining public safety communication when
commercial networks were strained or unavailable. And during
the assassination attempt at the Presidential campaign rally in
Butler, Pennsylvania, FirstNet worked as designed. While
commercial networks experienced congestions, FirstNet delivered
uninterrupted service.
These are not isolated examples. They are result of a
network built specifically for and by public safety. AT&T's
commitment to public safety is unmatched. We maintained a
dedicated FirstNet organization staffed by professionals with
public safety and emergency experience. We operate a 24 by 7
security operations center focused on specifically FirstNet
traffic, and we provide public safety with a dedicated fleet of
deployable assets.
Congress made a bold and necessary decision when it created
FirstNet. This vision is now a reality and it is working. For
these reasons, we strongly urge Congress to reauthorize the
FirstNet Authority, ensure the critical network continues to
serve first responders for decades.
Thank you for the opportunity to testify. I look forward to
your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Agnew follows:]
Prepared Statement of Scott Agnew, AT&T President--FirstNet and Public
Sector Mobility, AT&T, Inc.
Chairman Fischer, Ranking Member Lujan, and Members of the
Subcommittee, thank you for the opportunity to appear before you today
to provide an update on the FirstNet network and AT&T's essential role
in its expansive deployment, strong performance, nationwide coverage,
cutting-edge innovations, and lifesaving public-safety impact.
My name is Scott Agnew. I am the President of FirstNet & Public
Sector Mobility at AT&T. I lead AT&T's FirstNet organization and am
responsible for ensuring that AT&T meets its Federal contract
obligations regarding FirstNet's deployment, performance, operations,
and public-safety engagement. Today, I will discuss how AT&T is
ensuring that FirstNet delivers on Congress's vision to create a
resilient, interoperable broadband network for America's first
responders and the status of FirstNet's nationwide deployment and
adoption. I will also demonstrate that AT&T's commitment to FirstNet
extends beyond the contractual requirements and how AT&T has
demonstrated its commitment to public safety with its ability to
innovate and respond to the ever-evolving public safety needs.
The Public Safety Imperative of FirstNet
Let me begin by stating that AT&T stands with public safety
organizations like the International Association of Fire Chiefs (IAFC),
National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP), International Association of
Chiefs of Police (IACP), International Association of Fire Fighters
(IAFF), and many others, and fully supports the reauthorization of the
First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority).\1\ Due to the
critical nature of this network to our first responder community, we
support reauthorization in advance of its current 2027 expiration.
First responders bravely operate in high-stakes situations (such as
terror attacks and natural disasters) where delays in communications
can literally mean the difference between life or death to first
responders themselves and the people living in impacted communities.
Prior to FirstNet, first responders relied on a patchwork of
incompatible radio systems and congested commercial networks. In
disasters or mass crowd events, commercial networks often become
overloaded, leaving public safety agencies struggling to communicate.
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\1\ https://www.theiacp.org/sites/default/files/Congressional/
IACP%20Urges%20Support%20
for%20Preserving%20FirstNet%20in%20Joint%20to%20Congress.pdf
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Fortunately, Congress established the FirstNet Authority to build a
nationwide high-speed broadband network dedicated to public safety--one
in which first responders have priority, preemption, dedicated spectrum
when they need it, and interoperability. FirstNet is not merely
``another wireless network'' but a mission-critical infrastructure
asset for the Nation's public safety community.
I could not be prouder of all we've accomplished in just 8 years.
As discussed in detail below, the FirstNet network has grown from
serving zero to nearly 30,600 public safety agencies and direct-support
organizations. FirstNet has been on the frontline of countless
emergencies and national disasters and has deployed hundreds of
portable mobile assets to support our first responders during those
events. Importantly, all of this has been accomplished without one
dollar of tax-payer funding. While we are proud of our accomplishments
to date, we are equally excited about the opportunities ahead,
including the 5G network upgrades, the physically separate 5G core, and
launch of our new FirstNet Fusion service.
A Successful Public-Private Partnership
January 2026 marks ten years since the FirstNet RFP's release and
the success of the public-private partnership between the FirstNet
Authority and AT&T is clear. AT&T stood alone among the four nationwide
carriers at the time in answering Public Safety's call to build a self-
sustaining nationwide broadband network, one designed to operate
without taxpayer-funding. Together, the FirstNet Authority and AT&T
have delivered precisely what the statute envisioned: a network planned
with FirstNet Board oversight; the initial build funded through AWS
spectrum auction proceeds; executed by AT&T; and maintained on a
sustainable footing through AT&T's Band 14 usage payments. This
virtuous cycle continues today. Public Safety informs priorities for
the next phase of enhancements; the FirstNet Board approves network
upgrades; those upgrades are funded from ongoing sustainability
payments; and AT&T executes the approved plans. The result is a
resilient, evolving, and fiscally self-sustaining network that
demonstrates the enduring strength of this public-private partnership.
FirstNet Deployment, Coverage, and Adoption: Status and Progress
The Initial Build
In March 2023, AT&T completed the initial build of the network both
on-time and on-budget. The initial build covered more than 2.91 million
square miles across all 50 states, the District of Columbia and the
five U.S. territories. Importantly, FirstNet is an all-band solution,
meaning public safety has priority, preemption and quality of service
on the FirstNet Authority's licensed Band 14 as well as AT&T commercial
5G and LTE spectrum. This means any commercial investment by AT&T to
expand coverage and capacity also benefits first responders on
FirstNet.
As part of the initial FirstNet build, AT&T collaborated with small
and rural wireless providers to quickly expand the reach of FirstNet
and launched 2,000 FirstNet tower sites in rural and tribal areas. In
addition, nearly 1,200 new FirstNet towers were deployed in areas state
leaders and the public safety community identified as needing
additional wireless coverage.
The Next Phase of the Buildout
Since completion of the initial build, the network continues to
expand as Congress envisioned. The FirstNet Authority announced the
next phase of FirstNet buildout and network evolution that directs $6
billion over the next ten years for 5G network upgrades; a dedicated,
physically separate 5G standalone core; research and development in
public safety technology solutions, and over $2 billion for additional
coverage enhancements. To inform the future coverage buildout, the
FirstNet Authority has built a First Responder Impact Model to identify
potential areas of interest for future tower investment for public
safety. The FirstNet Authority is also hosting joint meetings with AT&T
and public safety stakeholders in all 50 states, DC, and the five U.S.
territories to solicit feedback from public safety and inform the
future buildout of FirstNet coverage.
In 2024 as part of the FirstNet Authority's reinvestment
announcement, AT&T committed to deploy an additional 1,000 new Band 14
tower sites over 2 years, which were completed ahead of schedule and at
no cost to the FirstNet Authority. Today, the FirstNet coverage
footprint spans nearly 3 million square miles across urban, suburban,
rural, tribal, and territorial areas. The footprint is 200,000 square
miles on average larger than competing commercial networks, an area
larger than the state of California that is particularly valuable in
serving more remote areas. Since the FirstNet buildout began, this
effort increased coverage on tribal lands across the United States by
more than 64 percent.
The `ROG'' Assets
In addition to our unmatched footprint, AT&T also provides
unmatched support to public safety through the AT&T FirstNet Response
Operations GroupTM also known as the ``ROG''. The ROG is a
dedicated team of former first responders that deploys dedicated
network assets at the request of local, state and Federal agencies to
ensure connectivity during critical events, whether they are planned
events or emergency response events. The ROG assets, which can be
requested free of charge by FirstNet subscribed agencies, include:
A fleet of 190+ deployables that boost FirstNet wireless
coverage in the aftermath of an emergency incident or help
augment network capacity and coverage during a planned event.
This fleet includes SatCOLTs (Satellite Cell on Light Truck),
Compact Rapid Deployables (CRDs), mini-CRDs, and other mobile
assets, available at no additional cost to subscribing public
safety agencies.
Deployable assets that connect via satellite backhaul and
provide FirstNet wireless service; they require minimal setup
time and are designed for rapid deployment in disasters or
special events.
And smaller, more portable assets, like the miniCRD unit,
for example, that fits in two fortified suitcases that can be
easily transported into an emergency area. These assets offer
FirstNet LTE coverage up to \1/2\ mile in challenging
environments.
The AT&T ROG deployables have been vital in disaster response,
special event support, and filling ``last-mile'' coverage gaps during
planned and emergency response events. Below, I will use a few real-
world scenarios to illustrate how valuable the deployable fleet is in
our response to critical events.
FirstNet in Action
FirstNet adoption continues to grow steadily and currently supports
nearly 8 million connections, serving nearly 30,600 public safety
agencies and direct-support organizations.
The true measure of FirstNet is not just buildout statistics or its
share of eligible users--it is how the network performs during critical
events when lives are at stake. Time and again, FirstNet has
distinguished itself from commercial offers that are marketed and sold
to public safety. FirstNet has proven its value in our Nation's most
challenging moments.
Keeping First Responders Connected Through Hurricanes Helene and Milton
In the fall of 2024, two back-to-back storms, Hurricane Helene
(Category 4) and Hurricane Milton (Category 3), devastated wide swaths
of the Southeast. FirstNet proved it could scale and respond to public
safety's needs through network restoration and by deploying Satellite
Cells on Light Trucks (SatCOLTs), Compact Rapid Deployables (CRDs),
mini-CRDs, and Response Communications Vehicles to restore coverage
where towers and power were down. Across Florida, Georgia, the
Carolinas, Tennessee, and Virginia, FirstNet supported more than 260
emergency requests from public safety, while FirstNet Strike Teams
worked shoulder-to-shoulder with first responders in flooded, storm-
ravaged communities. In addition, the state of North Carolina required
additional support to restore operations for a Public Safety Answering
Point (PSAP) that lost its wireline connection during Hurricane Helene.
FirstNet provided reliable connectivity that supported that PSAP's
operations for months following Hurricane Helene.
Responding to Catastrophic Flooding in Central Texas
In July 2025, record rainfall caused deadly flooding along the
Guadalupe River in South Central Texas. Within hours, the AT&T FirstNet
ROG was on the ground, supporting the Emergency Operations Center in
Kerrville, the urban search and rescue (USAR) teams, and deploying
SatCOLTs, CRDs, LEO Emergency Communication Portables (LECPs) and an
amphibious vehicle to reach isolated areas. More than 20 public safety
support requests were answered. In total, more than 20+ portable cell
tower assets were deployed. And within 48 hours, AT&T launched a new
macro cell tower site in Hunt, Texas to expand area coverage and
capacity to support the influx of volunteers, relief organizations, and
visitors aiding in the response efforts. Importantly, this site also
provides dedicated connectivity for public safety with Band 14--
permanently expanding dedicated coverage for first responders in the
region. As rescue teams waded into floodwaters, FirstNet delivered the
connectivity they needed to coordinate evacuations, communicate across
jurisdictions, and keep both responders and residents safe.
Securing Communications During the Assassination Attempt in Butler,
Pennsylvania
During the July 2024 assassination attempt at President Trump's
campaign rally in Butler, PA, FirstNet performed exactly as designed.
With thousands of attendees overwhelming commercial networks,
FirstNet's always-on priority and preemption ensured uninterrupted
communications for hundreds of federal, state, and local first
responders. Within minutes of the incident, more than 1,200 instances
of First Priority safeguarded critical calls, protecting first
responders from network congestion, and over 11,000 voice and data
sessions were completed on FirstNet in just one hour at the peak of the
response. Despite network congestion and issues with ``calls and texts
[being] delayed'' on commercial networks, the U.S. House Taskforce on
The Attempted Assassination of President Trump found that ``law
enforcement personnel with FirstNet cellular service did not have
notable interference with their connectivity.'' \2\ Public safety
leaders praised the reliability with which FirstNet enabled reliable
communication across agencies--demonstrating why no other network can
match its resilience.\3\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\2\ https://taskforce.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/
july13taskforce.house.gov/files/evo-media-do
cument/12-5-2024-Final-Report-Redacted.pdf
\3\ https://www.cnn.com/2024/09/26/politics/house-hearing-trump-
assassination-attempt#:
:text=In%20the%20minutes%20before%20Crooks,keep%20Trump%20safe%2C%20Mosk
owitz%20
said.
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These are just a few of the many instances where FirstNet has
delivered for America's first responders. These real-world scenarios
demonstrate how FirstNet enables resilient, mission-critical
communications under conditions where commercial networks have
struggled.
National Events and Special Security
FirstNet has been used to support communications at large-scale
national events--such as presidential inaugurations, Fourth of July
celebrations, and major sporting events--where network congestion is a
threat on commercial networks due to the voice and data traffic
generated by large crowds. In those events, FirstNet's multi-level
priority access and preemption, and the ability to further augment
network capacity with deployable assets, ensured public safety agencies
had uninterrupted coverage. And with the United States set to host
numerous mass events like its 250th anniversary celebration, the 2026
FIFA World Cup, and the 2028 Summer Olympic games, Congress must not
fail to reauthorize FirstNet before its expiration in early 2027 as a
critical part of that preparation.
Innovation and Evolution
FirstNet has evolved beyond a legacy LTE network into a 5G-enabled
architecture with advanced features. Some of the recent innovations and
ongoing initiatives include:
Enhanced coverage
FirstNet offers high-power user equipment (HPUE) solutions, for
example, FirstNet MegaRangeTM and SHIELD MegaFi
routers operate on Band 14 and boost connectivity in
challenging environments.
In-building Solutions:
As a result of reinvestment by the FirstNet Authority, public
safety agencies can receive FirstNet Cell Booster Pros--free of
charge--to address in-building challenges and extend the reach
of the FirstNet network within police stations, fire
departments, and emergency operations centers.\4\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\4\ To date, more than 12,000 FirstNet Cell Booster Pros have been
installed at the request of public safety across America.
Network visibility tools
FirstNet Central includes a Network Status Map, offering
subscribers real-time insight into network status, wireless
coverage, ongoing maintenance, and the locations of on-air
deployables.
Satellite direct-to-device testing
AT&T and its partners (such as AST SpaceMobile) are conducting
FirstNet trials of space-based connectivity with the goal to
extend coverage directly to first responder devices in
extremely remote locations.
Local control and dynamic priority allocation
Incident commanders may dynamically assign priority to
responder groups during events. This ensures the most critical
teams maintain connectivity when needed.
FirstNet Fusion
AT&T will soon launch FirstNet Fusion, which will enhance
public safety communications and takes inter-carrier
interoperability to a new level. Fusion combines critical
communications capabilities like push-to-talk, dispatch and
connected devices into one seamless experience, and will
facilitate the ability to unite all first responders across
jurisdictions, carriers, and technologies, whether that's
during everyday emergencies, large-scale disasters or widely
attended events that require cross-agency mutual aid
coordination.
These innovations reflect the FirstNet public-private partnership's
commitment to continuous improvement, future readiness, and
responsiveness to first-responder's feedback and evolving needs.
Economic, Workforce & Community Impact
FirstNet is not just a technical infrastructure; it is a catalyst
for broader economic and workforce gains. FirstNet's build-out has
leveraged local labor, construction firms, and regional suppliers,
driving regional economic activity in rural and urban communities. A
2024 economic impact study estimated that FirstNet deployment has
generated nearly 14,000 jobs per year over seven years and produced
approximately $5.6 billion in wages and salaries to date.\5\ The same
study estimated $8.0 billion in net economic output across industries
tied to FirstNet's deployment.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ https://www.forsmarsh.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/03/Economic-
Impact-of-FirstNet-RAN-Development_Executive-Summary.pdf (``FirstNet
RAN development was associated with an increase of $8.0 billion in net
economic output across all industries and $5.6 billion in total wages
and salaries for workers and households across the country'' (See Table
1); ``Building the FirstNet RAN also created an average of 13,877 jobs
per year over the 7-year period, with an estimated range of 103 to
28,460 jobs created per year'' (See Table 2)).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
These gains are fueled by AT&T's contracting strategy that supports
veterans and a variety of business models in deployment, operations,
and maintenance. In addition, the network is focused on serving all
public safety by ensuring that traditionally underserved communities,
like rural and tribal areas, now benefit from the same baseline of
reliable communications. FirstNet has lowered barriers to entry for
small, rural and resource-constrained agencies to have access to
advanced broadband tools and reliable connectivity.
Thus, FirstNet has transitioned from build-out to sustained growth
and utilization, with economic benefits beyond the public safety
domain.
Oversight and Continuous Improvement
No large-scale infrastructure project is without challenges or
opportunities for improvement. AT&T welcomes the rigorous oversight and
accountability that the FirstNet program receives. Our performance is
regularly evaluated by the FirstNet Authority, which provides ongoing
feedback, while the GAO, and the Commerce Department's dedicated OIG
conducts ongoing reviews and publicly releases its recommendations,
which we take very seriously. FirstNet stands alone in the industry in
subjecting itself to such rigorous and public oversight. In addition,
we conduct internal assessments and gather valuable input from public
safety stakeholders. By receiving feedback from these diverse sources
and being held to formal contract requirements, both the oversight and
program governance combine to drive continuous enhancements to the
program and ensures FirstNet meets the evolving needs of public safety.
Conclusion
Congress' vision of a dedicated nationwide broadband infrastructure
for first responders was bold and essential. Today, FirstNet is
delivering on that vision. It is a living, evolving network that saves
lives, empowers public safety agencies, and strengthens communities at
no cost to taxpayers.
AT&T is honored to be the steward of this mission. We will continue
to listen to public safety needs, expand coverage, drive innovation,
and ensure FirstNet remains a trusted, future-proof platform for first
responders well into the decades ahead.
We appreciate the Committee's ongoing support and interest, and I
look forward to your questions.
Thank you.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Mr. Agnew.
Mr. Davis, you are recognized.
STATEMENT OF CORY DAVIS, VICE PRESIDENT,
VERIZON FRONTLINE
Mr. Davis. Good morning, Chairman Fischer, Ranking Member
Lujan, and the Members of the Committee. Thank you for the
invitation today.
My name is Cory Davis and I am the Vice President of
Verizon Frontline. I am here representing more than 45,000
public safety agencies nationwide that trust our network to
provide the connectivity that they need to save lives. For over
three decades, Verizon has delivered reliable, resilient, and
secure public safety communications. This is a partnership
earned, not through Federal mandates, but through trust
developed alongside those on the front lines. We honor that
trust with a network built for resilience and our crisis
response team led by former first responders.
Verizon is leading the industry with innovations like
nationwide 5G network slicing, our technology creates dedicated
capacity reserved exclusively for public safety: enhancing
priority, enhancing preemption and quality of service. It
ensures first responders have the network access they need
during extreme or routine missions. With Verizon Frontline,
their mission is our purpose. And as our credo says: We run to
a crisis.
In authorizing the FirstNet Authority, we must recognize a
fundamental shift since 2012, the old assumption that wireless
broadband for public safety required a single government-owned
network has evolved. Today, when an agency puts out a contract
for bid, they have three or more robust commercial options.
This competition has forced us to innovate daily for public
safety, driving the development of over 3,000 deployable
response assets and enabling enhanced priority and preemption
services.
No network, however, is immune to failure, which
underscores a critical point. National and homeland security
cannot rely on a single point of failure, true resiliency comes
from redundancy and allowing first responders to choose
communication solutions that meet their needs.
Fostering a vibrant competitive ecosystem with multiple
network vendors is crucial so that if one network faces a
challenge, first responders can still communicate. My written
testimony offers several specific thoughts on reauthorization,
but I want to highlight three that are essential for the future
of public safety. First, Congress must reinforce resiliency
through competition. NTIA should encourage first responders to
choose the service that best meets their needs, and over half
today choose something other than FirstNet.
Congress must ensure FirstNet Authority does not undercut
fair competition by portraying itself as the only solution.
More can be achieved by promoting multi-network ecosystems, not
by entrenching a monopoly.
Second, the Authority should be responsive to all public
safety, not just the customers of one commercial carrier. The
2012 law mandates that the FirstNet Authority money amounting
to tens of billions of dollars has to be channeled back into
the network for the sole benefit of FirstNet subscribers.
This made sense when Congress envisioned a single dedicated
network. It makes less sense today, where FirstNet rides on top
of AT&T's commercial network. If the Authority uses Federal
funds to procure physical infrastructure, like towers in a
rural area, access to those assets should be available to all
public safety providers, and Federal funds should support all
first responders regardless of what commercial carrier they
choose.
Third, Congress must strengthen oversight and transparency.
The FirstNet Authority has faced persistent operational
challenges as outlined in the 20 inspector general reports. The
reports have identified missed milestones, overpricing, bad
investments, network failures, and whistleblower retaliation.
Reauthorization is an opportunity to expand NTIA's oversight
rule.
We also agree with the National Sheriff's Association and
the Major City Chiefs Association that the Authority should be
subject to regular congressional review.
In conclusion, let us take stock of what has worked and
what has become outdated. Local public safety officials deserve
the right to choose the service that best meets their needs and
should benefit from the FirstNet program regardless of that
choice. First responders collectively benefit from competition
in a multi-network ecosystem, giving them the most resilient
and reliable communications.
Ask yourselves like we ask ourselves: What is best for
public safety professionals that put their lives on the line
every day and require the best, most reliable communications
possible?
I look forward to your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Davis follows:]
Prepared Statement of Cory Davis, Vice President, Verizon Frontline
Good morning Chairman Fischer, Ranking Member Lujan, Chairman Cruz,
Ranking Member Cantwell, and the Members of the Committee. My name is
Cory Davis and I am the Vice President of Verizon Frontline, Verizon's
wireless public safety broadband service. I am responsible for the
strategy, operations, and customer experience for the more than 45,000
public safety agencies nationwide that trust our network to provide the
mission-critical connectivity they need to save lives. My team has been
instrumental in spearheading the deployment of advanced 5G applications
and rapid-response connectivity solutions for first responders
utilizing Verizon's world-class wireless network. My full bio is
attached to this testimony. Thank you for the invitation to appear
before the Subcommittee today.
For over 30 years, Verizon has been dedicated to delivering
reliable, resilient and secure communications to the public safety
community. This is a partnership earned not through Federal mandates,
but through decades of service and trust alongside those on the front
lines. We honor that trust with a network built for resilience and a
crisis response team led by former first responders. Today, we are
leading the industry forward with innovations like nationwide 5G
network slicing, creating dedicated network capacity reserved
exclusively for public safety. This enhances priority, preemption and
quality of services, ensuring first responders have the advanced tools
they need to operate safely and effectively. With Verizon Frontline,
their mission is our purpose. More details on our service:
Verizon Frontline is available to public safety
organizations, first responders, a select group of specialists
and other critical organizations. To meet their evolving needs,
we work side by side with the public safety community to
understand their challenges and build mission-critical
connectivity solutions.
Verizon Frontline customers get the benefit of Verizon's
best-in-class mobile network. The investments we make in that
network expand the reach and capacity of our Frontline service
along with our commercial offerings.
The Verizon Frontline advanced preemption system gives top
priority to first responder connections across 4G LTE and 5G
networks. When network demand surges, preemption automatically
gives first responder personnel priority access to the network.
This helps ensure that public safety can stay on mission, even
in times of high network use.
Verizon Frontline supports network, system, application and
device interoperability for public safety across all
participating commercial carriers and agencies.
Interoperability is crucial to the safety of first responders
and the organizations that support them, no matter what
network, apps or devices they use. We are continually enhancing
our network and capabilities to meet the mission of enabling
voice and data interoperability across agencies, jurisdictions,
devices and networks.
Separately, Verizon is at the forefront of emergency response
technology with our Verizon Frontline Innovation Program. The Verizon
Frontline Innovation Program is a first-of-its-kind innovation
incubator dedicated to creating 5G-enabled solutions for public safety,
as well as connectivity solutions in austere network deprived
environments. The program explores new, innovative technologies that
provide solutions to public safety agencies. To date, we have worked
with over 25 Innovation Partners to evaluate existing products or to
ideate on new solutions.
We are committed to serving the public safety community, and are
proud to serve the majority of first responders. My testimony will
speak to the importance of preserving the benefits of choice,
competition and redundancy for our customers and all public safety
entities. Verizon believes it is important that local public safety
officials have the ability to choose service from us, from AT&T's
FirstNet offerings, or from others who best meet their individual
needs. Verizon is not here to say that Congress should displace AT&T as
the Authority's contract partner or change the terms under which AT&T
uses the 700 MHz public safety spectrum for its commercial customers.
Rather, our presence at this hearing is driven by our commitment to our
First Responders, who need and deserve absolute confidence in their
communications networks of choice. Achieving this confidence requires
both resiliency, fostered through redundancy, and innovation, driven by
competition. Both concepts need to be built into a refresh of the
FirstNet Authority and its underlying statute.
I. Evolution of Public Safety Communications
Nearly fifteen years ago, this Committee's work on the Middle Class
Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 helped move public safety
communications into the digital age. Before then, public safety relied
in large part on dedicated land mobile radio networks for their
mission-critical communications. While rugged and largely reliable,
those networks were expensive, locked into proprietary standards, and--
critically--not interoperable. The public safety communications market
also lagged far behind the innovation curve of the commercial sector.
As the age of the smartphone and 4G brought new capabilities to
commercial mobile wireless customers, first responders remained tied to
their shoulder-mounted walkie-talkies.
I witnessed firsthand the post-2012 shift in public safety
communications to wireless broadband networks built on common,
interoperable standards. This transition to commercial infrastructure,
coupled with then-emerging technologies like priority and pre-emption,
allowed Verizon and others to bring the power of broadband and smart
devices to first responders, solving the interoperability problems that
plagued public safety for decades, including on 9/11. And as an added
benefit, public safety began to benefit from the massive amounts of
capital investment carriers made in their commercial mobile wireless
infrastructure. Finally, this shift gave first responders access to the
innovation inherent in the smartphone age, powering new emergency
response capabilities. For example, Verizon has now brought 5G network
slicing to public safety, which offers first responders reliable
dedicated capacity, high-priority access to fast communications, a
secure connection, and consistent performance when they need it most.
The shift to broadband-based communications built on common Third-
Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) standards also facilitated
competition among the three major wireless carriers for public safety's
business. Today, when a police, fire, EMS, or other public safety
department puts up their communications contract for bid, they have
three or more options to choose from. And they have the ability to
choose more than one network, to provide another level of redundancy
where they seek it. While Verizon is proud that thousands of public
safety agencies rely on our network, this competition keeps us on our
toes and forces us to innovate daily, like with our new 5G Frontline
network slice, our Tactical Humanitarian Operations Response (THOR)
rapid response command vehicle, and other cutting-edge communications
capabilities.
II. Today's Ecosystem
The public safety offerings in the market today from Verizon, T-
Mobile, and AT&T offer similar capabilities. Each carrier leverages its
own wireless broadband infrastructure and full portfolio of spectrum
assets to provide mobile wireless connectivity to first responders, as
well as other customers. The capital expenditure dollars each company
invests yearly in network assets and spectrum (over $200 billion
dollars since 2017 in the case of Verizon alone) immediately benefits
the first responders who access those networks for their critical
communications needs. These investments in new network technologies
like 5G, additional capacity, and network expansion and densification
enhance not only the ability of Verizon Frontline customers to
communicate when disaster strikes, but also our commercial customers on
their daily commute.
The services we sell to public safety, though, come with special
treatment of their traffic through technologies like prioritizing
public safety communications on the network and preempting other
traffic when capacity limitations loom. All three carriers rely on
international standards like 4G and 5G as the backbone of public safety
service, allowing public safety to benefit from the broader digital
technology revolution. And Verizon builds its public safety offering in
close coordination with our public safety partners who help guide key
investment decisions and technical innovations.
It is crucial for the Committee to have a clear understanding of
the FirstNet program's current structure. In 2012, the presumption was
that effective public safety broadband communications required a
government-owned network, and the law that created the FirstNet
Authority was designed around that concept. But this concept evolved
dramatically when put into practice via the contract that the FirstNet
Authority actually signed with AT&T in 2017. Today, there is no stand-
alone, government-owned FirstNet network, contrary to what many
believe. It's true enough that the Federal government has provided the
FirstNet Authority with billions of dollars and 20 megahertz of prime
spectrum. And certain network elements may carry FirstNet branding. But
AT&T's ``FirstNet'' service utilizes AT&T's commercial spectrum bands
and the network infrastructure is all owned and operated by AT&T. In
other words, under the existing contract, neither the government, nor
public safety, will own a thing when that contract expires in 2042,
despite the billions of dollars in Federal funding invested in the
FirstNet program.
This lack of an actual government-owned network raises questions
about the ongoing role and responsibilities of the FirstNet Authority.
In the years immediately following 2012, the Authority was in startup
mode developing the contract for its network partnership and convincing
states to join the national FirstNet framework. The statute also meant
it to act as steward for the $7 billion in seed money, and the 20
megahertz of prime 700 MHz low-band spectrum that Congress provided in
the statute. The Authority is set to sunset in 2027 absent
reauthorization by Congress. As the 2012 Act envisioned, now is indeed
the perfect time for this Committee to think about the Authority's
mission going forward.
Notably, the FirstNet Authority has faced operational and practical
challenges since its inception. Over the last fifteen years, the Office
of Inspector General (OIG) at the Department of Commerce has issued 20
reports critical of how the Authority has conducted its work. OIG has
documented its concerns about operational questions related to the
Authority, including whether it is meeting key network milestones,
making justifiable investments into AT&T's network, and, most recently,
silencing internal whistleblowers. OIG has also done important work
exploring AT&T's network issues and the impact those had on FirstNet by
AT&T customers. What OIG has identified are not merely administrative
errors but systemic risks that Congress should address because they
directly impacted first responder readiness during disasters like the
Maui wildfires.
III. The Future of the FirstNet Authority
The national goal of ensuring reliable, secure, interoperable
communications for first responders can best be achieved by promoting a
multi-network ecosystem rather than moving this competitive marketplace
towards a single provider. Built on a solid foundation of competition,
multiple networks provide improved reliability and resiliency that give
first responders the confidence that their communications will work
when and where needed. Verizon believes that this concept should guide
the work of this Committee and Congress as it contemplates
reauthorization of the FirstNet Authority.
Every network and platform, no matter how perfectly engineered it
is, will have a failure. I know this too well, as Verizon recently
experienced a network event that put us far below the standard of
excellence our customers expect of us. Similarly, the OIG has
documented failures in the FirstNet service, as noted above. We do not
highlight these outages to criticize a competitor--we know firsthand
that networks are complex and that we all have to strive continually to
make them as resilient as possible. We highlight them to prove that no
single network should be the sole basket for our Nation's safety.
Keeping a vibrant, competitive ecosystem with multiple network vendors
is crucial to national and homeland security. That competitive
ecosystem also fosters rapid innovation, bringing new capabilities to
market that keep public safety on the bleeding edge of communications
technology.
Verizon strongly encourages the Committee to view reauthorization
through the lens of what is best for public safety in the future. What
may have been appropriate for the FirstNet Authority during its
``startup phase'' may no longer make sense today. A reasonable approach
to reauthorization includes taking a hard look at the 2012 law and its
assumptions to make sure that the law embraces, rather than impedes,
the current competitive public safety communications ecosystem.
Congress also should review the foundations of the statute, and the
work of the Authority, to make sure that it benefits all of public
safety, not just AT&T customers.
A. Re-examining the 2012 Act
The structure of the 2012 law is built around the idea that the
government would procure a dedicated public safety network in
cooperation with a private sector partner. Congress therefore made a
number of very specific policy decisions about how the FirstNet
Authority would work relative to its belief that there would be a
government-owned network as part of the FirstNet program. As just one
example, the statute mandates that all funding raised by the Authority
through the contract must be channeled back into ``the network.''
Under this contract, the Authority's only ongoing source of funds
are fee payments from AT&T for exclusive use of the 700 MHz spectrum
licensed to the Authority. AT&T uses that spectrum for both its
commercial and its public safety customers, and in return is required
to pay the Authority fees totaling $18 billion over the 25-year
contract.
The Authority seems to interpret the statute as saying that it can
only use its funds (1) for the Authority's operating expenses
(estimated to be about $3 billion or less over the life of the
contract) and (2) to support projects conducted by AT&T. Thus, under
the status quo, AT&T pays the FirstNet Authority its lease payment, but
then the Authority almost immediately returns the vast majority of
those payments back to AT&T. In addition, AT&T has received almost all
of the $7 billion that the Act provided to the Authority by Congress in
2012 as seed money, and AT&T also gets to keep the billions of dollars
in subscription fees paid by its ``FirstNet'' customers.
This requirement to reinvest everything back in ``the network'' is
questionable in today's world where the FirstNet service rides on
AT&T's commercial network infrastructure. And both OIG reports and
leading public safety organizations have raised questions about whether
the Authority has been a good steward of these reinvestment funds. OIG,
in particular, has questioned the propriety of some of the reinvestment
decisions made by the Authority, and concluded that those decisions are
not subject to rigorous review and justification. OIG also noted that
the Authority has no reason to conduct deep scrutiny of proposals
because it is obligated by the law to effectively return the funds to
AT&T. Furthermore, OIG said that some of the Authority's investment
decisions do not seem to have been guided by a grounded sense of actual
public safety needs.
Some, including key public safety organizations, have suggested
recently that this reinvestment structure no longer makes sense. They
argue that Congress should allow reinvestment dollars to be redirected
to broader public safety priorities (even some potentially outside of
the FirstNet program). Such a change would not prevent further
reinvestment in AT&T's FirstNet service, nor would it mean that its
FirstNet subscribers would not benefit from the billions in capital
investments that AT&T makes in its network each year It simply means
that Congress should have either the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA) or the Authority determine how best
to use the reinvestment funds so that they benefit all of public safety
(including subscribers to AT&T's FirstNet service).
In very stark terms, the first responders today who have chosen
other communications services that better meet their needs (which
represent a majority of the market) see no direct benefit from
Congress's work creating the Authority or from the billions of dollars
it is allowed to spend with minimal oversight. To get the benefit of
this system, they are forced to abandon their preferred communications
solution and migrate to FirstNet. The law should respect the choices of
public safety in how to go about saving lives; it should not undercut
those decisions or effectively create a single point of failure in
public safety communications that impacts national and homeland
security. And it makes little sense from a policy perspective for the
Federal government, for example, to fund a new tower to close a gap in
public safety coverage, but restrict the use of that tower to a single
provider. All network providers that serve public safety should have
access to that infrastructure.
This Committee has an opportunity to strengthen the FirstNet
program by expanding its benefit to the entire public safety ecosystem.
By investing in infrastructure that is available to all public safety,
the FirstNet Authority can enhance immediate disaster response, rapid
communications recovery, or expansion of public safety communications
solutions in unserved or underserved areas.
B. Preserving Competition
The pending reauthorization process also offers Congress a chance
to reinforce the national priority for resiliency and reliability in
public safety communications secured by the robust competition that
already exists. Several public safety officials have stressed in
comments to this Committee and Congress broadly about how competition
among commercial providers has resulted in an overall better public
safety communications environment for first responders.
Verizon would propose that the Committee consider taking several
actions as part of reauthorization to promote and protect this
competitive environment. First, direct NTIA, as part of its public
safety mission, to take concrete steps to foster competition and choice
among public safety offerings, including eliminating any governmental
bias in favor of any specific public safety network provider. For
example, NTIA should encourage federal, state, and local agencies to
have fully competitive communications service procurements, and the
ability to sign up with multiple vendors. Second, NTIA should educate
public safety officials about the broad availability of wireless
solutions that provide services like priority and pre-emption for
critical communications. Finally, Congress should include what would
amount to a ``technology and carrier neutrality'' clause into the
reauthorization, prohibiting the use of Federal grant funds to mandate
a specific public safety communications provider.
C. Authority Oversight
Additionally, NTIA needs more room to oversee the actions of the
FirstNet Authority. Basic NTIA operational oversight of the Authority
should be a given. But the 2012 statute created some confusion on this
point. That law designated the FirstNet Authority as an ``independent
entity'' housed within NTIA. But the law did not define what it means
for the Authority to have this status. Unfortunately, the Authority has
frequently operated in a manner that blurs the line between a Federal
oversight body and a commercial advocate for its vendor. This
misalignment confuses state and local officials and distorts the
marketplace.
The Authority asserts that its status as an ``independent entity''
means it can largely operate free from accountability to NTIA
officials, contrary to what NTIA recommends, and even without regard to
larger Administration policy objectives. Two major organizations-the
National Sheriff's Association (NSA) and the Major City Chiefs
Association (MCCA)-expressed their concerns about this lack of
transparency and oversight in recent letters to this Committee and the
House Energy and Commerce Committee. Clearer oversight responsibilities
would also give public safety additional confidence that the legal
interpretations and practical actions of the Authority have undergone
the appropriate level of scrutiny.
NTIA could use this oversight power to ensure that the Authority is
not undermining competition, or positioning AT&T's ``FirstNet''
offering as the only choice for public safety. As I noted above, every
communications network has challenges. If the FirstNet Authority pushes
all of public safety directly or indirectly to AT&T's ``FirstNet''
offering, it up-ends public safety's decision about what meets its
needs the best and could result in a single point of failure with
dramatic consequences for public safety broadly. A natural disaster, a
large-scale cyberattack, or even a local network outage could sever the
capabilities of a single network, turning a lifesaving tool into what
amounts to a useless piece of hardware. Beyond these critical public
safety risks, it is highly unusual for Federal government employees to
be engaging in sales and marketing activities for a single company in
an intensely competitive environment.
D. Other Recommendations
As part of the reauthorization process, Verizon suggests that
Congress consider a few additional policy recommendations that
complement the ones explained above:
Congress should keep the FirstNet Authority on a regular
reauthorization cycle. Reauthorization allows Congress to guide
the larger public safety policy path for both NTIA and the
FirstNet Authority. We would recommend, given the rapid changes
in public safety communications technologies and the market
generally, that Congress adopt a reauthorization schedule
similar to other government programs. Associated with that, we
see no need for Congress to invest additional newly-
appropriated taxpayer dollars in, or license more spectrum
assets to, the FirstNet Authority.
Congress should begin thinking about what happens at the end
of the FirstNet Authority's contract with AT&T. NTIA and
Congress should understand what their options might be when the
contract expires, including what assets, if any, would be part
of a new contract. The 2012 law sought the help of the
Government Accountability Office with respect to the question
of whether the FirstNet Authority should be reauthorized; it
could do the same with respect to questions about how to plan
for the end of the current contract.
Congress should make sure that Federal officials do not, in
the performance of their duties, act in a way that would have
the direct or indirect effect of reducing competition in public
safety communications. This would go hand in hand with the
recommendation above that NTIA ensure that the Authority
operates to expand competition, not harm it. And Congress could
direct NTIA to educate state and local officials about the
importance of keeping fair competition for public safety
communications services.
Verizon also supports the recommendations provided to this
Committee in a recent letter from NSA and MCCA and attached to this
testimony. Those public safety organizations argue that changes are
needed to the Authority's mission to ensure that it acts, in the words
of the letter, in the best interests of all public safety. They
recommend that Congress:
(1) not give the FirstNet Authority a permanent reauthorization;
(2) adopt a series of reforms ``to ensure that the FirstNet program
benefit[s] all public safety, not just the customers of a
single commercial carrier'' because the current structure of
the program has ``been exposed as problematic in recent
years;''
(3) prioritize accountability and transparency;
(4) require a report on the use of capacity of Band 14 (the spectrum
band licensed to the FirstNet Authority in the 2012 law);
(5) require a report on the full range and categorization of
FirstNet subscribers;
(6) ``[d]isallow the use of government funds to support contractors,
events, and marketing for any carrier''; and,
(7) repeal grant/procurement requirements that favor the FirstNet
partnership.
Given the complexity of the challenges facing first responders,
Congress should use the pending reauthorization as an opportunity to
promote a reliable and resilient multi-provider ecosystem.
Additionally, this reauthorization process is the ideal time for
Congress to modify the FirstNet Authority's mission in order to ensure
that the FirstNet program benefits all of public safety, not just those
choosing to use AT&T's network. This change would enhance our Nation's
public safety capacity for all Americans. And additional reforms, like
those noted above, can strengthen the overall program and make sure it
is operating in the national interest.
Conclusion
The public safety communications ecosystem has matured
significantly in the last decade, and much of that change is due to the
good work of the Senate Commerce Committee. The pending FirstNet
Authority reauthorization process provides the Committee with an
opportunity to take stock of what worked and what needs to be updated
in light of the rapid technological change that has taken place since
9/11. Importantly, any changes made through reauthorization should be
guided by what is best for the police, fire, EMS, National Security,
and other public safety professionals that put their lives on the line
every day to protect the public, including respecting their decisions
about mission-critical communications network partnerships. Verizon
believes the best approach is to update the FirstNet Authority's
mission and the responsibilities of NTIA consistent with the current
realities of the public safety communications marketplace; that way
Congress can make sure both agencies-and the FirstNet program
generally-are working in the best interests of all of public safety.
Thank you for the opportunity to appear before the subcommittee and
I look forward to your questions.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Mr. Davis.
Mr. Maier, you are recognized.
STATEMENT OF MEL MAIER, CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER AND EXECUTIVE
DIRECTOR, APCO INTERNATIONAL
Mr. Maier. Good morning, Chair Fischer, Ranking Member
Lujan, Members of the Subcommittee, thank you for this
invitation to testify before you today, and I am grateful for
this opportunity to talk about APCO International.
APCO International is the world's oldest and largest public
safety communications association dedicated to public safety
communications starting in 1935 when the technology of the day
was AM radio. And when I recall being a Detroit area resident
myself of KOP Radio was one of the first broadcast stations out
there that gave Detroit Police the opportunity to give--be on
the lookouts and calls for service, all while playing music
between the calls because they had an entertainment license for
AM radio. How we have evolved since then.
We have more than 45,000 members across the United States,
in Great Britain, in Canada, across the world. We operate
public safety communication systems for law enforcement, fire,
EMS, and other public safety associations, and with more than
three decades of public service behind me, I have built a
career focused on leadership in law enforcement and public
safety.
I was appointed the CEO and Executive Director of APCO
International in July 2023. Prior to that, I had served as the
CTO, managing public safety telecommunications from that
technical side. Prior to joining law--or prior to joining APCO,
being in law enforcement for 32 years, I was a captain with the
Oakland County Michigan Sheriff's Office. I ran the
communications, and 911 system, and the P25, that is APCO
Project 25 radio system in Oakland County for 6,000
subscribers.
One of the things that I found that during that is that we
found that we needed public safety broadband. And when we
looked at national public safety broadband many, many years
ago, we learned that there was an opportunity. When we looked
at this Band 14 option to look at what public safety can do
going forward, and FirstNet was created.
I was part of the FirstNet Public Safety Advisory
Committee. I had an opportunity to work on the Executive
Committee representing law enforcement and helped guide the
network's development and implementation for first responders
nationwide.
APCO is uniquely qualified to offer an informed perspective
on FirstNet's performance. In 2009, we were part of the public
safety leadership that urged Congress to establish this
dedicated interoperable network. It had to serve the needs of
public safety. That is it. That was it. Serve the critical
needs of public safety in a manner that could happen
nationwide. Very ambitious.
You mentioned that in your opening statement. That is what
it was, and it is a success. We are here today to say celebrate
that success. We continue to serve a role giving guidance
through the Public Safety Advisory Committee as APCO
International. Our feedback goes directly to the Board, that
goes back into the FirstNet Authority to help build out the
services, products that we need in public safety.
APCO urges the swift reauthorization of FirstNet, because
quite simply, lives depend on it. Millions, millions of public
safety professionals, including APCO members, depend on
FirstNet services and equipment in support of their life-saving
missions. We use it every day.
I used it in the field when I was a captain with the
Oakland County Sheriff. I used it as a commander when I was
running the communication center to backhaul Next Generation
911 technologies, over-the-top applications, and to push it
from the call taker, to the dispatcher, to the field units.
FirstNet works. We always have to be the first in line when
congested networks appear. FirstNet has done that.
We continually look to the future and consider how we can
make it even stronger. And at the forefront of this is the
central question: What would serve public safety? That is the
only question we need to ask. And guided by this, we would urge
you to continue that reinvestment in the FirstNet network.
Continued expansion is essential to ensure that the FirstNet
coverage reaches rural, remote, and underserved communities,
where it doesn't exist today, it should exist tomorrow, across
America.
The smallest of the small emergency communication centers,
911 centers, the police, fire, and EMS, no responder left
without this reliable connectivity. Maintaining and improving
these network performance and reliability must remain a top
priority.
This includes ensuring that consistent coverage, minimizing
downtime, and continuing to provide this predictable high-
quality service occurs, we encourage that reinvestment in
growth. Now, we consider this, that when Congress considers the
adoption, performance metrics, and optional benchmarks that
address real world public safety needs, do it on the behalf of
latency, of coverage, of ensuring that we can get the products
and services we need.
I want to thank you for advancing this important
conversation about FirstNet reauthorization. I look forward to
answering your questions.
[The prepared statement of Mr. Maier follows:]
Prepared Statement of Mel Maier, Chief Executive Officer and Executive
Director, APCO International
Chair Fischer, Ranking Member Lujan, and members of the
subcommittee, thank you for the invitation to testify before you today.
I am grateful for the opportunity to provide a public safety
perspective and represent the Association of Public-Safety
Communications Officials, International (APCO). As the world's oldest
and largest organization of public safety communications professionals,
APCO represents over 45,000 members who are responsible for
building, managing, and operating public safety communications systems
for law enforcement, fire, emergency medical and other public safety
agencies.
With more than three decades of dedicated public service, I have
built a career focused on leadership in law enforcement and public
safety communications. I was appointed CEO and Executive Director of
APCO in July 2023, serving as APCO's Chief Technology Officer since
2022. Prior to joining APCO, I served as a law enforcement officer for
32 years and was the captain and chief of public safety communications
for the Oakland County Michigan's Sheriff's Office. In addition to my
operational leadership, I have played an active role in national public
safety initiatives, serving on the FirstNet Public Safety Advisory
Committee during its early implementation and later as the Law
Enforcement Chair, helping guide the network's development and
implementation for first responders nationwide.
APCO is uniquely situated to offer an informed perspective on
FirstNet's performance. In 2009, APCO was part of the leadership that
joined forces with other major public safety groups to urge Congress to
establish a dedicated, interoperable network that could reliably serve
the critical demands of public safety. In 2012, Congress passed
legislation resulting in FirstNet, the Nation's first and only
nationwide broadband network built exclusively for first responders.
APCO was an active participant in shaping FirstNet's technical
requirements and standards. APCO continues to serve a central role in
the FirstNet governance structure through its representation on the
Public Safety Advisory Committee, ensuring that the network remains
accountable to the public safety users who rely upon it.
APCO urges the swift reauthorization of FirstNet because, quite
simply, lives depend on it. Millions of public safety professionals--
including many of APCO's members--depend upon FirstNet service and
equipment in support of their lifesaving missions. FirstNet supports
7.5 million connections for public safety, covering nearly 3 million
square miles, and approximately 30,000 public safety agencies. And
FirstNet's users continue to grow year over year. Because FirstNet
works. FirstNet provides public safety professionals with priority
access to its high-speed broadband network 24 hours a day, 7 days a
week, without exception. FirstNet also provides preemption for public
safety traffic, ensuring that public safety calls are always first in
line when networks are congested.
While FirstNet has been a tremendous success, we must continually
look to the future and consider how we can make FirstNet even stronger.
At the forefront of this examination is the central question: what
would serve public safety?
Guided by this question, APCO urges continued reinvestment in the
FirstNet network. Continued expansion of FirstNet is essential to
ensure coverage reaches rural, remote, and underserved communities
across America. FirstNet should provide network coverage to even the
smallest of the small Emergency Communications Centers and law
enforcement, fire, and EMS agencies--so that no first responder is left
without reliable connectivity. Maintaining and improving network
performance and reliability must also remain a top priority. This
includes ensuring consistent coverage, minimizing downtime, and
continuing to provide predictable, high-quality service during both
routine operations and large-scale emergencies. FirstNet must remain
resilient, secure, and consistently available so that public safety
professionals can rely on it without interruption. APCO also encourages
investment in growth and innovation, including the continued expansion
of mission critical applications, devices, and connections that enhance
situational awareness and operational efficiency. FirstNet has played a
key role in bringing innovative technologies to first responders,
enabling new tools that improve incident response. Looking ahead, the
network must continue to evolve to support advanced communications
tools, including 5G and 6G devices, and accommodate increasing data
demands. Sustained investment ensures that FirstNet reaches every
community across America and that first responders benefit from
cutting-edge capabilities that can save lives.
Congress might also consider adoption of performance metrics and
operational benchmarks that address real-world public safety needs.
These metrics could include network availability and latency during
routine day-to-day operations, and network resiliency and performance
during disasters and other large-scale emergencies.
Finally, I want to emphasize one aspect of FirstNet that must not
change: we must be careful not to chip away at the foundation that has
made FirstNet successful--the way in which it is structured. FirstNet's
Board of dedicated public safety professionals, guided by the Public
Safety Advisory Committee, exemplifies an independent governance model
that is responsive, mission-focused, and grounded in the needs of first
responders. Regular engagement with public safety users ensures that
public safety operational realities inform FirstNet's network
management, investment decisions, and performance improvements. This
ongoing communication helps FirstNet remain accountable to the public
safety professionals who rely on the network every day and ensures that
upgrades, expansions, and operational adjustments directly address the
needs of first responders in the field.
Thank you for advancing this important conversation about FirstNet
reauthorization. Our nation's first responders deserve certainty that
they will retain uninterrupted access to the dedicated, high-speed
broadband communications network they depend upon every day. We
therefore urge the swift reauthorization of FirstNet under the
continued oversight of the independent FirstNet Authority Board.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Mr. Maier.
We will start now with questions from the members of this
committee, five minutes.
Competition, where feasible, can be a safeguard for the
public and that includes driving innovation and choice for
government partners.
Mr. Maier, you have mentioned that FirstNet has already
spurred more competition such as for device costs. Do you
believe that there are additional areas to introduce
competition within the FirstNet system?
Mr. Maier. I think that what has happened is amazing. We
had no one competing for public safety's attention when
cellular networks were first formed. I carried a bag phone in
my patrol car. That was quite cutting edge. I had 15 minutes a
month to use so I couldn't go over. Competition became part of
the FirstNet package. When priority and preemption was
presented, we had that wireless priority system, the GAT
system, all those things that the Federal Government was
providing, they are now available through FirstNet.
Senator Fischer. When you look at the future, though, what
do you see as additional devices?
Mr. Maier. Additional is going to be the continued support
for new devices and new technologies being merged into the
networks. Competition that can lower costs, competition that
can increase the bandwidth in the spectrum that we are using,
as well as really coordinating efforts that help predict better
outcomes in the field. Communicating against those three
networks is terrific. Verizon Frontline, thank you; T-Mobile,
T-Priority, that is terrific; FirstNet, that is terrific. Let
us get them out in the field in people's hands.
Senator Fischer. OK. Thank you.
Sheriff Adkinson, if there were more providers within the
system, would there be network security tradeoffs if you have
more providers in the system? How secure would it be?
Mr. Adkinson. Yes. Yes. I think there are a couple things
to consider when we talk about that. The reality of it is that
I don't want a situation like Tyranny of the Commons, right,
but when it becomes everybody's responsibility, it becomes no
one's responsibility. From an authority standpoint, there has
to be very clear lines delineation of who we hold responsible
for outcomes. That would be a challenge. Just bluntly, that is
a challenge.
Having said that, every option should be reviewed if it is
to the benefit of the people we serve. So I don't think that
there is anything you would ever say 100 percent no to. But I
always am very reticent when we talk about entering into a
closed system, leaving the opportunity to point fingers. And I
think the responsibility of the Authority is to hold people
accountable. And I think that is the sole purpose of it.
I am actually agnostic to the providing of it, quite
frankly. That is not my job to decide, pick winners or losers,
my job is to make sure, the Board's job is to make sure that we
get a delivery of service that meets the needs of the people we
serve.
Senator Fischer. Thank you.
Mr. Agnew, earlier this month, there was news that AT&T
decided to work with a new satellite partner to plug the gaps
in the FirstNet mobile network. And I am interested in the
process that you use to select this partner. Did AT&T seek
proposals from other operators to provide this satellite
component of the FirstNet system?
Mr. Agnew. Yes, Senator. We evaluated----
Senator Fischer. Is that information available to members
of this committee?
Mr. Agnew. No, that is a private RFP with the vendors and
we evaluated that solution, and we selected the best solution
for public safety that would basically provide the highest
level of connectivity, capacity, resiliency, and performance.
Senator Fischer. So those were your selection criteria
there?
Mr. Agnew. That is correct.
Senator Fischer. Is the deal exclusive, or will you be
considering other providers?
Mr. Agnew. Currently the deal from a direct to cellular,
from a satellite perspective, is with AST. We currently use
multiple satellite providers as part of our deployable program.
So specific to direct to satellite it will be AST, Senator.
Senator Fischer. And what is the length of a contract?
Mr. Agnew. I would have to get back to you on the specific
length, Senator.
Senator Fischer. OK. Thank you. No carrier is immune to
outages, Mr. Agnew. We saw Verizon have a major outage across
their network. We saw a serious AT&T outage last February, it
took down FirstNet. Will you please explain to the Committee
how AT&T has implemented changes since that 2024 incident and
what that means for FirstNet's reliability as we move forward?
Mr. Agnew. Absolutely. Thank you for that question,
Senator. And after that outage, well, first of all, we
prioritize FirstNet over other elements in our network, and the
network was up and running for public safety in 2 hours.
Subsequent to that significant oversight by the Authority, by
the OIG, we are held accountable to the highest standard, the
only network held accountable through oversight and after-
action reports.
We subsequently communicated exactly what went on, the
action plans to address, and we addressed and actually hardened
that network. We are obligated by the contract. We are
obligated to the oversight to continuously answer that call.
Senator Fischer. Mr. Davis, do you have anything to add, as
representing Verizon?
Mr. Davis. Yes, what I would add is--Chairman Fischer is,
you know, competition is good for public safety, and in in the
state of Nebraska, we have 52 percent market share. So over
half of the first responders in New Mexico are--or sorry--in
Nebraska are choosing--yes, are choosing Verizon Frontline for
their carrier of choice.
And I would say the same around the network outages. This
is why we are here. A single-threaded system is a huge concern
for national security if we have all of our eggs in one basket.
Senator Fischer. Thank you. Senator Lujan, you are
recognized.
Senator Lujan. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mr. Agnew, the contract that AT&T has around FirstNet is
with the Federal Government?
Mr. Agnew. That is correct.
Senator Lujan. It is paid for with taxpayer dollars?
Mr. Agnew. No, it is not. There is no taxpayer appropriated
dollars. It is all self-contained and self-funding through the
sustainability payments made by AT&T.
Senator Lujan. Do you have to make your service available
to a government entity to review?
Mr. Agnew. That is correct. We do. We have to make eligible
to government--are you are talking the contract, Senator?
Senator Lujan. You just responded to Chair Fischer and
saying that some of the information that was asked to share
with this committee that it is proprietary. I don't understand
how the hell that is possible. You have to share information
about how this helps the sheriffs, and police officers, and
first responders, whether it is with a satellite company, or if
it is with the people you buy coffee from that is for FirstNet,
man, and so I just--that is my question, and I will come back
to you, you can respond on the record.
So I just hope that we can get to a place, when we are
talking about Federal contracts, information is shared here.
And like the Chair said, this is an empty check.
Mr. Agnew. Right.
Senator Lujan. We need to make sure that we are delivering
the best service to everybody involved.
So my question, Mr. Maier, in your testimony, you state
that, ``FirstNet must remain resilient, secure, consistently
available so that public safety professionals can rely on it
without interruption''. And I completely agree with that. Now,
the reality is that communication networks have outages. That
is something that both the Chair and I have now shared.
We saw recently experience a nationwide outage of Verizon's
network in 2024, and a nationwide outage of AT&T's network that
also took FirstNet down for several hours. Just a couple points
that I referenced. My question to you is, how do the public
safety officials prepare for these expected and unexpected
outages?
Mr. Maier. One of the things that we do well is we plan, as
a first responder one of my jobs is to make sure that I had
more than one way to get things done. More than one tool in the
tool box. One of the things that we have seen is that the
emergence of land mobile radio, LMR radios, with these push-to-
talk solutions over the air of LTE have expanded that
capability of our land mobile systems, our LTE systems, and
that is a convergence that is still occurring today.
Second we--secondly we look at some of the public safety
UHF, VHS systems out there that are really working on these
high-band capacity, working with those folks that are really
experts at radio. Those are backups to LTE also. We use data
systems, we use public safety communication systems that are
closed networks sharing logical or diverse paths of physical.
But those backups are only backups as they continue to be--need
to be used. Those are redundancies and it should flow
seamlessly. We want that to be seamless.
My device, right here, this phone can go between Wi-Fi and
the commercial radio system seamlessly. I am talking on a call.
I don't even know it. That is what public safety systems are
designed to do. And they fall back. They fail over. Building
upon that, we need to invest in better resiliency.
The run times of these generators and these batteries at
these remote sites, they lose power during a crisis. How long
do they run? Those are things we need to know. Can they step up
when the surges happen? When we have large volumes of people,
we have many first responders on scene, can the capacity then
be carried too?
Those are issues that we deal with by preparing for those
by having alternate means of communication. We are using
services, a software that we are taking down from the cloud, we
are using satellite, we have been doing it for 30 years. Those
are things that we plan for and we prepare for so when these
outages happen, we are ready to communicate.
If it has to go back to turning a light on in the front of
the substation so that when you are driving by, you have a call
for service, we will do that, too. That is how it used to work.
One of the best parts of your question is really about
reliability and resiliency and planning, public safety has
direct input into the FirstNet network. That is it.
They have direct input through the Public Safety Advisory
Committee, the Board, back to FirstNet on how those things are
done. We are part of that planning process.
Senator Lujan. I appreciate that, Mr. Maier. I have other
questions for the other witnesses on preparation for outages. I
will submit them into the record, and that will give you time
to respond to them as well.
You know, Mr. Maier, you held up your phone there. There is
some law enforcement that have an agreement with AT&T. They
have an agreement with Verizon. They have an agreement with T-
Mobile. And they are rolling with three phones in their cars,
and they are just trying to figure out who the hell to call.
Maybe that is something that these companies can figure out as
well. So that way, if we don't have roaming, when someone picks
up the phone, they want someone to answer. They don't have time
to keep rolling through all of those devices as well.
Now, all of you testifying here today have acknowledged the
multiple reports from the Commerce Department's Office of the
Inspector General. The reports have raised serious concerns
about FirstNet's Authority's oversight in its contract with
AT&T, including failing to independently verify coverage
claims, modifying performance metrics, buildout requirements,
on, and on, and on.
Mr. Maier, do you believe Congress needs to strengthen
FirstNet's oversight framework? And if so, any specific
guardrails, and as my time expires here, maybe what I will just
do is ask for you to submit that into the records so I can be
respectful of my colleagues' time as well. But I have some
others I will submit into the record, get to all of you as
well. I really appreciate your time being here today.
Mr. Maier. Thank you. And we do believe that oversight is a
feature of the program, it is not a flaw. It is good business.
Senator Lujan. Appreciate that.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Senator Lujan. And we may have
time later for a follow-up round, too.
Senator Moreno, you are recognized.
STATEMENT OF HON. BERNIE MORENO,
U.S. SENATOR FROM OHIO
Senator Moreno. Thank you, Madam Chair.
Mr. Maier, you talked about your phone, and take that
question from communications in Ohio, the state spent a lot of
resources to build what is called the MARCS Network which is a
land mobile radio communication system. That does not have
interoperability and seamless transition with FirstNet. Explain
how do you see that as a problem?
Mr. Maier. One of the challenges we have seen with over-
the-top applications, and push-to-talk interfaces that they are
not based on commonly accepted standards today because they are
unique to the manufacturer of the radio, to the manufacturer of
the subsystems, but we know that they can be, they can do those
workarounds.
The MARC System is terrific at land mobile radio. There is
no question. In Oakland County, Michigan we had a P25 Radio, as
well as before that had a Harris Radio, we had Motorola and
Harris. We were able to use these devices to connect them to
push-to-talk solutions over the air, take advantage of LTE. But
it was unique, it was expensive, and it is not something
everybody can do.
Those are things I would defer to the FirstNet team on how
they see that. I know that they have got a product that they
are offering. And I have looked at it. I have seen the
information on it. It looks like it has a great opportunity to
take all of those divergent things and put them into an
interoperable cloud to share information, but I would have to
defer to them on this, sir.
Senator Moreno. My point asking you first about that was,
it is obviously critically important for a first responder,
right?
Mr. Maier. Yes, sir.
Senator Moreno. And so I am obviously jumping to you, Mr.
Agnew what--I mean Mr. Adkinson, what is AT&T doing about
integrating the MARCS Network into FirstNet--I am sorry, sorry,
Mr. Agnew, of AT&T. Sorry about that.
Mr. Agnew. Senator, thank you for that question. We are
very familiar with your network. It is a very strong land
mobile network in Ohio. We actually are in the process, as I
mentioned in my orals, is launching a product called FirstNet
Fusion. This is taking interoperability to the next level.
The foundation of the networks interoperable between
commercial networks, the next phase is making it easier, more
affordable and scalable for land mobile radio networks. Fusion
is going to transform public safety interoperability because it
is not going to matter the network. it is not going to matter
the carrier. It is not going to matter the technology.
And we are actually working with your state to demonstrate
how we are going to make that a reality. We are going to take
the interoperability as Mr. Maier was saying and put it in the
cloud. That makes it more affordable, and that makes it easier
to manage. When you have disasters come, and you have mutual
aid come as you--very well known in the State of Ohio, where
you have multiple agencies converging today. They are
configuring radios, it could take hours, it could take days to
get that communication set up. You need to be able to do it in
seconds. And that is the commitment.
Senator Moreno. So what would be the time line for that to
happen?
Mr. Agnew. It is launching in the first half of the year.
Senator Moreno. This year?
Mr. Agnew. Yes. Yes, sir. And we are actually, like as I
mentioned, having discussions with your leadership there, for
public safety.
Senator Moreno. Are you confident that by this time next
year we should have that fully integrated as the way Mr. Maier
described on his phone?
Mr. Agnew. I am confident the technology be available, and
I am confident it will be ready. We will be working with the
MARC System because there is some implementations they will
need to make on their side, but I am confident in the product.
Senator Moreno. Good. That is good news for Ohio. Taking
off of the question from Senator Lujan where he asked about
taxpayer dollars, and you said it doesn't fund it. Technically,
that is not 100 percent accurate. Didn't the Federal Government
put $6.5 billion dollars into this program?
Mr. Agnew. Yes, thank you for allowing me the chance to
clarify. There was auction proceeds, Spectrum auction proceeds
that initially funded the program and help with the buildout.
Subsequent to that, sustainability payments are made by AT&T in
the amount of $8 billion dollars and that is what is used to
fund the Authority and make the necessary public safety
investments.
Now, let me be clear on what the investments are. They are
specific to FirstNet, specific to the FirstNet elements. They
are not for AT&T to run their network. AT&T operates the
complete network, our network as well as the FirstNet network
as well, which has a complete dedicated core that needs to be
operated.
Senator Moreno. Right. And again, I think what Senator
Lujan was pointing out, not to speak for him, he can speak for
himself, is that there was a significant amount of taxpayer
money that went into the $6.5 billion dollars, the monthly
subscriptions are with local governments, correct?
Mr. Agnew. That is correct.
Senator Moreno. So that is taxpayer money. And I think that
was the point that was being made. And I just want to give you
a chance to clarify that, because this is definitely taxpayer
money. And I think when you are spending taxpayer money, there
is a different standard for disclosure. I think you have
private contracts for anything that you do. But once you are
asking the taxpayer to fork over money and pay it to a private
company, then there is a responsibility on disclosure. And I
just wanted to make certain that we clarify that for the
record.
So I appreciate that. And my time is up.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Senator Moreno.
Senator Hickenlooper, you are recognized.
STATEMENT OF HON. JOHN HICKENLOOPER,
U.S. SENATOR FROM COLORADO
Senator Hickenlooper. Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank all of
you for being here today, but also for your public service.
Let me start with Mr. Adkinson. As you know well, Boulder,
Colorado, is home to many Federal labs that improve our
communication service. Institute of Telecommunication Sciences,
ITS, Public Safety Communications Research Lab at the National
Institute of Science and Technology, campus in Boulder, and
then the FirstNet Authority's Lab.
Now, at the FirstNet lab, science and engineers do the R&D
and perform a whole variety of tests to ensure the public
technologies, of things like drones and mobile towers, are
seamlessly integrated across the network. This research, I
guess you call it cutting-edge research is possibly possible
because of the state-of-the-art facilities, and the equipment,
and also and especially do from the highly trained workforce
that is there.
So as Board Chair, Mr. Adkinson, how is FirstNet Authority
recruiting and retaining the best engineers, and the best
scientists at the Boulder Lab to make sure that that our public
safety communications network performs as intended?
Mr. Adkinson. Thank you, Senator. Obviously, you are
talking about some of the most technical and capable
communication professionals there are, right? And at the end of
the day, we reinvest back into our staff because similarly to
our vendor, AT&T, we understand that to move to the next level,
whether that is Z-axis, whether that is an implication of
singularity between LMR, land mobile radio, and these things,
it is critical to have the best and brightest.
Now, as far as, you know, how those folks are retained and
hired, I have to defer that to NTIA. That is more in their area
of operation. But I have to tell you there is quite a bit of
discussion among the Board, and I will segregate that, among
the Board to say are we being competitive in hiring the best
and brightest in what we do, because that is what it takes to
drive this forward. And from a taxpayer standpoint, to Senator
Moreno's point a minute ago, these are still public funds i.e.,
it is the public's trust, right, these fees are the public's
trust.
And so the Board takes that very seriously that part of
this technology at that lab is to make sure that we are getting
the best technology from our vendor as well too. So I think it
is an opportunity to maintain the best and brightest. That may
be something from a salary standpoint, recruitment standpoint,
and I may have to go back to NTIA on that, but I absolutely
concur that that is what we need.
Senator Hickenlooper. And as the network modernizes its
towers and network core to improve service to first responders,
what role do you see for FirstNet's Lab, you know, what is that
role going to play as this modernization goes forward?
Mr. Agnew. You know, I mean it--this Moore's Law is roughly
you know, what, 18 months on obsolescence, the way things are
changing now I think the lab is going to be at the cutting edge
of determining what is capable and what are we envisioning.
Because I can tell you even six and seven years ago AI was not
part of this discussion, it will be part of the discussion
going forward.
Senator Hickenlooper. OK.
Mr. Agnew. Both from a national security standpoint as well
as the service we provide to our members there. We haven't
talked about it, but there is the Internet of Things, and
sometimes when we are talking about all these different lines
of service, I think people forget that it also includes video
cameras, things like body cameras.
I saw a board member who is also a doctor as well, able to
perform, you know, medical assistance from 800 miles away.
Senator Hickenlooper. Yes, it is amazing.
Mr. Agnew. That is what is coming.
Senator Hickenlooper. Absolutely. Let me switch over to Mr.
Agnew, Mr. Davis. So whether someone is hiking in the--you
know, the mountain ranges above Telluride, or they are watching
a hockey, or a basketball game in the Ball Arena in Downtown
Denver, Colorado's first responders are almost always on the
frontlines of keeping our citizens safe.
So in public safety emergencies, reliable wireless
communications can mean the difference between lives saved or a
tragedy striking a community. And that is why transparency, I
think, in how communication networks are managed and upgraded
is so essential. So Mr. Agnew, Mr. Davis, in delivering
communication service to public safety leaders, how would you
describe your process for demonstrating where your network
coverage is densified and where it really needs upgrades,
specific geolocated upgrades?
Mr. Agnew. Senator, thank you for that question. And
FirstNet has unprecedented transparency as we provided--and
thank you, Governor, at the time for opting in, we provided
state plan portals to demonstrate the exact build over the
course of the initial 6 years. We have also provided what is
called a network status tool that public safety can look real
time for existing coverages.
In addition, through outreach by the FirstNet Authority and
AT&T network coverage workshops, we show the public safety
community, in Colorado it happened on September 25, where the
coverage has been built and where the coverage is going, also
during that time, public safety gets to identify the areas
that, where they build what we call public-safety-specific
sites.
These aren't sites that are economically viable for AT&T,
these are where public safety needs it. And so as part of the
$8 billion reinvestment that FirstNet is making over the next
10 years, that is where the sites are going to come from. That
is why FirstNet has three--nearly three million miles were
covered and 200,000 more.
And in fact, just in the opt-in process alone, just
commenting on Colorado, you had 31 specific sites that were
built based off of direct feedback from public safety, not
corporate, AT&T.
Senator Hickenlooper. Good to hear that.
Mr. Davis. That is a great question, Senator. And I have
spent a lot of time in those mountains of Telluride, so I know
very well those challenges.
Senator Hickenlooper. Lucky man.
Mr. Davis. Yes. So some of the things that we do is we have
a process around transparency and capturing customer feedback.
We do quarterly roundtables with public safety professionals.
So in your great state we have nearly 50 percent of the market
share. So over 50 percent--or nearly 50 percent of those first
responders are choosing something other than FirstNet. So it is
important to hear that feedback on what is working and what is
not working.
We also have a wireless network performance tool that shows
coverage where you can request physical assets if you need
deployable assets. We also work very closely with all the
states on the coverage. And this is why it is so important that
competition and innovation is important because if FirstNet
Authority funds a tower let us say in rural San Juan County,
all public safety providers should be able to take advantage of
that tower, not just one commercial carrier.
Senator Hickenlooper. Fair enough. Thank you.
I yield back the floor.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Senator Hickenlooper.
Senator Budd, you are recognized.
STATEMENT OF HON. TED BUDD,
U.S. SENATOR FROM NORTH CAROLINA
Senator Budd. Thank you, Chair. Thanks for holding this
hearing. Thank you all for coming up and being part of this
panel. Very helpful.
I remember about 15 months ago, Hurricane Helene in Western
North Carolina, there is some at the table here, and some in
the audience that I reached out to in those early days. Thank
you all for your responsiveness. I know there is lessons
learned and we will ask about that in a moment.
We do remember how significantly disrupted connectivity was
including infrastructure and strained networks, 911 call
centers. But I was impressed with the efforts of everybody
involved, including FirstNet, Verizon, other carriers,
especially our first responders.
So Sheriff, thank you for being here. Thanks for those in
uniform today for what you do, not just with improving first
responder communications, but what your roles in law
enforcement as well.
So Sheriff, your testimony spoke to how FirstNet's 50-
Member Board and the Public Safety Advisory Committee has kept
first responders, like yourself, deeply involved in the
investment and buildout decisions for FirstNet and FirstNet's
Fusion seemed like a good example of prioritizing technological
upgrades to keep pace with commercial innovation.
So are there areas FirstNet reauthorizations needs to look
at to continue to enhance efforts to make sure a nationwide
first responder network is keeping pace and giving responders
the best tools they need to be successful?
Mr. Adkinson. Thank you, Senator. I think a couple of
things are pertinent in this discussion, which is, again the
rate of technology, the way things are changing, products like
Fusion give us the opportunity to get what was the ultimate
goal here, which is interoperability on demand, right. And I
made a joke earlier today, and I will stand by it, which,
sometimes words have multiple meanings.
My children love The Princess Bride, right, and sometimes
people say interoperability, and I say don't think that word
means what you think it means, and the problem is we can ask
multiple people and get different answers, right, but from a
first responder standpoint a product like Fusion, once it is
built out, and the future of things like that, can result in
instantaneous connection between multiple modalities.
That is the goal. And so when you are asking what we should
be investing in, as well as extending coverage, making it
better, deeper coverage, products that allow that instantaneous
change, this leveraging of technology, is the things that I
think that the FirstNet Authority--Board should be pushing
toward. And I don't think you are going to hear anybody argue
against that. I mean, I think that is the driving future.
Senator Budd. Thank you for that.
Mr. Agnew, your testimony talked about lessons learned
during Hurricane Helene and also Hurricane Milton. Could you
say what some of those lessons were? I know you have shared
earlier, but if there is anything else you would like to add as
far as lessons learned, and how do those lessons inform AT&T's
work with the FirstNet Authority in determining network
investments?
Mr. Adkinson. Yes, Senator, thank you for that question.
Lessons Learned, it was a massive event, multiple states, over
260 requests, and as we do a hotwash is what public safety does
after an event. And there were almost 89 requests that came in
within the first 24 hours. And so that was a lot to triage. So
we have determined that we needed multiple triage teams to
speed those up. So we have subsequently changed that.
Additionally, we realized we needed more smaller assets to
be able to manage that type of event to be able to respond
quickly. So we have made the subsequent investment.
The other area we saw is that public safety supported the
event. They have their own deployables that they purchase. Your
state, Tennessee, Federal agencies came to the table for mutual
aid. So we needed to put out and we have subsequently done that
more affordable solutions so public safety can put their own
coverage out there as well.
How we work with the authorities? We talk about that event,
we talk about what investments we made. And we heard from the
last House committee from North Carolina discussing just that
resiliency, that reliability, more deployables. So we are in
discussions with the Authority right now to make those
investments for the deployable program.
Senator Budd. Yes. Thank you very much. And I think most of
those 89 requests were from me. So appreciate your patience.
Mr. Adkinson. OK.
Senator Budd. A similar question, Mr. Davis. What takeaways
from Helene did Frontline have to inform the future
investments? And did the fact that Frontline was available as
an alternative first responder network, did that improve
outcomes?
Mr. Davis. Yes, Senator, that is an important question. And
it was great to see you and meet you at our event and rally a
few months ago.
Senator Budd. Yes.
Mr. Davis. I know the team really appreciated and so did
the community.
Senator Budd. Yes.
Mr. Davis. I will tell you this, Senator, I was boots on
the ground about 72 hours after Helene hit. And like my
colleagues at AT&T, we had hundreds of requests coming in from
seven different states. I spent time in Bunkham County and the
EOC. I spent time in the EOCs in Asheville. And I spent time
with law enforcement who were pulling bodies out of the mud and
did not have any network capabilities, while we were trying to
facilitate drone missions to provide these flying, thinking
about flying towers in, literally, the middle of nowhere.
And then working with the Army Corps of Engineers to get
radio equipment up on Mitchell Mountain because it was
completely wiped away.
The lessons learned was around communications and
partnerships and how important it is to have that streamlined
communication, and it really is--and we are so proud to serve,
on the primary side, nearly 52 percent of your constituents,
Senator Budd.
And the other thing that we have learned is how important
it is to do, you know, what you heard here with the hotwash, we
call them after-action reviews. We did one internally on how we
can do better, but we also do that with your local agencies as
well. That way we maintain that continuity, and we maintain
that communication throughout, and God forbid that there is
another storm, but if there is one like Helene we will be ready
and more prepared than ever.
Senator Budd. Fantastic. Chair, thank you.
Senator Fischer. Thank you Senator Budd.
Senator Klobuchar, you are recognized.
Senator Klobuchar. Thank you very much, Madam Chair.
We have had a lot of tragedies in my state this year but
one of them that I didn't discuss earlier was the murder of
Melissa Hortman and her husband. And it is relevant here
because there was a manhunt, like no other, in our state that
went on for days. And the first responders were able to rely on
FirstNet to communicate. They did find the now defendant and he
was not able to kill anyone else, despite shooting another
legislator and his wife 15 times, and going to several other
houses.
Mr. Maier, what metrics do you believe that FirstNet should
rely on to evaluate network performance and reliability and--
why don't you answer that?
Mr. Maier. I would like to note, and say thank you for your
support for Next Generation 911 and everything that you do to
help us.
Senator Klobuchar. Yes.
Mr. Maier. Operational performance under stress, that is
what we are talking about. The public safety has to have the
tools they need during the crisis. Latency, when we are talking
about voice, push-to-talk setup, video delays, the packets. Are
the packets moving through so mapping and AVL can get the job
done, throughput, uplink, downlink, we use uplink in the field,
first responders use uplink more than they do the downlink for
sending data back.
We look at cell edge performance, on the edges of those
maps where they say that there is coverage, is it actually
performing, the priority activation times, the preemption
metrics, those are important. Are they working?
We also look at quality of service. We look at the times
when--how are these things moving forward? I also have
mentioned before, power backups, are these batteries? Are these
generators? Are they moving forward? And think about cyber
security. Are we doing everything we can to keep the network
safe? Are we introducing new vectors?
Senator Klobuchar. Thank you.
Mr. Maier. Thank you, ma'am.
Senator Klobuchar. Thank you. You noted, I actually co-
chair the 9-1-1 Caucus with Senator Budd, and we have
introduced legislation to update some of these outdated
centers, the related technology, the fact that everyone is
using text messages. And this is all when I was the DA County
Attorney for our biggest county we had, not in my county, but
another one, there was a horrible shooting of a police officer,
and that was when we realized that the responders to the scene
tracking down the killer were--had 10 different radio. It was a
mess. And that is what made our state, at least in the metros,
the counties got all on the same network, and we have greatly
improved things.
But now, you know, we are in this next moment where we have
to look at the new technology and get there. So in your
testimony you said that FirstNet should provide network
coverage to even the smallest of the small emergency community
centers, communication centers. Do you agree that updating our
911 centers is critical?
Mr. Maier. It is, ma'am.
Senator Klobuchar. And can you talk about how first
responders, how important it is for them to have this kind of
information, especially when they are in smaller rural areas?
Mr. Maier. It is information, it is situational awareness.
It protects the responders and it also protects the callers. We
need that information into the 911 centers through the best
ways possible. Those can include answering the call, getting
the metrics, getting the information, getting all that, but
then what do we do with it? How do we share it? Having those IP
networks, those Next Generation 911 technologies interfacing
with FirstNet, gets the job done.
Senator Klobuchar. Thank you. Mr. Agnew, do you want to
just talk about that rural issue and how broadband, as you
know, the BEAD money, we have recently got some of that, that
has been announced is going to go out, and talk about what
steps AT&T does to ensure that rural communities are covered
under the FirstNet network?
Mr. Agnew. Absolutely. And thank you for that question. So
as part of the opt-in process, so each state had to select
FirstNet, they could have--choose to build their own network,
each state and each territory chose to do that. As part of that
process, 1,200 sites were built, not based off of AT&T
selecting, it was based off of the voice of public safety. So
that further expanded the network.
Also, as part of the obligation of the FirstNet contract,
15 percent of the network had to be built with rural partners.
So states like Nebraska and other rural states received more
than 2,000 locations. Their tribal lands grew by 66 percent in
coverage. There are tribes in this Nation that are making phone
calls for the first time. And then of course with the addition
of the investment from FirstNet, they just approved an
additional 137 sites based specifically off of public safety
feedback.
Senator Klobuchar. Um-hum.
Mr. Agnew. States like California, states like Kentucky,
states like Alaska, Hawaii, all states being addressed based
off of feedback. So that is what is making a difference. It is
not the carrier building a network, the carrier is building the
network as the contractor, but it is Public Safety's decisions,
and that is controlled by Sheriff Adkinson, and his Board, and
the FirstNet Authority directing AT&T to develop that.
Senator Klobuchar. OK. Thanks.
Sheriff, if you want to add anything. Then I will be done.
Mr. Adkinson. Yes, ma'am. I think that can be part of an
uncomfortable conversation sometime, right? Because the reality
is, it is not based on the commercial market, it is based on
what is best interest of the people we serve. I am not going to
suggest that it is perfect. I suggest it is getting there every
day. And so I think by making these investments in rural and
tribal areas, this is at the heart of what we should be about.
It is at the heart of what FirstNet is about, that all people,
all public safety, and all the citizens are entitled to these
communications.
Senator Klobuchar. Um-hum. Yes. Because the market probably
wouldn't dictate a remote snowmobile trailer.
Mr. Adkinson. Sure. If a building----
Senator Klobuchar. In Minnesota where they are--they break
down and they are in the middle of nowhere, and they have to be
able to call in, so just to say that----
Mr. Adkinson. And it is a consistent need.
Senator Klobuchar.--that happens quite often, but I am not
going to go on. So thank you. And thank you to you, Mr. Davis,
as well. Thank you.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Senator Klobuchar.
Building off of Senator Klobuchar's first question, Sheriff
Adkinson, the Commerce Department Inspector General previously
found gaps in the Board's oversight of performance metrics and
milestones of FirstNet. FirstNet's initial response even
challenged the IG's findings, asserting they were just working
goals and not quantifiable metrics. So what new performance
standards or monitoring methods has the Board approved so that
we can ensure compliance with contract terms and with the law?
Mr. Adkinson. Thank you, Senator, for that question. As I
stated before, there are six new Board Members, correct, that
just came on this last October. And the first thing we did was
go back through these Inspector General reports. There are
obviously also three permanent members that provide oversight
to the Board which is OMB, the Department of Justice, and
Department of Homeland Security, who are also obviously
permanent members of that.
We, as a Board, started saying what performance measures
matter, what performance measures are actual returns on
investment and started a working group to do that to make sure
that those things are being--monitor those things that matter
and we start asking some tough questions. I want to talk about
OIG specifically, because I think this is important.
You know, if you want to have accountability, you have to
have authority. And I am not a real fan of not being able to
hold people that I give directions to accountable because
otherwise I am simply suggesting. And I don't like suggesting,
if I am being blunt. I think there is a responsibility as tax
stewards of the taxpayers' authority and money, these are
taxpayers' funds in my opinion, that we, as a Board, should be
able to hold the executive director and/or the Authority staff
accountable as appropriate. There has to be some level of
accountability.
Senator Fischer. You mentioned that in your opening
comments about--when you were talking about changes----
Mr. Adkinson. Sure.
Senator Fischer.--as we reauthorize FirstNet. Could you
give us--wrap it up here? Senator Lujan is going to have one
more question, or more than one, as we wait to see if other
senators are coming, but can you hit those points for us again
at the end?
Mr. Adkinson. Yes, ma'am. I want to make sure I answer your
question correctly, all three points in that regard really
quick. Yes, absolutely. So first and foremost, I think there
should be an expansion of the public safety seats on the Board
so that we don't lose what is the tenor and direction of what
this Board should be about. It is looking after the interest of
public safety, and making sure that doesn't become a secondary
interest.
And I think that should be codified, to the staggering of
terms so that we don't end up in a situation--you know, again
we have six new board members plus two current vacancies, and I
am actually just the acting chair at this point. Those are the
kind of things that we need to give the Secretary of Department
of Commerce the opportunity to make those corrections as
appropriate. And I think that helps for continuity and
consistency in government.
Three, which is too many captains on the ship. We have to
have the ability to make decisions that matter and hold
accountable. If you are going to ask me to be accountable I
suggest that I need the authority to do that. And there are
some clear things that I think we can go back that I can give
you examples of where that was challenging.
Senator Fischer. As you look at the current statute, do you
think that the performance benchmarks and device connection
targets are being met?
Mr. Adkinson. I think there should be stricter, more
outlined and more defined performance measures, that is in the
best interest of the people we serve. Quite frankly, it is in
the best interest of AT&T. Nobody loses with us being more
accountable and having performance measures. It is the right
thing to do.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, sir.
Senator Lujan.
Senator Lujan. Thank you, Madam Chair. Good questions.
Mr. Agnew, what is FirstNet's presence in rural, tribal,
and remote areas of New Mexico, and is coverage there truly
sufficient?
Mr. Agnew. Thank you for that question, Senator. We need
continued buildout. While New Mexico has received significant
buildout for the FirstNet program, there is more work that
needs to be done, and there is a couple things that are being
done. As I mentioned, the coverage workshops where new sites
are going to be built based off of your first responders.
Additionally, we make available deployables so they can pull
out their own coverage. We make it highly affordable, small
form factor so they can deploy coverage where it doesn't exist.
Finally, as I mentioned before, the partnership with AST
that is going to fill out much of the white space that is in
Nebraska--or sorry--New Mexico, I apologize. And that is where
we are going to be able to provide a layered approach to
deliver that connectivity for New Mexico.
Senator Lujan. Mr. Agnew, if you don't have the percentage
of the state that is covered or where the holes are, you could
just respond to that one in writing. New Mexico is one of the
first states that adopted into FirstNet, and if I am not
mistaken, we were one of the early adopters.
Mr. Agnew. Yes, sir.
Senator Lujan. We still have holes, man. I can tell you,
where I drive where phones don't work. And I have got them all.
Mr. Agnew. Right.
Senator Lujan. And when I talk to local law enforcement
agencies, you know, some of my CDS comes from trying to help
local law enforcement agencies, there is a fire chief that
lives in a canyon and once he gets past a certain mile marker,
you can't find him. You cannot find him. You can't even bounce
off of radios to get to this this family. And this is in a
mountainous area where a little fire kills people, devastates
homes.
And so I am really interested here. And you know, with that
being said, I would be happy to work with the Chair to look at
the holes that exist across America in rural communities, and
so that we can just get a better understanding of success,
measuring success every year that we deploy, how we do better.
Mr. Davis, same question to you.
Mr. Davis. Yes, Senator, that is a great question. And, I
will tell you, we are we are proud to support nearly 61 percent
of the first responders in New Mexico. I know those challenges
very well. I actually have a home in Northern New Mexico, and
spend a lot of time there.
You know, some of the things that we are doing we are doing
a lot of the similar things, and I think what is important to
understand here at the end of the day there is no separate
network, there is no separate commercial, there is one
commercial truck carrier that is providing these services for
public safety, there are multiple carriers that are doing that
today. I think that is important, that is why we are here.
So if FirstNet is getting funding, we are looking at
additional $15 billion over the next, you know, 25 years of the
term, and they are to put a tower in that canyon, that tower
should be able to cover all the public safety providers, not
just AT&T customers, because what we have seen in national
outages, and what we have seen in recent times, is when there
is an AT&T outage, FirstNet is out too.
So there is no separate network and there is no--everything
is riding on AT&T's commercial network. And I think that we--
that is a good reminder for us, and a good reminder for rural
coverage that we all have to work together, and that is why it
is important that we have competition in the marketplace.
Senator Lujan. Mr. Agnew, let me ask you a question that I
presented earlier. Does technology exist today where, if a
first responder buys a phone, a communication device, can they
ride all three networks with subscriptions? Or do they have to
buy a phone from each--from each carrier?
Mr. Agnew. So thank you for that question, Senator. Today,
the technology does exist where phones can use multiple SIM
cards from carriers as well as routers.
Senator Lujan. But do they have to change a SIM card out or
does it just work?
Mr. Agnew. There is, two options that the routers just
work, the SIM cards there is a--there is a configuration but it
is very simple to do, and it is very standard from a public
safety perspective to have multiple SIMs within a specific
device.
Senator Lujan. Sheriff, I am clearly talking about
something I don't understand, because I see several heads in
the room nodding, either against me or with Mr. Agnew here, if
you will. Is this widely known? Are we seeing agencies across
the country rather--because look, when I am back home and I am
talking to folks, they are rolling with three, four phones,
right. And is this widely known, because it sounds like it
could be a savings?
Mr. Adkinson. Well, I have got three phones, so I am not
sure how that helps. No, I mean, pragmatically, yes, it is
widely known.
Senator Lujan. Yes.
Mr. Adkinson. It is well known. And it is not uncommon for
agencies, when you hear these folks talking about the number of
agencies, 40,000, we have got 30,000 a well, you know, maybe my
math is not that good, but there is a limited number of public
safety agencies in this country, right?
Senator Lujan. Um-hum.
Mr. Adkinson. The reality of, is many organizations use
multiple lines based on what is in their best need. And you are
never going to hear the Authority, the Board tell somebody to
go away from a service if they are not able to provide it yet.
Senator Lujan. Yes. Um-hum.
Mr. Adkinson. I don't want--Russo (sic) said it perfect,
right, which is ``Don't let perfect be the enemy of better''.
We are getting there, but we are not going to endanger
somebody's life by telling you to drop your service when we are
not providing adequate service yet. The goal is to get to
providing adequate service. But to your major point, it is not
uncommon for people to use multiple lines.
Senator Lujan. Amen to that. Last question that I--well, my
time has expired here, so please respond. Just, a follow up
that I have is if you could respond to me, both Mr. Agnew and
Mr. Davis, is if law enforcement knows that there is a hole
somewhere and they have a subscription to either of you, what
do they do to report to you all that there is a hole?
Side by side to that, if I have a constituent that goes and
buys a phone based on the maps that you all presented, and the
phone don't work, what do they need to do to respond to the
company to say, hey, the map said I have got coverage here. I
don't have coverage. You need to fix this. So if you all could
respond to that?
Mr. Agnew. Sure. Very quickly, that direct relationships
between the FirstNet consultants and your public safety
agencies that there is a direct relationship there to report
the coverage, also with the FirstNet Authority and those
covered workshops to document it, and then we subsequently
provide updates.
We are accountable. We are bound by the contract to provide
those updates. We are bound by the contract to provide that
buildout plan. So it is full awareness. And if there is any
public safety officials in your state that are not aware of
that, please, please let them know that it is available to
them.
Senator Lujan. I appreciate that.
Madam Chair, I am reminded of that app that the FCC created
when they were trying to fix these maps that were horrible. I
used it a time or two when devices weren't working. I just
don't know if something equivalent exists or still exists for
the others. So, that is what I am looking at, to try to help
more folks. Yes.
Senator Fischer. Yes. I am with you on that. In fact, I was
going to follow up with it before I recognize Senator Sullivan.
On the maps that are available to the FCC and to the public at
large, I would just ask each of you, yes or no, are they worth
anything?
Go ahead, Sheriff.
Mr. Adkinson. Absolutely. It is going to show you the
overall, right, how good in particular that coverage is, that
is questionable, right. I think that is always something that
could be improved. I am kind of a trust, but verify individual
when it comes to that. So that is an individual.
Senator Fischer. There you go. Mr. Agnew?
Mr. Agnew. It provides directional coverage, but with
FirstNet, we actually provide much different layers that
actually show in-building, outdoor, more specificity before a
first responder comes on. So there is much more that a public
safety----
Senator Fischer. So FirstNet is--which we have already
established, is more reliable than your commercial service?
Mr. Agnew. That is right. With the priority preemption,
correct?
Senator Fischer. Thank you. Mr. Davis?
Mr. Davis. The answer is yes, but I think there is still
more, more work to do.
Senator Fischer. Yes. Thank you. Mr. Maier?
Mr. Maier. We call that drive testing in the field. You go
out and you check, and you verify. I do want to note that for
Senator Lujan, I have a phone here that has two SIMs in it. One
on one carrier, one on the other. And if I could put three on
it, I would use all three. Get one device, sir.
Mr. Davis. Can I have 30 seconds to respond to that? I
think it is important. That is why we are here, right. There is
going to be $15 billion going to the FirstNet Authority over
the next 25 years. There is a lot of rural departments, Taos,
New Mexico, for example, that can't afford two SIMs. It would
be great if that money went back to the public safety agencies,
instead of going to one commercial provider to build out their
network.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Mr. Davis. I think Senator
Lujan and I should do road trips in New Mexico, and then he
comes to Nebraska and we will do it in Nebraska, and we will
include Alaska in this----
Senator Lujan. That is my home.
Senator Fischer.--as we travel our very sparsely populated
areas of the state, and we can tell you exactly where we can do
calls. Thank you.
Senator Sullivan, you are recognized.
STATEMENT OF HON. DAN SULLIVAN,
U.S. SENATOR FROM ALASKA
Senator Sullivan. Thank you, Madam Chair. You are always
welcome to Alaska, as you know.
And I want to--I want to thank the witnesses. It is a
really important topic. And I want to thank the Chair and
Ranking Member for holding this hearing.
So I want to talk a little bit about lessons learned on the
issues of really remote areas, like my state, like the Ranking
Member's and the Chair's state, and what we learned from the
Maui wildfires, because I think there are a lot of lessons
learned. So you know, my state, the Great State of Alaska, has
benefited from meaningful FirstNet investments, and strong
response efforts by AT&T and FirstNet response operations
groups.
But I think the Maui wildfires show that plans and assets
must be demonstrably ready before a disaster occurs, especially
in remote challenging regions of the country. And I would like
all the witnesses' views on this. Do you agree that for remote
states, but I guess it is really for all states, but in
particularly remote big states like mine, that the public
safety, communications, disaster recovery plans must be proven
through exercises and logistics testing, not just written
commitments. Because I think what happened in Maui is you had
all these great written commitments, but there was nothing that
was Hawaii-specific in the protocols.
And I am now looking at the OIG Report that came out, and
that the FirstNet Authority approved AT&T's Business Continuity
and Disaster Recovery Plan just 2 months before the Maui
wildfires, and yet that plan failed miserably, I think.
So can I get everybody's view on that? It is a really
important issue. Don't just have a written plan. Hey, this
looks good. You have got to go test it, especially in a place
like my state, very remote, very rugged. What is the view on,
yes, from all the witnesses? And then what can we--you know
that was just such a horrible tragedy in Maui, my God, but you
know, what is the silver lining on lessons learned from that?
Because I think there is a bunch in the OIG Report certainly
has some----
Mr. Agnew. So Senator----
Senator Sullivan. I will leave it up to you then, all four
of you.
Mr. Agnew. Yes, Senator, thank you. And you are right, it
was a tragedy. And let me just start with saying oversight is
good for the program. It drives continued growth and innovation
so we meet public safety's needs, and FirstNet is really the
only provider with this healthy oversight, and is contractually
bound to deliver for public safety.
So let us talk about learnings. I have been to your state.
I have performed public safety exercises in your state, Juneau,
Alaska; Anchorage, Alaska, working with public safety. I
personally know----
Senator Sullivan. And by the way, just really quick, those
are the big populated areas.
Mr. Agnew. Right, of course.
Senator Sullivan. We had a typhoon that smashed into
Western Alaska a few months ago in these remote villages on the
western part of our state that--and that is where I really want
you to be doing.
Mr. Agnew. Right.
Senator Sullivan. I want you doing exercise in Juneau and
Anchorage, don't get me wrong, but I want you to be doing
exercises in some of the most remote parts of America that have
been really severely impacted by extreme weather.
Mr. Agnew. So to that end, you made a commentary, you are
so far from the mainland, so you have to be self-sufficient. So
the business continuity and disaster recovery plans, and the
resources, you have to be able to self-sustain before the
cavalry comes.
We take the OIG Report very seriously. It is that roadmap
for improvement. So let us focus on Maui. Maui had a device,
had it deployable onsite, was deployed within 24 hours. We have
subsequently sent 30 devices, but what I said was subsequently
sent, right. It needs to withstand now.
So what we have done is we have tripled the amount of
assets on each of the islands. So now, we can respond much
faster. We have coordinated with National Guard and the Hawaii
Emergency--EOC, to receive priority on barges and airlift, so
if deployables need to move between the islands.
From an Alaska perspective, because that learning didn't
just stop at Hawaii, it is now the territories, it is U.S.
Virgin Islands, it is Puerto Rico, it is Alaska, where we have
to operate differently and deploy more assets. So we have
actually doubled the assets in Alaska and continuing. We are
updating, and we will continue to update our business
continuity disaster recovery plans to continue to show what we
are doing there.
But to answer your question directly about testing it, not
just putting on paper.
Senator Sullivan. Yes.
Mr. Agnew. Yes. And that is why we have a dedicated ROG
Team with that specific responsibility to coordinate with your
state. This is Alaska, this is Hawaii, this is North Carolina,
this is New Mexico, and Nebraska, we are required to coordinate
that effort. So thank you.
Senator Sullivan. Good. That is a good answer. Anyone else
have a view on that? I am sure you all do, but it is a really
important question.
Mr. Davis. Yes. A very important question, Senator. And the
tragedy in Maui was just devastating. And this is exactly why
we are here, and exactly why the reliance on a single network
provider is a risk to public safety, and something that we just
cannot afford. So you know, from our perspective, the only true
service of last resort is redundancy.
Senator Sullivan. Yes.
Mr. Davis. So disaster plans must be tested physically, not
just contractually. You know, our contract is with our network
and our customers, not a Federal mandate. But more importantly,
public safety agencies need access to multiple networks. If the
primary network fails, whether due to a wildfire, or a fiber
cut, or a cyberattack, Alaska's first responders need to be
able to immediately switch to another carrier.
Senator Sullivan. Good. And by the way, you know my state,
we get a lot of natural disasters, right. Earthquakes,
wildfires, tsunamis, you name it, we get them. So it is really
important. Any other thoughts on this? I know I am over time,
but it is an important question.
Mr. Maier. Just a short note to say that networks, when
they are overloaded, damaged, or simply unavailable, it is a
problem. First responders have to communicate with each other
and communicate with the public. And we believe at APCO
International, our members do this every day, is that we plan.
We plan with redundancies. We have multiple ways to
communicate.
These may be land mobile radios, it may be high-frequency
radios, it could be multiple carriers, a mix of technologies
that really is field tested. You talked about scenarios.
scenarios exist today that you can tabletop about how do they
work in the field?
Senator Sullivan. Yes.
Mr. Maier. Allow the first responders to work out in the
field to find those gaps, identify them, make corrections, you
will have successful--more successful outcomes.
Senator Sullivan. Good. Sheriff, do you have a--do you want
to wrap it up here?
Mr. Adkinson. Yes, sir. You know, unfortunately, the State
of Florida handles its fair share of natural disasters as well,
too. And one of the things that we know and have learned, that
I think the Authority, as a Board, is pushing for is this
concept of critical compliment, which is what needs to be done
after these after-action reports. (A) Is it predictable? If it
is predictable, it is preventable, right?
Senator Sullivan. Yes.
Mr. Adkinson. (B) Is it a practical application of
resources where it is at? So we can have all the resources in
the world, but if they are only in D.C., they are not doing
anybody any good. So I think what we have learned as we step up
these after-action reports is that there has to be a critical--
at least a critical complement for all areas of the country. I
think that is a buildout process. I am not going to tell you it
is perfect today, because it is not. But that is part and
parcel of learning from these national disasters.
Senator Sullivan. Great. Thank you. Thank you.
Thank you, Madam Chair.
Senator Fischer. Thank you, Senator Sullivan. And thank you
to all of our witnesses for their testimony here today. Senator
Lujan, thank you, and I look forward to working with you and
with all of our colleagues to work together on this important
issue as we look forward to the reauthorization of FirstNet.
Senators will have until the close of business on February
4 to submit questions for the record. The witnesses will have
until the close of business on February 18 to respond to those
questions.
This concludes today's hearing. And with that, the
Committee stands adjourned.
[Whereupon, at 11:27 a.m., the hearing was adjourned.]
A P P E N D I X
National Sheriffs Association
Major Cities Chiefs Association
January 21, 2026
Hon. Ted Cruz, Chairman,
Hon. Maria Cantwell, Ranking Member,
Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation,
Washington, DC.
Dear Chairman and Ranking Member,
As your committee considers reauthorization legislation for the
FirstNet Authority (FNA) prior to 2027, we urge you to consider
critical updates that will improve the effectiveness of the program
through enhanced oversight, accountability, competition, and
transparency regarding the billions of dollars that it spends. To be
clear, we strongly support the FirstNet concept and seek to improve its
structure. Our primary objective in seeking these changes is to ensure
that the FirstNet Authority is working to the benefit of all public-
safety users.
Congress's original vision of FirstNet, a standalone, publicly-
owned network exclusively for public safety use, was laudable. The
reality of the effectiveness of this model is now apparent: it has not
worked as envisioned. The reauthorization process represents an
opportunity to improve this critical program.
First, it is imperative that any reauthorization measure does not
permanently extend the FirstNet mandate. As we have seen over the past
decade, technology and the needs of the public safety community have
evolved dramatically. FirstNet should be revisited and updated over
time, not put on a permanent autopilot. We urge that FirstNet's
reauthorization remain on a Congressionally mandated cycle.
Second, we urge the Congress to ensure that the FirstNet program
benefit all of public safety, not just the customers of a single
commercial carrier. The fact that all of the FirstNet Authority's
multi-billion-dollar spending has gone to only are a single carrier,
AT&T, has been exposed as problematic in recent years. When the AT&T
network went down in February of 2024, AT&T's FirstNet customers lost
service. This is a risk our first responders simply cannot take. They
need consistency and reliability for their communications networks.
Many of our members now depend on multiple carriers to ensure
reliability and resiliency. In the years since FirstNet's contract was
awarded to AT&T, other carriers have developed their own public safety
offerings. This competition has resulted in a better product for our
public safety users. Congress should ensure that all infrastructure
paid for with FNA funds is being used to the benefit of all public
safety users, not just the customers of a single carrier.
Accountability must also be prioritized in the new reauthorization
measure. In recent years, the Inspector General for the Department of
Commerce has issued multiple reports highlighting a lack of
transparency and accountability within FirstNet and particularly with
regard to AT&T's compliance with the FirstNet contract, including
accusations that requested data was altered or not provided. This is
unacceptable. To this end, we urge policymakers to include enhanced
reporting and accountability requirements in the reauthorization
measure, including:
Reporting on the use and capacity of Band 14.
Providing a full range and categorization of FirstNet
subscribers including public safety, fire, EMS, private
companies, etc.
Disallow the use of government funds to support contractors,
events, and marketing for any carrier.
Finally, we urge that policymakers include a provision that repeals
grant/procurement requirements that favors AT&T given its exclusive
partnership with FirstNet. This practice is outdated given the
advancement of public safety communications options, and ultimately
benefits a single corporate entity, not the public safety community.
As previously stated, our goal in making these recommendations is
developing a stronger, more resilient public safety communications
network. We believe that the experience of the past decade makes clear
that changes must be made.
Sincerely,
Jeff Norman,
Milwaukee Police Department,
President,
Major Cities Chiefs Association.
Sheriff Chris West,
Canadian County, OK,
President,
National Sheriffs' Association.
CC: The Honorable Deb Fischer, Chairman, Senate Committee on Commerce,
Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on Telecommunications and
Media
The Honorable Ben Ray Lujan, Ranking Member, Senate Committee on
Commerce, Science, and Transportation Subcommittee on
Telecommunications and Media
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Dan Sullivan to
Michael A. Adkinson, Jr.
Disaster Recovery Plan Approval Standards:
The OIG found that FirstNet Authority approved AT&T's Business
Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan on May 30, 2023, just two months
before the Maui wildfires, even though the plan did not demonstrate the
ability to restore service within required timeframes and did not
include Hawaii-specific protocols. Alaska faces similar challenges--
remote communities, limited transportation options, and frequent
natural disasters--making region-specific, proven recovery planning
essential.
Question 1. What specific objective standards does FirstNet
Authority use to approve a disaster recovery plan, and why were those
standards met in this case despite the plan's failure during a real-
world disaster?
Answer. As outlined in the FirstNet contract requirements, the plan
comprehensively addresses:
Written disaster recovery plans for all critical technology
and infrastructure, including the Nationwide Public Safety
Broadband Network (NPSBN).
Proper risk controls to ensure continued performance of the
contract in the event of a disaster.
Procedures that will be invoked in the occurrence of a Force
Majeure event.
Demonstrated capability to provide uninterrupted access to
the NPSBN during the disaster within the recovery time
objectives.
The Board ensures that the FirstNet Authority management
continually executes oversight of its contractor, AT&T, to ensure
contract requirements are met while also implementing corrective
actions when performance measures are not being met. To be frank, we
can do better. We will continue to process lessons learned and make
investments and improvements to ensure contractual obligations are met
and public safety's unique critical communications needs are addressed.
The Board stands ready to work with Congress during reauthorization to
provide additional tools to enhance oversight of the contract and set
public safety up for success for the next ten years.
Question 2. Why isn't approval of a FirstNet disaster recovery plan
contingent on regular, documented, live exercises that prove deployable
equipment can actually be activated and deployed on time?
Answer. The Board has directed the FirstNet Authority management to
actively exercise oversight of disaster recovery through live
demonstrations and testing of the deployable service. Between 2023 and
2026, the FirstNet Authority conducted comprehensive live exercises in
diverse and challenging environments, including, Alaska (Girdwood),
Puerto Rico (San Juan and Aguas Buenas), the Northern Mariana Islands,
American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A future verification
event is planned for Hawaii as part of the Maui Action Plan
implementation in March 2026.
By contract, AT&T is required to submit formal test reports twice
annually, ensuring accountability and performance tracking. As we
continue to strengthen the rigor of our process, the Board is committed
to ensuring the integration of existing oversight of deployable assets
with the Disaster Recovery Plan framework. Creating a direct link
between operational testing and documented recovery strategies enhances
resiliency, validates readiness, and ensures alignment with contractual
and industry best practices.
Question 3. Does FirstNet require disaster recovery plans to be
validated through logistics exercises--such as actually moving
equipment to remote or island locations--and if not, why?
Answer. Between 2023 and 2026, the FirstNet Authority conducted
comprehensive live exercises in diverse and challenging environments,
including, Alaska (Girdwood), Puerto Rico (San Juan and Aguas Buenas),
the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa, and the U.S. Virgin
Islands and is actively working to evolve this process into a fully
integrated component of the Disaster Recovery Plan. By connecting
operational testing with documented recovery strategies, we aim to
create a seamless oversight model that validates readiness and
strengthens resilience. This continuous improvement approach ensures
that lessons learned from live demonstrations directly inform and
enhance disaster recovery planning.
______
Response to Written Question Submitted by Hon. Maria Cantwell to
Michael A. Adkinson, Jr.
Outstanding GAO and OIG Recommendations. The Government
Accountability Office and the Department of Commerce's Inspector
General released a number of extremely troubling reports that have
raised serious concerns about a troubling pattern: when AT&T falls
short of its contractual requirements, the response has been to change
how performance is measured rather than to actually improve
performance.
When AT&T failed to meet FirstNet adoption requirements in 34
states, the Authority replaced strict state-by-state standards with a
nationwide average--a change AT&T itself proposed--allowing $38 million
in penalties to be waived. When AT&T was on track to miss deployment
targets in rural communities, the Authority changed how deployment was
calculated, helping AT&T avoid penalties and collect additional
payments.
And with the Maui wildfires, the OIG found that AT&T altered data
after the fact. AT&T downgraded requests for temporary cell sites from
requiring immediate action to a lower priority. The report documented
staff comments about ``backdating'' request times and needing to ``pad
my stats.'' The FirstNet Authority failed to catch this until the
Inspector General brought it to their attention.
Question 1. Sheriff Adkinson, will you commit to holding AT&T
responsible for altering data or providing inaccurate information to
the FirstNet Authority, and to reject attempts to modify the contract
to weaken performance standards?
Answer. Yes. As I testified regarding issues raised by the
Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General (OIG), the Board,
NTIA, and FirstNet Authority management are fully committed to ensuring
the best possible network for public safety. That includes ensuring
that our contractor AT&T performs its contractual obligations. A
cornerstone of the success of FirstNet's contract is the unique
transparency and accountability to public safety and oversight by the
OIG, other government auditing bodies, and members of this Committee.
Of course, it is also clear that we can do better, and reauthorization
is a key opportunity for Congress to give us the tools we need to set
public safety up for success for the next ten years.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Brian Schatz to
Michael A. Adkinson, Jr.
Question 1. In December 2024, the Department of Commerce Office of
Inspector General issued a report, ``Nationwide Public Safety Broadband
Network Was Not Always Available to First Responders During the
Catastrophic 2023 Maui Wildfires.'' What is the status of FirstNet
Authority's compliance with, and implementation of, the eleven
recommendations from the report?
Answer. FirstNet Authority has fully implemented 9 of the 11
Recommendations.
a. What is the status of any pending recommendations?
Answer. Of the 9 recommendations implemented, 3 recommendations
have been accepted by the OIG for closure (i.e., recommended steps have
been satisfactorily completed), and 6 recommendations are being
reviewed presently by the OIG for closure.
b. When can you guarantee these recommendations will be fully
implemented?
Answer. Work on the remaining 2 recommendations is in progress now
and targeted for closure within FY 2026.
Question 2. Why did FirstNet Authority approve AT&T's business
continuity and disaster recovery plan, which incorrectly included
Hawaii in its plan for the continental United States?
Answer. The Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan is a
Network based plan that is tailored to the Network Operator. This plan
covers all states where AT&T is the network operator, including Hawaii.
At the time of approval, the FirstNet Authority determined that the
baseline plan met contractual requirements. Since the after-action
review and lessons learned from the Maui incident, the Authority has
been working to strengthen the plan. The new plan requires further
detail and rigor and we are committed to continual improvement of the
plan. Additionally, to strengthen oversight and improve quality,
management has since expanded the review team by assigning additional
subject matter expert resources, ensuring broader expertise and more
rigorous evaluation to strengthen the oversight of the program and our
disaster recovery efforts.
a. What oversight and approval protocol was in place at the time of
FirstNet Authority's approval of the plan? What specific gaps
contributed to this error?
Answer. FirstNet Authority utilized a structured Deliverable Review
Process to ensure quality and compliance across all submissions. This
process has improved over time by addressing resource gaps--adding
subject matter experts and reviewers to manage the high volume of
deliverables effectively. Following the Maui incident, AT&T has
deployed fourteen new assets across the Hawaiian Islands of Hawaii,
Kauai, Maui, and Oahu. Hawaii's new deployable assets include four
Compact Rapid Deployables (CRDs), six miniCRDs and four Low-earth orbit
Emergency Communication Portables (LECPs). CRDs provide up to two miles
of portable FirstNet coverage without relying on external power
sources. MiniCRDs can be transported as checked luggage and deliver up
to half a mile of coverage for emergency operations. LECPs use low-
earth orbit satellite links to restore communication when fiber or
microwave connections are unavailable. With the addition of the new
deployable assets, the number of locally available FirstNet deployable
assets in Hawaii was tripled.
b. What changes has FirstNet Authority made to address these
oversight and approval errors?
Answer. The FirstNet Authority performed a concentrated review of
the Disaster Recovery Plan as part of its implementation of the Maui
Audit Recommendations. To improve our oversight and address errors, we
added additional reviewers to obtain a wider scope of subject matter
expertise. Following this exercise, the FirstNet Authority held several
engagement sessions with AT&T to clarify expectations. The Authority
now has an updated Disaster Recovery Plan with an Appendix specific to
the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network, which provides greater
traceability to our contract requirements.
c. Did FirstNet Authority previously confirm whether Hawaii state
public safety officials were involved in the development and approval
of the business continuity and disaster plan?
Answer. The Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery Plan is a
network-based plan that is tailored to the network operator. In the
case of the Continental United States, Hawaii, and Alaska, AT&T is the
network operator.
Previously, states were invited by AT&T's Response Operations Group
(ROG) to participate in a voluntary exercise to establish state
specific response coordination plans. For Hawaii specifically, an
initial engagement occurred, however the plan was not completed. The
Board acknowledges the need to become more involved in the state
specific planning process. As such, the Board has directed the FirstNet
Authority Public Safety Advocacy team to engage directly with both AT&T
and states to establish state specific response coordination plans.
This exercise will update plans that were established under the
voluntary process and will establish plans for states that didn't
previously have them, including Hawaii.
d. Will FirstNet Authority now confirm the involvement of Hawaii
state public safety officials in the development and approval of the
new business continuity and disaster plan?
Answer. Yes. The Board will ensure the active involvement of Hawaii
state public safety officials in both the development and approval of
the Hawaii response coordination plans. These plans are designed to
complement AT&T's nationwide Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery
Plan by incorporating localized requirements and operational realities.
This coordinated approach ensures that national standards are
reinforced with state-level strategies, delivering a more resilient and
responsive framework for emergency preparedness.
Question 3. The first recommendation from the Office of the
Inspector General report directs FirstNet to ensure that special
hardening measures are implemented for the unique threats faced in the
Maui region, as required by the NPSBN contract. What specific hardening
measures have been taken to address this recommendation?
Answer. In addition to complete site and backhaul restoration,
additional hardening measures include additional FirstNet cell sites,
changes to vegetation/landscaping plans, increased generators (fixed
and portable), an on-island technician and additional deployables to
ensure capability on each island, and reduced reliance on the need to
move large/heavy equipment between islands.
a. What other hardening and resiliency measures have been taken
aside from deployables?
Answer. Following the fires, hardening and resiliency measures
include: (1) site repair and replacement; (2) new sites added post-
fire; (3) changes to landscaping plans; (4) increased number of sites
with fixed generators; (5) installation of generator camlocks for
expedited hook-up for temporary generators; (6) additional portable
generators; and (7) on-island dedicated technicians.
b. Have additional hardening measures been adopted for other high-
risk areas since the Office of the Inspector General report was
released?
Answer. The FirstNet Authority included requirements for fixed
generators for standard new site builds funded through our Coverage
Enhancements reinvestment. The Board also recently approved an
investment to upgrade the FirstNet core to support future public safety
specific direct to device capabilities, which could serve as a backup
in areas where terrestrial service is temporarily impaired.
c. Are additional hardening measures, aside from deployables,
planned for other high-risk areas?
Answer. The Board views hardening measures as necessary to meet the
required Nationwide Service Availability requirement of 99.99 percent.
This calculation is based on network probes located throughout the
country, including high risk areas. In addition to measures already
adopted, the Board is working with the FirstNet Authority management to
investigate additional hardening measures in high-risk areas. Examples
include logistical contingencies with local and Federal partners to
facilitate better deployment among the islands and direct-to-device
technology, which will benefit FirstNet subscribers by providing
connectivity for devices from space when terrestrial cellular networks
are unavailable.
Question 4. The Office of the Inspector General report found that
AT&T altered data it reported to FirstNet Authority regarding the Maui
wildfire response, and that FirstNet Authority did not have access to
AT&T's real time network data. What barriers prevented FirstNet
Authority from conducting appropriate oversight of these performance
metrics?
Answer. By contract, the FirstNet Authority receives the
Deployables and Temporary Solutions report on a quarterly basis which
presents a barrier to oversight. FirstNet Authority has previously had
to invoke its right to audit AT&T records to gain access to the raw
data upon which these reports are based. Frankly, this is unacceptable.
Following the events in Lahaina, FirstNet Authority management
requested time stamp data for questioned entries to correlate report
data and support event reclassification. We are actively pursuing real/
near real time data for deployable dispatches, outages, and network
performance data and have begun these discussions with AT&T as part of
our work to implement one of the Maui Audit Recommendations.
a. According to the report, AT&T downgraded first responders'
requests for 14 deployables from ``emergent'' (requiring immediate
action) to ``urgent'' (requiring action between 14 hours and 30 days).
What was the effect of AT&T reclassifying these requests from
``emergent'' to ``urgent'' on Maui wildfire response efforts?
Answer. ``Urgent'' deployments were not included in the Response
Time Objective (RTO) calculation whereas emergent deployments were.
FirstNet Authority required AT&T to resubmit this report including
explanations for each event classification and reclassification within
the Maui wildfires to ensure proper reporting. The contract did not
previously include definitions for event types. We have corrected this
as noted in the response below to ensure alignment of performance
requirements.
b. How is FirstNet Authority implementing new protocols to ensure
that these errors do not happen again, and that data-sharing is
transparent, accurate, and trustworthy?
Answer:
1. FirstNet Authority modified its contract with AT&T to add
definitions for emergency events that contribute to the
Recovery Time Objective (RTO) and Non-Emergency events that do
not.
2. FirstNet Authority conducted an audit of AT&T deployable data,
including system records.
3. FirstNet Authority implemented an enhanced manual surveillance
process.
4. FirstNet Authority invested in a Data Discovery and
Virtualization Tool and built a use case specific to deployment
events to help identify anomalies across large volumes of data.
5. FirstNet Authority conducted on-site field surveillance of the
Deployables program at planned events and by exercising the
request process for field-specific deployments.
Question 5. The Office of the Inspector General report found that
FirstNet Authority did not ensure that AT&T's After-Action Report for
the Maui wildfires included sufficient information about lessons
learned and process and protocol improvements to implement. This is a
requirement of the NPSBN contract. Why did FirstNet Authority not
ensure sufficient information was included in the report?
Answer. The After-Action Report included ``Key Learnings, Actions,
and Recommendations,'' which were also discussed during the After-
Action Briefing. These learnings were largely related to the need for
more deployables in Hawaii to support multiple incidents
simultaneously.
Question 6. How are deployables tested and assessed for readiness,
and what training and resources are offered to state and local public
safety officials?
Answer. The deployable assets are owned, maintained and operated by
AT&T. FirstNet Authority staff routinely conduct oversight visits of
the deployable assets, including observations at storage locations and
actual field deployments to observe readiness and programmatic
compliance.
a. What is the frequency of the training provided to state and
local public safety officials?
Answer. Deployables are operated solely by AT&T and their
subcontractors. The FirstNet Authority Public Safety Advocacy office
provides education and outreach on availability and best practices
regarding deployables to public safety stakeholders through forums held
locally as well as nationally. The information is also widely available
on FirstNet's website, as well as AT&T's. Educational events are
conducted numerous times per year.
Separate from the deployables available through the contract, state
and local organizations may purchase their own customer-owned and
maintained (COAM) deployables. Purchasing agencies can arrange COAM
trainings directly from the manufacturer in addition to online training
videos.
Question 7. How does FirstNet determine its metrics for deployment
success?
Answer. The FirstNet Authority currently relies on a Key
Performance Metric known as the Recovery Time Objective (RTO) to assess
performance. During the execution of recommendations for the Maui
Audit, management initiated a working group to review how to measure
our program's success, including the establishment of new requirements
for measuring deployables' performance, which we will incorporate into
contract oversight.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. John Hickenlooper to
Michael A. Adkinson, Jr.
Federal Labs. Colorado is home to many Federal labs which perform
mission critical research, development, and testing to improve
communications service. The First Responder Network Authority, the
NTIA's Institute for Telecommunications Sciences (ITS), and NIST's
Public Safety Communications Research Division within the
Communications Technology Laboratory all call Boulder, Colorado their
home. The FirstNet Authority's lab in Boulder tests public safety
technologies which will be used by first responders. NTIA's ITS lab is
the gold standard for researching how to maximize spectrum efficiency
and reduce interference to Federal agency missions and commercial
radiofrequency applications. NIST's PSCR Division supports the
development of technical specifications to advance next-generation
communications technologies.
Question 1. Do you believe the research activities performed by the
NIST, NTIA, and FirstNet Authority Labs are key to the success of
advancing the state of the art in public safety communications? Which
areas of research or technical challenges in public safety
communications may be useful to examine going forward?
Answer. The work done over the last 10 years by the FirstNet
Authority, NTIA's Institute for Telecommunication Sciences, and NIST
has spurred academic research and private sector innovation in public
safety communications technologies worldwide. The FirstNet Authority's
Boulder Lab demonstrates and verifies location-based services and
mission critical service capabilities on the FirstNet network, enabling
the FirstNet Authority to provide detailed and timely feedback on the
public safety user experience.
The FirstNet Authority (through our network reinvestments) and NIST
are both actively working to identify and support addressing gaps in
key public safety communications technology and capabilities. This
includes enhancing Mission Critical Push-to-Talk to provide a common
operating picture through integration with computer aided dispatch
(CAD), wearables, communications in austere environments (e.g.,
satellite and deployables) and the ability to communicate with no
network infrastructure (device-to-device). Another is location
services, especially related to tracking indoor first responder
locations including in the vertical axis, and the ability to create and
visualize a common operating picture (with augmented reality,
wearables, and other intelligence).
A future area for examination is the satellite-to-device
capabilities being launched to provide service from space across the
U.S. where it is impossible to deploy terrestrial cell towers. This
service will be available on the FirstNet network soon, and it will be
important to stress test this functionality for public safety
communications in remote and disaster hit areas.
Question 2. 47 U.S.C. Sec. 1443 outlines a process for public
safety wireless communications research and development. Do you believe
the FirstNet Authority could strengthen its collaboration with nearby
NIST and NTIA ITS labs with respect to public safety communications
research? If yes, please elaborate on how this collaboration could be
strengthened.
Answer. Yes. The FirstNet Authority, NTIA ITS, and NIST PSCR have a
very strong partnership with multiple collaborations over the years.
The labs regularly work together to ensure they are maximizing
collaboration opportunities in a fiscally responsible manner.
The FirstNet Authority has more recently engaged in joint working
group discussions with the NTIA-ITS Boulder lab regarding additional
public safety communications opportunities and projects in the NTIA-ITS
5G CRAIN lab focused on spectrum interference.
Question 3. Would you support or oppose cuts to Federal funding to
labs, including the aforementioned labs, which support the advancement
of communications research?
Answer. I support continued support for all the Department of
Commerce labs focused on advancing public safety communications
technology, and there may be additional efficiencies in more unified
collaboration.
Question 4. The Public Safety Trust Fund was only authorized until
Fiscal Year 2022. From your perspective, describe how reinvestments are
made into the FirstNet Authority's lab and highlight where additional
Federal resources may be needed for public safety communications
research.
Answer. The FirstNet Authority lab is funded by the annual FirstNet
Authority Budget approved each year by the Board. The Board has made
significant investments in capabilities in our FirstNet Boulder Lab
since 2014. It is an important asset in the contract oversight function
of the network and is continuously updated to ensure the latest public
safety capabilities can be fully tested under severe congestion
scenarios to ensure FirstNet public safety subscriber services work as
designed.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Ted Cruz to
Scott Agnew
Question 1. Since 2015, the Commerce Department's Inspector General
(IG) has issued 19 audit and evaluation reports and two investigative
reports on the FirstNet Authority highlighting modifications to the
network contract that ``made it easier for AT&T to achieve milestone
compliance and payment,'' \1\ the Authority's failure to ``adequately
assess contractor performance to ensure AT&T achieved'' network
coverage and device connections targets,\2\ and conduct by senior
leadership that ``interfer[ed] with OIG's statutory right of access and
duty to keep the Secretary of Commerce and Congress informed of serious
issues affecting [the] FirstNet Authority.'' \3\ In August, the IG
issued a report finding that senior FirstNet Authority officials
obstructed oversight, withheld and altered documents, directed staff
not to cooperate with the IG, and cultivated an internal ``warlike''
relationship with the oversight office, describing the IG as their
``common enemy.'' \4\ That same report also found retaliation against
whistleblowers, including efforts to pressure at least one employee to
resign, which led the IG to take the highly unusual step of making a
criminal referral to the Department of Justice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General, FirstNet
Authority Did Not Ensure the Nation's First Responders' Needs Were
Continuing to Be Met Timely When Modifying Key Objectives of the NPSBN
Contract, OIG-24-024-A (2024), https://www.oig.doc.gov/OIGPublications/
OIG-24_2.pdf.
\2\ Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General, FirstNet
Authority's Lack of Contract Oversight for Device Connection Targets
Puts the NPSBN at Risk of Impacting First Responders' Use of the
Network, OIG-24-027-A (2024), https://www.oig.doc.gov/wp-content/
OIGPublica
tions/OIG-24-027-A-REDACTED.pdf; Department of Commerce Office of
Inspector General, FirstNet Authority's Lack of NPSBN Contract
Oversight for Coverage Puts at Risk First Responders' Ability to Serve
the Public Effectively, OIG-24-026-A (2024), https://www.oig.doc.gov/
wp-content/OIGPublications/OIG-24-026-A-REDACTED.pdf.
\3\ Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General,
Investigation into Allegations That FirstNet Authority Senior Officials
Interfered with OIG Audits, OIG-24-0175 (2025),
https://www.oig.doc.gov/wp-content/OIGPublications/
Public_Investigative_Summary_24-0175_
SECURED.pdf.
\4\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other IG reports have raised serious questions about the
Authority's management of its contract with AT&T. In May 2024, the IG
stated that the Authority ``did not ensure . . . desired results for
both coverage and device connection targets for each state and
territory'' were achieved due to the decision to ``accept[] AT&T's
proposed nationwide coverage metrics'' and ``repeatedly chang[e] device
connection target requirements from state-by-state to a less stringent
nationwide basis.'' \5\ Absent this, ``AT&T would not have met the
originally contracted state-by-state requirement for 34 states and one
territory.'' \6\ Follow up audits in June 2024 reinforced these
findings.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ Supra note 1.
\6\ Id.
\7\ Supra note 2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
These reports raise questions about the Authority's governance and
its oversight of its contract with AT&T. Some have pointed to the
Authority's nebulous ``independent'' status in Federal statute as part
of the reason for the lackluster accountability.
a. Please respond to the IG's findings referenced above.
b. Would making the Authority directly accountable to NTIA be a
positive or negative change, and why?
Answer. AT&T supports rigorous oversight of government programs
such as FirstNet. FirstNet operates under arguably the strongest, most
layered oversight mechanisms in Federal telecommunications. Those
mechanisms are a healthy, deliberate safeguard Congress built into the
program; they work as intended and continue to strengthen the network
that first responders rely on every day. This ensures the network
continuously evolves in direct response to public safety's needs--a
distinguishing feature that separates FirstNet from commercial, best-
effort wireless networks, which aren't subject to such reviews.
The Department of Commerce OIG maintains a dedicated team that
conducts continuous audits and investigations of FirstNet. The
management alerts and reports help identify opportunities to strengthen
oversight, and the FirstNet Authority has used those recommendations to
improve processes and controls. While the OIG's reviews are primarily
focused on internal government processes and opportunities to
strengthen contract oversight, as the network contractor, AT&T has been
named in some of these reports. Where the OIG issues findings related
to AT&T operations and performance, it has been unfortunate that the
OIG has refused direct feedback from AT&T despite multiple attempts and
offers to provide information. This has, on occasion, resulted in
incorrect information, a lack of context and a limited scope of AT&T
activity being contained in OIG reports. AT&T welcomes the oversight
from the OIG and would welcome the opportunity to be a resource to
increase the accuracy and effectiveness of these reviews.
As contractor, AT&T defers to government stakeholders on the best
governance structure to achieve the government's goals for the FirstNet
program.
Question 2. FirstNet arose out of a recommendation from the 9/11
Commission to establish a nationwide, interoperable network dedicated
to public safety officials to achieve interoperability after
communication failures on 9/11 meant firefighters, police officers, and
other first responders couldn't talk to one another because they were
using incompatible radio systems. Does FirstNet, as it exists today,
adequately address the concerns raised by, and recommendations from,
the 9/11 Commission Report?
Answer. Yes, FirstNet directly addresses the concerns raised by and
recommendations from the 9/11 Commission Report, but as discussed
below, the mission is not complete. Public safety's network is here,
it's working, and it's trusted by and serving public safety in rural,
urban, suburban, tribal and territorial communities. But the work is
not done. The FirstNet network must continue to expand, as designed by
Congress, to provide services in hard-to-reach areas as prioritized by
public safety.
In addition, based on public safety's direct feedback, we are now
bringing the next generation of interoperability to public safety by
integrating broadband services with legacy land-mobile radio systems,
which have long served public safety for push-to-talk (PTT) voice
services.
As part of the successful, self-sustaining program model,
significant investment has been made in FirstNet mission-critical,
broadband-enabled PTT. FirstNet Fusion will take interoperability to
the next level by enabling interoperability for these previously siloed
LMR systems and allowing for the Fusion mobile application to operate
across FirstNet and other non-FirstNet carrier devices.
For additional context, FirstNet is interoperable with commercial
wireless networks based on common, international standards--a
requirement set by the U.S. Congress in the 2012 enacting statute. And
as America's public safety network, FirstNet delivers first responders
with a dedicated network core, always-on, multi-tier priority and
preemption, dedicated deployable assets for emergencies and planned
events, as well as dedicated connectivity across public safety's Band
14 spectrum when and where it's needed. That means FirstNet users can
call, text and exchange data (and vice versa) with other first
responders regardless of wireless network. And with FirstNet Fusion,
the brick wall between wireless broadband and LMR is crumbling. In
short, it is no longer a technology issue, but a matter of public
safety awareness, education and adoption.
Question 3. Congress authorized FirstNet in 2012, and the contract
was awarded to AT&T in 2017. Since then, the communications sector has
experienced massive technological advancements, including the
transition from 4G LTE to 5G; the rise of satellite-based direct to
cell technology; and new network management tools like network slicing
and AI for dynamic management. Future developments--including 6G and
dynamic spectrum sharing--are just around the corner.
a. Given modern communications technologies are built upon 3GPP
standards that ensure interoperability, what is the continued need for
a single nationwide network like FirstNet if the goal is to ensure
interoperability?
i. Is there anything preventing first responders who today
subscribe to, for example, Verizon Frontline wireless service, from
texting, calling, or otherwise communicating with first responders who
subscribe to T-Priority or FirstNet (other than potential differences
in network coverage)? If not, then what interoperability concerns truly
remain (land mobile radio notwithstanding)?
Answer. Congress and public safety envisioned a single nationwide
public safety network for a reason: a single nationwide network to
ensure seamless interoperability, consistent performance, high levels
of security, clear accountability, and to ensure the network continues
to evolve based on first responders' needs. Without a single nationwide
network, like FirstNet, we risk recreating the fragmented, high-risk
patchwork that failed first responders on 9/11.
Additionally, FirstNet is a catalyst for public safety-centric
innovation and competition across the broader wireless ecosystem. It
has established a higher standard for reliability, priority, security
and resiliency--raising the bar for the entire market and therefore
benefiting all first responders--regardless of whether they are
FirstNet subscribers or use a commercial wireless service.
There is nothing preventing first responders who today subscribe to
commercial service offerings, such as Verizon Frontline or T-Mobile's
T-Priority, from texting, calling, or otherwise communicating with
first responders who subscribe to FirstNet. FirstNet is interoperable
with commercial wireless networks based on common, international
standards--a requirement set by the U.S. Congress in the enacting
statute in 2012. And as America's public safety network, FirstNet
delivers first responders with a dedicated network core, always-on,
multi-tier priority and preemption, dedicated deployable assets for
emergencies and planned events, as well as dedicated connectivity
across public safety's Band 14 spectrum when and where it's needed.
That means FirstNet users can call, text and exchange data (and vice
versa) with other first responders regardless of wireless network.
While there are priority offerings available to public safety from
commercial, best-effort wireless service providers, public safety on
those networks have reported continued challenges with network
congestion during operationally critical response incidents. This was
the case for public safety and other emergency response personnel
during the presidential assassination attempt at the campaign rally in
Butler, PA. Despite widespread accounts of network congestion on
wireless networks, the U.S. House Butler Task Force found ``law
enforcement personnel with FirstNet cellular service did not have
notable interference with their connectivity.'' \8\
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\8\ https://taskforce.house.gov/sites/evo-subsites/
july13taskforce.house.gov/files/evo-media-document/12-5-2024-Final-
Report-Redacted.pdf (Page 96)
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As part of the successful, self-sustaining program model,
significant investment has been made in FirstNet mission-critical,
broadband-enabled PTT--bringing the next generation of interoperability
to public safety. FirstNet Fusion will take interoperability to the
next level by enabling interoperability for previously siloed land-
mobile radio (LMR) systems and allowing for the Fusion mobile
application to operate across FirstNet and devices on commercial
networks. This work reflects the FirstNet public-private partnership's
commitment to continuous improvement, future readiness, and
responsiveness to first-responder's feedback and evolving needs.
Question 4. Many public safety officials subscribe to multiple
services, in addition to FirstNet, to achieve redundancy or coverage
where FirstNet may be lacking. As part of a reauthorization effort,
does Congress need to act to preserve this redundancy in the
marketplace or will it exist sans legislative action?
Answer. Redundancy in the marketplace exists today and will
continue without direct legislative action as part of reauthorizing the
FirstNet Authority. This is in part due to FirstNet acting as a
catalyst for public safety-centric innovation and competition across
the broader wireless ecosystem. FirstNet instead establishes a higher
standard for reliability, priority, security and resiliency--raising
the bar for the entire market and therefore benefiting all first
responders--regardless of whether they are FirstNet subscribers or use
a commercial wireless service.
Commercial offerings like Verizon Frontline and T-Mobile's T-
Priority--which did not exist prior to FirstNet--may claim comparable
capabilities, but only FirstNet delivers a purpose-built network for
public safety with a dedicated network core, dedicated deployable
assets, multi-tier priority and preemption, a mandate to never throttle
public safety's critical communications, and rigorous Federal
accountability. This provides public safety with heightened performance
and functionality that is superior to commercial, best-effort service
offerings.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. John Thune to
Scott Agnew
Question 1. Rural states, like South Dakota, rely crucially on the
coordination between federal, state, tribal, and local governments to
respond to emergencies. How has AT&T navigated coordination at the
national level across all 50 states and territories with relevant
Federal agencies, such as the U.S. Department of Defense, U.S.
Department of Justice, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, to
ensure robust public safety?
Answer. From the outset, FirstNet was built for, and informed by,
public safety. This is why our FirstNet Response Operations Group (ROG)
is led by a dedicated team of former first responders available
24x7x365 to support public safety's emergency communications needs.
FirstNet ROG functions under the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's
Incident Command System (ICS) principles--a standardized, on-scene
management framework to effectively organize and coordinate emergency
response to incidents of any size or type. This system ensures that,
regardless of discipline or geography, federal, state, tribal and local
agencies operate with a common operating model, shared terminology, and
clear roles and responsibilities. FirstNet ROG Division Chiefs are
organized by the 10 FEMA regions--which includes all states and U.S.
territories. Additionally, the FirstNet ROG team includes a Federal
Division Chief with a law enforcement background, allowing an
understanding of Federal public safety's emergency communications
needs, especially law enforcement agencies like DEA, FBI, ATF, DOJ and
DHS.
This structure and unprecedented engagement with public safety is
exemplified at the annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in Sturgis, SD. In
anticipation of large crowds at the rally each year, FirstNet ROG
engages with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies to plan
and identify critical communications needs months in advance.
Throughout the weeks-long event, the team monitors the FirstNet network
and has portable cell sites and other communications solutions at the
ready to deploy as needed based on public safety's needs.
Our public-private partnership with the FirstNet Authority drives
unique relationships and ability for joint government-to-government
engagement. To further support the unique needs of each state, we
encourage public safety entities such as South Dakota Emergency
Management Agency (EMA) to participate in the process of developing a
State Engagement Program Profile with FirstNet ROG and the FirstNet
Authority. Our State Engagement Program builds upon our already robust
response process and identifies state-specific requirements and
procedures to support state emergency operation activations and
develops a written playbook for enhanced operations and effective joint
coordination.
Question 2. Follow-up: How can AT&T improve coordination with
Federal agencies to determine and mitigate vulnerabilities to FirstNet
infrastructure?
Answer. AT&T recognizes the critical importance of proactively
identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities to FirstNet infrastructure
and is steadfast in its commitment to strengthening coordination with
Federal partners to further the resilience of America's public safety
network. As part of this work, we continue to enhance our collaboration
with agencies such as DHS, DOJ, FBI, CISA and other Federal
stakeholders that maintain threat intelligence, physical security, and
critical infrastructure protection responsibilities.
As designed by Congress, the FirstNet Authority Board includes
designated member seats for DHS and DOJ, bringing heightened expertise
and understanding of the statutory responsibility for critical
infrastructure protection, cybersecurity, national incident response,
and law enforcement oversight directly into the network's governance.
Our close collaboration with Federal cybersecurity organizations
helps strengthen both AT&T's and the Federal government's ability to
defend against evolving cyber threats and protect nationwide
communications infrastructure. We participate in several information-
sharing programs with Federal agencies, including with DHS/CISA through
the National Coordination Center (NCC) and the Communications
Information Sharing and Analysis Center (Comms-ISAC), the Joint Cyber
Defense Collaborative (JCDC) and the Cybersecurity Collaboration Center
at the NSA to receive alerts and guidance on emerging cyber threats,
help develop coordinated defense strategies to protect critical
communications infrastructure, and participate in simulation exercises
to test and enhance collective incident response. In addition, FirstNet
is the only network with a Security Operations Center solely dedicated
to monitoring public safety's traffic 24x7x365, enabling us to more
quickly respond to security threats without sacrificing usability or
impacting public safety's missions.
From a physical infrastructure standpoint, copper theft is an
emerging threat vector that has become a serious, nationwide problem
with significant impacts on public safety and communications
infrastructure. While we actively work with local law enforcement as
they investigate to find those responsible, we support legislation to
increase the penalties on related copper-theft crimes given the
severity of impact to communications infrastructure. We will continue
to work with Federal and state partners to better educate the general
public and mitigate this growing threat to public safety, national
security and the general public.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Dan Sullivan to
Scott Agnew
Operational Readiness and Maintenance:
AT&T and FirstNet Response Operations Group have responded
effectively to disasters in Alaska, including undersea cable cuts and
severe weather events, but Maui revealed gaps in equipment readiness.
Question 1. What specific processes does AT&T use to ensure
deployable assets are continuously updated, tested, and ready to deploy
without requiring emergency fixes during a disaster?
Answer. The FirstNet Response Operations Group (ROG)--led by a
dedicated team of former first responders--works around the clock
24x7x365 and is responsible for managing the deployment of the
dedicated FirstNet fleet. We perform established, repeatable processes
designed to ensure the ongoing readiness and reliability of critical
disaster recovery assets. These processes include regular inspection,
testing, and preventative maintenance of all FirstNet deployable assets
on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual basis. In addition, we
perform trip maintenance prior to and following each deployment,
spanning vehicle, safety and technology-based inspections. In addition
to routine mechanical and electrical system validation, the emergency
communications platforms are subject to regular software updates,
firmware maintenance, and licensing compliance activities throughout
the year. Collectively, these measures are intended to support
sustained operational capability, security, and interoperability during
disaster response and public safety support operations.
FirstNet ROG has provided critical support for public safety on
FirstNet in Alaska, deploying FirstNet assets in response to wildfires,
the undersea cable cut impacting towns like towns like Utqiagvik
(f.k.a. Barrow), Wainwright and Point Hope in the North Slope Borough;
planned events, such as the Arctic Winter Games in Palmer; and was at
the ready to support public safety after flooding from the remnants of
Typhoon Halong. FirstNet ROG has also deployed these assets on numerous
occasions to public safety training and exercises.
FirstNet is the only network with deployable assets dedicated
exclusively to public safety--the direct product of requirements
established by public safety and state leaders. This includes 190+
portable cell sites strategically stationed at 70+ locations across the
United States. Recently, we doubled down on dedicated public safety
support in Alaska, expanding the in-state FirstNet assets to include 3
FirstNet SatCOLTs (Satellite Cell on Light Trucks) and 3 new mini
Compact Rapid Deployables (miniCRDs). Beyond serving as public safety's
network partner, AT&T leads the way in disaster and emergency
response--from investing more than $1 billion into the industry's
largest disaster recovery program since 1992 to driving cutting-edge
connectivity solutions and maintaining a commercial fleet of 750+ AT&T
assets.
Logistics Planning:
The OIG found that the absence of prearranged logistics agreements
delayed deployment in Maui. Alaska's weather and transportation
constraints make advance logistics planning even more critical.
Question 2. What logistics exercises has AT&T conducted to prove
that deployable assets can be moved and activated quickly in remote
areas like rural Alaska?
Answer. As public safety's partner, we welcome the opportunity to
collaborate with state and local stakeholders to plan for and
strengthen our coordination during disasters and other emergencies. The
FirstNet Response Operations Group (ROG)--led by a dedicated team of
former first responders--works around the clock 24x7x365 and is
responsible for managing the deployment of the dedicated FirstNet
fleet. The team is organized by FEMA Region with a FirstNet ROG
Division Chief assigned to each FEMA Region.
The Division Chief for FEMA Region 10, which includes Alaska,
recently spent nearly a week in Anchorage training local AT&T personnel
and members of the local FBI field office on the set up and deployment
of FirstNet assets--SatCOLTs (Satellite Cell on Light Trucks) and mini
Compact Rapid Deployables (MiniCRDs)--in the state. Additionally,
FirstNet ROG participates in the Alaska Partnership for Infrastructure
Protection (APIP), which sits within the all-hazard resiliency planning
unit of the State of Alaska Division of Homeland Security and Emergency
Management. As part of our work with APIP, we host the APIP monthly
meetings at the AT&T office in Anchorage, and recently conducted
capability training with FirstNet assets, as well as state-owned
Compact Rapid Deployables. As part of this exercise, teams used the
FirstNet miniCRD on an offroad all-terrain vehicle and a snowcat.
Overall, we find it extremely valuable to participate in trainings,
exercises, and in pre-event and mutual aid planning sessions. We see
training during ``Blue Sky Days'' as an important best practice. It
improves the process for effective collaboration during emergency
incidents and ensures those who will be activated to support emergency
response have hands-on training and experience with the equipment
before an emergency event.
Informed by our experience supporting Alaska public safety and
other hard-to-reach regions of the country, we developed smaller and
more portable equipment for the deployment of portable cell sites to
serve first responders. MiniCRDs are the size of two suitcases and can
be flown, transported by car, or carried into an incident. And because
Alaska's terrain is rugged and remote, and not easily accessed by road,
flying is often the fastest way to access remote areas. AT&T maintains
two aircraft in Anchorage and can charter planes when needed, to deploy
employees and assets to remote parts of the state. In addition, the
FirstNet team also routinely collaborates with local public safety
agencies to transport assets onto their aircraft to support public
safety's emergency response. A recent example includes collaboration
with a local agency that transported FirstNet equipment on a local
medivac jet.
Following the ice sheet that severed undersea fiber to the North
Slope, FirstNet was the first to arrive to restore communications for
local public safety with a miniCRD. The miniCRD had the range to offer
coverage to most of the town of Utqiagvik, formerly known as Barrow. In
addition to providing the only deployable asset fleet exclusively
available to public safety, we were the first provider to enable
agencies to own and deploy their own deployable network assets, giving
them better command and control of their network. The State of Alaska
has invested in their own FirstNet deployable asset, which they can
directly deploy and operate during planned and emergency events.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Eric Schmitt to
Scott Agnew
Question 1. AT&T holds a strong responsibility to safeguard a
national public-safety network in FirstNet, with its workforce being
essential to this task. In order understand how AT&T manages this risk,
what specific documents or verification steps does AT&T require its
vendors to provide to confirm that every worker on its tower sites is
legally authorized to work in the United States?
Answer. AT&T is committed to ensuring that our company complies
with all applicable laws and utilizes a workforce legally authorized to
work in the United States. As our vendors are a key part of our
business and an integral part of our approach to corporate
responsibility, AT&T contractually requires its primary contractors to
comply with all laws and regulations applicable to their and their
subcontractors' performance as well as adhere to our AT&T Principles of
Conduct for Suppliers (https://attsuppliers.com/misc/
SupplierSustainabilityPrinciples.pdf).
AT&T also contractually obligates its primary contractors and their
subcontractors to use employees for its tower work and limits their use
of independent contractors (IRS Form 1099 workers) to short-term
services lasting less than 90 days in a calendar year and consistent
with applicable laws. To enforce compliance with these requirements,
AT&T recently required that its primary contractors confirm for all
individuals who work on AT&T equipment that (1) their identities have
been verified via their social security and drivers' license numbers;
(2) their legal right to work in the United States has been verified;
and (3) that no independent contractors have been engaged for more than
90 days in the calendar year. AT&T will require its primary contractors
to use audited I-9 compliance to verify the legitimacy of their
workforce.
AT&T has established a hotline for reports of suspected use of
undocumented workers or unregistered contractors on AT&T's tower
projects. We are committed to investigating such reports and taking
appropriate action based on their findings.
Question 2. How frequently does AT&T conduct compliance reviews or
audits to ensure that unauthorized workers are not being used on
FirstNet infrastructure projects?
Answer. AT&T employs a multi-layered compliance and oversight
program to help ensure that only authorized workers perform work on
FirstNet infrastructure. While the frequency of reviews varies based on
project activity and risk indicators, AT&T conducts regular compliance
checks and audits, supplemented by continuous monitoring mechanisms
designed to identify potential issues in real time. Overall, compliance
oversight is not tied to a fixed calendar interval; instead, it is
conducted regularly and in response to operational needs, risk factors,
or specific indicators, ensuring that AT&T can swiftly address any
potential concerns about unauthorized workers on FirstNet projects.
We also monitor the use of company-issued devices through security
controls designed to identify potentially anomalous activity that could
indicate unauthorized access or misuse, consistent with applicable law
and company policy.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Maria Cantwell to
Scott Agnew
Salt Typhoon Impact. Last June, I wrote to AT&T's CEO requesting
information to understand how the unprecedented Salt Typhoon attack
impacted not only AT&T's commercial network but also whether the
FirstNet network was affected as well.
I asked for the third-party threat assessments that would
supposedly verify their claim that their networks were now secure from
the next Chinese cyber attack. But AT&T has chosen not to cooperate.
I made the same request of Verizon and also didn't receive
anything.
In the face of increasingly sophisticated attacks like the Chinese
state-sponsored Salt Typhoon, public safety users should have
confidence that the network they are using is secure and protected.
Question 1. Did the Salt Typhoon attacks penetrate the FirstNet
network, yes or no?
Answer. All major U.S. telecommunications carriers, including AT&T,
were victims of the Chinese state-sponsored hackers known as ``Salt
Typhoon.'' This was an unprecedented attack that was carried out by an
incredibly sophisticated state actor, who also penetrated U.S.
government systems.
Question 2. If no, is there a third-party assessment that confirms
this? If so, do you commit to giving me that document?
Answer. N/A
Question 3. If the Salt Typhoon attackers did penetrate the
FirstNet network, is there a third-party assessment confirming they
have been fully evicted? If so, do you commit to giving me that
document?
Answer. AT&T retained Mandiant, a leading third-party cyber defense
specialist to assist our own network and cybersecurity experts with our
investigation. Together, we conducted digital threat surveillance,
threat hunting, digital forensics, and in-depth attack analysis to
locate and monitor the intrusion points and triage as necessary. In
March 2025, Mandiant verified that AT&T had contained the cyber
incident brought on by this threat actor and we have not identified
evidence of Salt Typhoon activity inside the AT&T network since October
7, 2024.
Question 4. Has Mandiant or another third-party identified any
network vulnerabilities, on FirstNet or otherwise, exploited by Salt
Typhoon attackers that AT&T has not fully remediated, yes or no?
Answer. Cybersecurity is one of the biggest challenges facing the
connected world. With the rise of ever-more sophisticated threats and
nation-state actors and accessible hacking technologies, attacks are
growing in both volume and complexity. To protect businesses and
customers, organizations must adopt a robust proactive approach to
identifying and mitigating cyberattack risks.
We defend the AT&T & the FirstNet networks with a multi-layered
approach, including monitoring, active prevention and rapid response to
security threats. We leverage tools, where available, that include
near-real-time data correlation, situational awareness reporting,
active incident investigation, case management, trend analysis and
predictive security alerting.
We assess, identify and manage risks from cybersecurity threats
through various mechanisms. We conduct vulnerability testing and assess
identified vulnerabilities for severity, the potential impact to AT&T
and our customers, and likelihood of occurrence. Our security teams
work with applications and system owners to remediate those
vulnerabilities.
In sum, network security requires a multifaceted approach to stay
ahead of malicious actors. AT&T continues to harden its network and
configurations to further safeguard our network against future
incidents.
Question 5. Has Mandiant or another third-party made any security
recommendations that AT&T has not fully implemented in the FirstNet
network, yes or no? This includes, but is not limited to, patching
network edge devices such as VPNs, firewalls, and routers, and
implementing phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication.
Answer. See Answer to Question 4 above.
Outstanding GAO and OIG Recommendations. The Government
Accountability Office and the Department of Commerce's Inspector
General released a number of extremely troubling reports that have
raised serious concerns about a troubling pattern: when AT&T falls
short of its contractual requirements, the response has been to change
how performance is measured rather than to actually improve
performance.
When AT&T failed to meet FirstNet adoption requirements in 34
states, the Authority replaced strict state-by-state standards with a
nationwide average--a change AT&T itself proposed--allowing $38 million
in penalties to be waived. When AT&T was on track to miss deployment
targets in rural communities, the Authority changed how deployment was
calculated, helping AT&T avoid penalties and collect additional
payments.
And with the Maui wildfires, the OIG found that AT&T altered data
after the fact. AT&T downgraded requests for temporary cell sites from
requiring immediate action to a lower priority. The report documented
staff comments about ``backdating'' request times and needing to ``pad
my stats.'' The FirstNet Authority failed to catch this until the
Inspector General brought it to their attention.
Mr. Agnew, will you commit that AT&T will not alter data or provide
inaccurate information to the FirstNet Authority, and that AT&T will
stop seeking contract modifications designed to weaken performance
standards?
Answer. AT&T is committed to performing its responsibilities as the
FirstNet contractor with the highest level of integrity. AT&T has not
and will not seek contract modifications that weaken performance
standards for the network.
As the network contractor, AT&T welcomes the rigorous oversight and
accountability that is applied to the FirstNet program. FirstNet
operates under extraordinary oversight--arguably the strongest, most
layered oversight mechanisms in Federal telecommunications. Those
mechanisms are a healthy, deliberate safeguard Congress built into the
program; working as intended and continue to strengthen the network
that first responders rely on every day. This ensures the network
continuously evolves in direct response to public safety's needs--a
distinguishing feature that separates FirstNet from commercial, best-
effort wireless networks, which aren't subject to such reviews.
Regarding the two reports referenced in this question, I'm happy to
provide additional clarity on these issues.
The original FirstNet build and adoption plan, developed in 2017,
included annual progress projections and assumptions. On an aggregate
basis, AT&T exceeded those projections. In accordance with Federal
Acquisition Regulation (FAR)-based contract standards, as real-world
conditions evolved, the FirstNet Authority allowed limited adjustments
in select states, but only in exchange for AT&T accepting more
aggressive adoption and coverage requirements at a state and national
level than was originally required for delivery.
Unfortunately, the OIG did not include in its report that the
Federal government received clear, quantifiable concessions in exchange
for the contract modification. The contract modification didn't
represent leniency or a weakening of performance; instead, it delivered
real value to the government and public safety, including:
Delivering more sites than originally required, expanding
public safety's Band 14 spectrum coverage in rural areas and
reaching several hundred thousand additional square miles
beyond our target commitment.
Exceeding original nationwide adoption targets, achieving
the nationwide total nearly 8 months in advance.
Second, regarding the OIG's audit report on the Maui wildfires, I
again want to be clear that AT&T welcomes the constructive feedback
from the OIG, which leads to continuous program improvements. We do,
however, have deep concerns with several inaccuracies and an incomplete
account of the FirstNet response, as presented in the OIG's report,
which has led to factual inaccuracies and unwarranted conclusions. AT&T
submitted a formal response that is available on the OIG's web-
site: https://www.oig.doc.gov/wp-content/OIGPublications/OIG-25-004-A-
NGO_Re
sponse.pdf.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Brian Schatz to
Scott Agnew
Question 1. In December 2024, the Department of Commerce Office of
Inspector General issued a report, ``Nationwide Public Safety Broadband
Network Was Not Always Available to First Responders During the
Catastrophic 2023 Maui Wildfires.'' What is the status of AT&T's
compliance with, and implementation of, the eleven recommendations from
the report?
a. What is the status of any pending recommendations?
b. When can you guarantee these recommendations will be fully
implemented?
Answer. The Department of Commerce's Office of Inspector General's
audit, report, and recommendations were directed to the FirstNet
Authority. AT&T, as the contractor, has supported the FirstNet
Authority's efforts to address the recommendations. Based on
information provided by the FirstNet Authority, all 11 recommendations
have approved action plans. Nine recommendations have been implemented
and the remaining 2 are in progress.
Above and beyond AT&T's formal contractual obligations to the
FirstNet Authority, AT&T recently made a significant investment to
expand deployable network assets across the islands of Hawaii and in
Alaska. We are committed to learning from each major response event,
and we continuously apply these learnings to improve our readiness and
operations to support public safety. In December 2025, we joined fire
service leaders from across Hawaii at the Hawaii Fire Chiefs annual
conference to announce the significant AT&T investment in Hawaii that
adds 10 FirstNet assets, as well as 4 AT&T deployable assets across
Hawaii. For Maui specifically, we incorporated feedback from the Maui
Fire Chief as we designed this plan to expand the on-island FirstNet
deployable assets available in Hawaii. Based on his feedback, we added
assets to the smaller Maui County islands of Moloka'i and Lana'i. The
graphic below provides a visual representation of the FirstNet and AT&T
deployable assets that are now available across Hawaii and Alaska. More
information is available here: https://about.att.com/blogs/2025/ready-
for-anything.html.
[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
Question 2. Why did AT&T include Hawaii in its business continuity
and disaster recovery plan for the continental United States?
a. What oversight and approval protocol was in place at the time of
AT&T's development and approval of the plan? What specific gaps
contributed to this error?
b. What changes have been made at AT&T to address these oversight
and approval errors?
c. What protocols are now in place to ensure that AT&T's plan for
Hawaii reflects the very real needs of the state during an emergency?
d. Did AT&T work with Hawaii state public safety officials in the
development and approval of the previous business continuity and
disaster plan?
e. Will AT&T now work with Hawaii state public safety officials in
the development and approval of the new business continuity and
disaster plan?
Answer. Every year, AT&T submits its Business Continuity and
Disaster Recovery (BCDR) plan to the FirstNet Authority for review and
acceptance. The BCDR plan had been inclusive of a nationwide response
and detailed how business continuity and disaster recovery should be
performed. These plans are continuously refined based on lessons
learned from real-world events, including the 2023 Maui wildfires.
Following the OIG's review related to the Maui wildfires, the
FirstNet Authority rescinded approval of AT&T's previously submitted
and approved BCDR plan. AT&T worked to further refine the plan,
including adding language related to network hardening in specific
geographic areas. This revised plan was resubmitted by AT&T and
accepted by the FirstNet Authority.
AT&T also worked with state and local public safety stakeholders in
Hawaii to identify priority areas, which informed AT&T's resiliency
efforts in Hawaii.
I have previously directed an internal taskforce to further
customize and refine the BCDR plan for Hawaii, given the unique needs
and requirements presented during emergency response. I would gladly
keep your office updated on these efforts as we continue our commitment
to continuously strengthen our operations and preparedness in Hawaii. I
had the opportunity to meet with first responders in Hawaii following
the Maui wildfires and understand the criticality of reliable,
dedicated communication to support their response to operationally
critical incidents. Ensuring Hawaii has robust access to FirstNet
support and reliable network performance is a top priority for me. As
we continue acting on lessons learned and implement improvements to
strengthen our response readiness, we will continue to work with public
safety stakeholders in Hawaii to ensure their feedback informs our
efforts.
Question 3. The first recommendation from the Office of the
Inspector General report directs FirstNet to ensure that special
hardening measures are implemented for the unique threats faced in the
Maui region, as required by the NPSBN contract. What specific hardening
measures have been taken to address this recommendation?
a. What other hardening and resiliency measures have been taken
aside from deployables?
b. Have additional hardening measures been adopted for other high-
risk areas since the Office of the Inspector General report was
released?
c. Are additional hardening measures, aside from deployables,
planned for other high-risk areas?
Answer. Following any major event, AT&T evaluates our response and
network performance and looks for opportunities to improve and
strengthen the network and response operations.
AT&T made significant investments to increase the hardening of
assets in Hawaii after the Maui wildfires. These investments include
the addition of 4 portable generators that are stored locally on Maui;
we have repaired and/or rebuilt all damaged and destroyed towers on
Maui; and we have also launched 3 new cell towers on Maui, to further
expand wireless coverage and capacity. AT&T is warehousing additional
inventory of spare equipment and parts, locally on Maui, to support
more rapid restoration of services and hardware when the need arises.
In addition, AT&T has contracted with an on-island vendor to
provide additional surge capabilities for additional generators, if
needed, during response activities. AT&T now has dedicated on-island
technical personnel who can respond more immediately when incidents
occur, instead of needing to arrange transport for personnel from the
other Hawaiian Islands to Maui. Other technical resources can be
deployed from other islands when needed. Just as AT&T does with any
major response, we can surge additional personnel and assets to an
impacted area, but now with these new on-island Maui investments, we
have personnel and additional equipment in the county to support
immediate response activities while AT&T simultaneously surges
additional response resources as needed.
Beyond hardening, AT&T is also engaged with state and local public
safety agencies in Hawaii to strengthen coordination during emergency
response. The FirstNet program at AT&T has increased its proactive
outreach to customers during network-impacting events and additional
enhancements have been made to FirstNet Central, the network status
tool that provides an unparalleled level of visibility to public safety
on network status and outage alerting. Customer feedback indicates that
FirstNet communications and network visibility exceeds what they
experience from commercial, best-effort service offerings.
To further support the unique needs of each state, we encourage
public safety entities to participate in the process of developing its
State Engagement Program Profile (playbook) with our FirstNet Response
Operations Group (ROG). FirstNet ROG is led by a dedicated team of
former first responders available 24x7x365 to support public safety's
emergency communications needs. Our State Engagement Program builds
upon our already robust response process by identifying state-specific
requirements and procedures and developing a written playbook for
enhanced operations. AT&T offered to support the development of an
emergency management playbook between FirstNet ROG and the State of
Hawaii.
AT&T has also requested coordination with Hawaii emergency services
agencies in charge of inter-island barge transportation to provide
recognition and prioritization of FirstNet assets on inter-island
transport. During the May 2025 Statewide Communication Interoperability
Program (SCIP) meeting, AT&T met with public safety and transit
stakeholders to evaluate rapid transportation options for network
assets during emergencies. AT&T is continuing to build upon these
discussions and would like to formalize a proactive plan for increased
rapid transport options in the future.
Finally, the FirstNet network core is being upgraded to 5G stand-
alone across the country, including in Hawaii, and we are harnessing
low earth orbit (LEO) satellite connectivity for the FirstNet
deployable fleet. We are also excited about the enhanced reliability
and redundancy that will come through satellite-to-device connectivity
to extend the reach of connectivity and restore connectivity during
times of network disruption, such as in hurricane and wildfire response
scenarios. I welcome the opportunity to keep you and your congressional
staff updated on these network activities.
Question 4. The Office of the Inspector General report found that
AT&T altered data it reported to FirstNet Authority regarding the Maui
wildfire response, and that FirstNet Authority did not have access to
AT&T's real time network data. Why did AT&T alter this data?
a. According to the report, AT&T downgraded first responders'
requests for 14 deployables from ``emergent'' (requiring immediate
action) to ``urgent'' (requiring action between 14 hours and 30 days).
Why were these requests reclassified from ``emergent'' to ``urgent''?
b. What are the standards for reclassifying first responder
requests?
c. How frequently does FirstNet reclassify first responder
requests?
d. What was the effect of reclassifying these requests from
``emergent'' to ``urgent'' on Maui wildfire response efforts?
e. According to the report, a deployable was inaccurately reported
as meeting the 14-hour requirement. Why was the deployable inaccurately
reported as meeting the requirement?
f. How is AT&T implementing new protocols to ensure that these
errors do not happen again, and that data-sharing with FirstNet
Authority is transparent, accurate, and trustworthy?
Answer. Following the concerns raised by the OIG, the FirstNet
Authority and AT&T performed a subsequent review of the submitted
compliance report and determined the actual data submitted in the
compliance report was correct. For context, a request status can be
reclassified based on two main factors: a) if the customer changes
their request timing or b) if, during the entry of the request, an
incorrect time is entered, and the correct time changes the urgency,
the request is reclassified. For example, if public safety knows they
will be moving a mobile command post and wants to notify us of the
future location, the request would be reclassified from emergent to
urgent because they want the solution delivered at a later time than
actually requested.
To be clear, during the Maui response, no requests were
reclassified due to an inability to meet customer-requested timing.
In addition, AT&T implemented the following process changes based
on the OIG's feedback on the Maui wildfires:
Capturing the justification for reclassifications for all
requests.
Implementing a new standard procedure for capturing the
times to fulfill requests when ROG team members are in the
field to support public safety and actively deploying solutions
at public safety's request. The new process avoids the need for
manual validation (through internal audit) during a post-event
review.
Working with the FirstNet Authority to modify the contract
to simplify and clarify deployment type definitions and quality
metric calculations.
AT&T welcomes the constructive feedback from the OIG, which leads
to continuous program improvements, and appreciates the OIG raising
these concerns, so subsequent review and validation could be performed
by AT&T and the FirstNet Authority. Unfortunately, the OIG's Final
Report does not make clear that AT&T and the FirstNet Authority
completed the subsequent review and ultimately confirmed the calculated
response time data were accurate.
Question 5. During the Maui wildfire response, why did AT&T deny
first responders' initial request to deploy the SatCOW already
positioned on Maui?
Answer. AT&T has no record, documentation, or knowledge of any
deployable request on August 8. The first documented request came on
August 10, and the on-island FirstNet deployable was delivered that
same day. We formally raised this error with the OIG, but it was not
corrected in the final report.
Question 6. During the Maui wildfire response, why did AT&T
prematurely remove the SatCOW providing coverage to the Maui Sheraton
Hotel?
Answer. Thank you for the opportunity to correct this narrative.
This characterization is inaccurate.
The FirstNet SatCOW referenced in this question remained on site to
support public safety while the network stabilized. It was later
demobilized only after the macro network was restored and the assets
had been off-air for several days.
August is Hawaii's hurricane season, and there were active wildfire
risks across other islands, so returning assets to staging was
essential to ensure readiness for the next emergency. Following
demobilization of assets, public safety on FirstNet has the ability to
submit subsequent requests for deployable support. Upon learning of in-
building connectivity challenges at the Maui Sheraton Hotel, the
FirstNet Response Operations Group (ROG) installed an in-building
connectivity solution to extend the restored outdoor coverage from the
macro network within the building.
In a meeting with public safety officials in Hawaii, they told us
they wanted more communication around demobilization decisions. We
agreed and have incorporated that feedback into improved best practices
moving forward.
Question 7. The Office of the Inspector General report found that
FirstNet Authority did not ensure that AT&T's After-Action Report for
the Maui wildfires included sufficient information about lessons
learned and process and protocol improvements to implement. This is a
requirement of the NPSBN contract. Why did AT&T not include this
information in the report?
Answer. Per the contract, the FirstNet Authority can request after-
action review following emergency events or other incidents. Following
the Maui wildfires, the FirstNet Authority directed AT&T to prepare an
After-Action Report. AT&T submitted the report and had subsequent
meetings with the FirstNet Authority to review, answer questions, and
act on lessons learned. All questions raised by the FirstNet Authority
were addressed through the After-Action Report process, which was
formally accepted by the FirstNet Authority in Oct. 2023.
Question 8. How are deployables tested and assessed for readiness,
and what training and resources are offered to state and local public
safety officials?
a. What is the frequency of the training provided to state and
local public safety officials?
Answer. The FirstNet Response Operations Group (ROG)--led by a
dedicated team of former first responders--works around the clock
24x7x365 and is responsible for managing the deployment of the
dedicated FirstNet fleet. We perform established, repeatable processes
designed to ensure the ongoing readiness and reliability of critical
disaster recovery assets. These processes include regular inspection,
testing, and preventative maintenance of all FirstNet deployable assets
on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual basis. In addition, we
perform trip maintenance prior to and following each deployment,
spanning vehicle, safety and technology-based inspections. In addition
to routine mechanical and electrical system validation, the emergency
communications platforms are subject to regular software updates,
firmware maintenance, and licensing compliance activities throughout
the year. Collectively, these measures are intended to support
sustained operational capability, security, and interoperability during
disaster response and public safety support operations.
Public safety agencies on FirstNet have access to a dedicated fleet
of deployable assets that are available free of charge and can be
requested to support planned and emergency event response, including
federal, state and local training events. Public safety can request
deployable support through a variety of ways, including the FirstNet
Central network status tool, calling a 1-800 phone number, or
submitting a request through their account representative. Educating
public safety about the request process is part of customer onboarding.
Additionally, the FirstNet Response Operations Group (ROG) is organized
by the 10 FEMA regions, and the incident command lead for each region
is available to participate in emergency trainings and exercises. This
allows public safety to learn about and practice how they can request
these resources.
Question 9. How does FirstNet determine its metrics for deployment
success?
Answer. The metrics for the deployment of deployable assets are
included in the AT&T/FirstNet Authority contract, which includes a
nationwide 14-hour response time objective for fulfillment of emergency
deployment requests. As the FirstNet contractor, AT&T has assets staged
in more than 70 locations across the country to support the timely
delivery of FirstNet dedicated deployable assets. AT&T regularly
responds well in advance of this 14-hour objective.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. John Hickenlooper to
Scott Agnew
Federal Labs. Colorado is home to many Federal labs which perform
mission critical research, development, and testing to improve
communications service. The First Responder Network Authority, the
NTIA's Institute for Telecommunications Sciences (ITS), and NIST's
Public Safety Communications Research Division within the
Communications Technology Laboratory all call Boulder, Colorado their
home. The FirstNet Authority's lab in Boulder tests public safety
technologies which will be used by first responders. NTIA's ITS lab is
the gold standard for researching how to maximize spectrum efficiency
and reduce interference to Federal agency missions and commercial
radiofrequency applications. NIST's PSCR Division supports the
development of technical specifications to advance next-generation
communications technologies.
Question 1. Do you believe the research activities performed by the
NIST, NTIA, and FirstNet Authority Labs are key to the success of
advancing the state of the art in public safety communications? Which
areas of research or technical challenges in public safety
communications may be useful to examine going forward?
Answer. The research performed by the National Institute of
Standards and Technology (NIST), the National Telecommunications and
Information Administration (NTIA), and the First Responder Network
Authority (FirstNet Authority) Labs is essential to advancing public
safety communications. These organizations provide a rigorous, science-
driven foundation that allows industry and government to independently
validate emerging technologies before they are deployed at scale. In
addition to formal research, these labs offer a unique demonstration
and testing environment where public safety agencies, policymakers, and
industry partners can observe capabilities, concepts, and performance
in realistic operational scenarios that don't come at the expense of
reliability or interoperability, which is crucial in mission-critical
environments. This collaborative ecosystem accelerates the translation
of research into deployable, trusted solutions for first responders.
Looking ahead, research and lab testing will be essential for
innovative public safety-centric solutions, including but not limited
to AI-enabled capabilities, device form factors focused on the
connected responder via IoT, and off-network and device-to-device
communications that operate across multiply communication types. For
example, public safety operations routinely transition between in-
coverage, out-of-coverage, and degraded conditions, often within a
single incident. Evaluating how devices can dynamically support direct
communications--using broadband, legacy systems such as LMR, or hybrid
approaches--helps ensure first responders remain connected when
infrastructure is unavailable or stressed.
Question 2. 47 U.S.C. Sec. 1443 outlines a process for public
safety wireless communications research and development. Do you believe
the FirstNet Authority could strengthen its collaboration with nearby
NIST and NTIA ITS labs with respect to public safety communications
research? If yes, please elaborate on how this collaboration could be
strengthened.
Answer. Overall, the existing partnership among the FirstNet
Authority, NIST and NTIA ITS labs is strong and performs well for the
public safety communications ecosystem. Continued coordination and
integration will help ensure Federal research investments translate
into trusted, tested solutions that meet the evolving needs of first
responders. Today, these organizations work in complementary ways to
help ensure that research priorities remain grounded in operational
reality and that new technologies are evaluated before being introduced
into mission-critical environments. By increasing operational feedback
loops between laboratory research and field deployments, this
collaboration could be further strengthened and, ultimately, better
inform research priorities to benefit public safety.
Question 3. Would you support or oppose cuts to Federal funding to
labs, including the aforementioned labs, which support the advancement
of communications research?
Answer. Federal research labs such as NIST, NTIA ITS and the
FirstNet Authority lab play a critical role in advancing the science,
standards, and testing need, which supports secure, resilient and
interoperable communications--particularly for mission-critical public
safety use cases. The FirstNet program, which includes the FirstNet Lab
in Boulder, Colorado, is designed to be self-sustaining and does not
rely on Federal appropriations for its ongoing operations. The FirstNet
Authority reinvests program revenues back into the network and related
activities (such as the FirstNet Lab) to continuously improve public
safety communications capabilities. This model allows the FirstNet
Authority to support innovation and operational enhancements--all based
on public safety's needs and direct feedback. Continued Federal
investment in NIST and NTIA ITS ensures a strong, independent research
foundation that benefits the broader communications ecosystem,
including public safety.
Question 4. The Public Safety Trust Fund was only authorized until
Fiscal Year 2022. From your perspective, describe how reinvestments are
made into the FirstNet Authority's lab and highlight where additional
Federal resources may be needed for public safety communications
research.
Answer. The FirstNet program, which includes the FirstNet Lab in
Boulder, Colorado, is designed to be self-sustaining and does not rely
on Federal appropriations for its ongoing operations. As required by
the enacting statute of the FirstNet program and the FirstNet/AT&T
contract. AT&T pays the FirstNet Authority sustainability payments for
the use of Band 14 spectrum. In turn, the FirstNet Authority reinvests
these program revenues back into the network and related activities
(such as the FirstNet Lab) to continuously improve public safety
communications capabilities. This model allows the FirstNet Authority
to support innovation and operational enhancements--all based on public
safety's needs and direct feedback. Separate from the FirstNet program,
continued Federal investment in research labs, such as NIST and NTIA
ITS, provides a strong, independent research foundation that benefits
the broader communications ecosystem, including public safety.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Ted Cruz to
Cory Davis
Question 1. Since 2015, the Commerce Department's Inspector General
(IG) has issued 19 audit and evaluation reports and two investigative
reports on the FirstNet Authority highlighting modifications to the
network contract that ``made it easier for AT&T to achieve milestone
compliance and payment,'' \1\ the Authority's failure to ``adequately
assess contractor performance to ensure AT&T achieved'' network
coverage and device connections targets,\2\ and conduct by senior
leadership that ``interfer[ed] with OIG's statutory right of access and
duty to keep the Secretary of Commerce and Congress informed of serious
issues affecting [the] FirstNet Authority.'' \3\ In August, the IG
issued a report finding that senior FirstNet Authority officials
obstructed oversight, withheld and altered documents, directed staff
not to cooperate with the IG, and cultivated an internal ``warlike''
relationship with the oversight office, describing the IG as their
``common enemy.'' \4\ That same report also found retaliation against
whistleblowers, including efforts to pressure at least one employee to
resign, which led the IG to take the highly unusual step of making a
criminal referral to the Department of Justice.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\1\ Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General, FirstNet
Authority Did Not Ensure the Nation's First Responders' Needs Were
Continuing to Be Met Timely When Modifying Key Objectives of the NPSBN
Contract, OIG-24-024-A (2024), https://www.oig.doc.gov/OIGPublications/
OIG-24_2.pdf.
\2\ Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General, FirstNet
Authority's Lack of Contract Oversight for Device Connection Targets
Puts the NPSBN at Risk of Impacting First Responders' Use of the
Network, OIG-24-027-A (2024), https://www.oig.doc.gov/wp-content/
OIGPublica
tions/OIG-24-027-A-REDACTED.pdf; Department of Commerce Office of
Inspector General, FirstNet Authority's Lack of NPSBN Contract
Oversight for Coverage Puts at Risk First Responders' Ability to Serve
the Public Effectively, OIG-24-026-A (2024), https://www.oig.doc.gov/
wp-content/OIGPublications/OIG-24-026-A-REDACTED.pdf.
\3\ Department of Commerce Office of Inspector General,
Investigation into Allegations That FirstNet Authority Senior Officials
Interfered with OIG Audits, OIG-24-0175 (2025), https://
www.oig.doc.gov/wp-content/OIGPublications/
Public_Investigative_Summary_24-0175_SECURED.pdf.
\4\ Id.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other IG reports have raised serious questions about the
Authority's management of its contract with AT&T. In May 2024, the IG
stated that the Authority ``did not ensure . . . desired results for
both coverage and device connection targets for each state and
territory'' were achieved due to the decision to ``accept[] AT&T's
proposed nationwide coverage metrics'' and ``repeatedly chang[e] device
connection target requirements from state-by-state to a less stringent
nationwide basis.'' \5\ Absent this, ``AT&T would not have met the
originally contracted state-by-state requirement for 34 states and one
territory.'' \6\ Follow up audits in June 2024 reinforced these
findings.\7\
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
\5\ Supra note 1.
\6\ Id.
\7\ Supra note 2.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
These reports raise questions about the Authority's governance and
its oversight of its contract with AT&T. Some have pointed to the
Authority's nebulous ``independent'' status in Federal statute as part
of the reason for the lackluster accountability.
a. You testified that the FirstNet Authority ``has frequently
operated in a manner that blurs the line between a Federal oversight
body and a commercial advocate for its vendor'' and that the
Authority's independence ``means it can largely operate free from
accountability to NTIA officials.'' Do you think eliminating the
Authority's independence and making it directly accountable to NTIA
would address these concerns?
Answer. Verizon believes that giving NTIA direct authority over the
work of the First Responder Network Authority would help alleviate
these concerns. As I noted in my testimony, designating the Authority
as an ``independent entity'' within NTIA without defining what that
means has created confusion. And yes, the Authority has used this
confusion to claim that it can largely operate free from accountability
to NTIA officials, contrary to what NTIA recommends, and even without
regard to larger Administration policy objectives. The Authority has
frequently operated in a manner that blurs the line between a Federal
oversight body and a commercial advocate for its vendor. This
misalignment confuses state and local officials and distorts the
marketplace.
But I want to be clear that eliminating the status of the Authority
alone will not correct many of these problems. First, oversight without
accountability will be ineffective. NTIA will need to have some
mechanism to ensure that the Authority and ultimately the FirstNet
contractor comply with NTIA mandates. And creating that accountability
may mean further changes to the statute. For example, as I highlighted
in my testimony, the law creating FirstNet includes language mandating
that all funds not needed for the Authority's administrative costs must
be returned to the FirstNet contractor for reinvestment in ``the
network.'' So, without reforms to the statute, NTIA may not legally be
able to hold back funds for non-performance or issue penalties against
the contractor for issues like those identified in the numerous OIG
reports.
Second, simply subjecting the Authority to direct oversight without
considering the respective roles of NTIA, the Board, and FirstNet
employees may create oversight in name only. If the employees of
FirstNet believe they answer to the Board, and the Board believes it is
not answerable to NTIA, then very little may change with respect to the
operations of FirstNet other than they can now claim that they have
been affirmed by NTIA. In many ways eliminating the Authority's
independence without making clear what that means for how NTIA can
oversee both future actions and certain critical past actions (like
legal interpretations) of the Board would only reinforce the confusion
that exists today. Similarly, clarifying how NTIA staff oversee and
guide the actions of Authority employees would be helpful in creating
more functional independence between the Authority and the FirstNet
contractor.
Finally, we would see eliminating independence as just one step
toward making FirstNet work for all of public safety. Verizon still
would recommend that Congress consider other steps outlined in our
testimony to make sure that multi-vendor competition is preserved and
that non-FirstNet by AT&T subscribers can benefit from the FirstNet
program.
Question 2. FirstNet arose out of a recommendation from the 9/11
Commission to establish a nationwide, interoperable network dedicated
to public safety officials to achieve interoperability after
communication failures on 9/11 meant firefighters, police officers, and
other first responders couldn't talk to one another because they were
using incompatible radio systems. Does FirstNet, as it exists today,
adequately address the concerns raised by, and recommendations from,
the 9/11 Commission Report?
Answer. As I mentioned in my testimony, the challenges associated
with interoperability between various public safety communications
networks identified in the 9/11 Commission Report have largely been
resolved through changes in technology and the competitive marketplace.
But resolution of those challenges has been more of a function of
transitioning public safety away from dedicated narrowband land mobile
radio systems and onto wireless broadband networks built on
international commercial standards. Certainly, FirstNet helped to
advance that transition and create confidence in commercial networks as
a substitute for dedicated public safety systems. But today, all major
carriers offer a public safety broadband product that inherently
interoperates with other networks.
But I worry that the robustness and reliability of public safety
communications overall--which was an underlying concern in the 9/11
Commission Report--is being threatened. As I explained in my testimony,
all networks have challenges, including those that were operating on 9/
11. Public safety now ensures the reliability of their communications
through the multi-vendor ecosystem, with contracts for secondary
network vendors as well as partnerships with non-terrestrial
communications providers. I think Congress, NTIA, and ultimately the
FirstNet Authority should embrace this competition and not try to drive
public safety to a single network solution. NTIA should incentivize
network providers to improve the services they provide to first
responders, and it should encourage first responders to choose the
services that best meet their needs Today, over half choose something
other than AT&T's FirstNet service. Congress must ensure the FirstNet
Authority does not undercut fair competition by portraying itself as
the ``only'' or even ``preferred'' solution. The inclusion of the U.S.
Attorney General, the Secretary of Homeland Security, and the Director
of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) on the FirstNet Board
makes FirstNet's fair and unbiased operations even more important. More
can be achieved by promoting a multi-network ecosystem, not by
entrenching a monopoly. And Authority employees should not blur the
line between government employees expected to exert oversight over the
FirstNet contractor and sales people for what amounts to a commercial
product.
Question 3. Congress authorized FirstNet in 2012, and the contract
was awarded to AT&T in 2017. Since then, the communications sector has
experienced massive technological advancements, including the
transition from 4G LTE to 5G; the rise of satellite-based direct to
cell technology; and new network management tools like network slicing
and AI for dynamic management. Future developments--including 6G and
dynamic spectrum sharing--are just around the corner.
a. Given modern communications technologies are built upon 3GPP
standards that ensure interoperability, what is the continued need for
a single nationwide network like FirstNet if the goal is to ensure
interoperability?
i. Is there anything preventing first responders who today
subscribe to, for example, Verizon Frontline wireless service, from
texting, calling, or otherwise communicating with first responders who
subscribe to T-Priority or FirstNet (other than potential differences
in network coverage)? If not, then what interoperability concerns truly
remain (land mobile radio notwithstanding)?
Answer. As I explained to the Committee, ensuring there is a single
network used by all first responders is not only unnecessary to ensure
effective public safety communications, it is contrary to achieving
that goal. Multiple networks are important to ensuring that first
responder needs are met, and AT&T's FirstNet network is certainly one
of those networks. From a technological perspective, there is nothing
preventing first responders today from communicating with one another
across the three major wireless broadband public safety platforms--
Verizon Frontline, T-Priority, and FirstNet by AT&T. All three of those
networks provide public safety traffic with priority and pre-emption.
That seamless exchange of traffic comes from building these public
safety offerings on top of international 3GPP standards.
Question 4. Many public safety officials subscribe to multiple
services, in addition to FirstNet, to achieve redundancy or coverage
where FirstNet may be lacking. As part of a reauthorization effort,
does Congress need to act to preserve this redundancy in the
marketplace or will it exist sans legislative action?
Answer. You are correct that public safety today builds resiliency
and redundancy into their communications solutions through subscribing
to multiple vendors. We worry, though, that this multi-vendor ecosystem
may come under threat over time. Today, well more than half of the
public safety agencies in this country (and at least 48 percent of
those in Texas) do not subscribe to FirstNet by AT&T. Yet they receive
no direct benefit from the FirstNet program and cannot unless they
abandon the communications solutions they believe best fit their needs.
And increasingly we are seeing a blurring of the lines between the
Authority as a Federal oversight body and Authority employees as
commercial advocates for its vendor. True resiliency comes from
redundancy and allowing first responders to choose communications
solutions that meet their needs with open, fair competition among
multiple vendors offering services across multiple platforms.
Verizon would propose, at minimum, that the Committee consider
taking several actions as part of reauthorization to promote and
protect this competitive environment. First, direct NTIA, as part of
its public safety mission, to take concrete steps to foster competition
and choice among public safety offerings, including eliminating any
governmental bias in favor of any specific public safety network
provider. For example, NTIA should encourage federal, state, and local
agencies to have fully competitive communications service procurements,
and the ability to sign up with multiple vendors. Second, NTIA should
educate public safety officials about the broad availability of
wireless solutions that provide services like priority and preemption
for critical communications. Finally, Congress should include what
would amount to a ``technology and carrier neutrality'' clause into the
reauthorization, prohibiting the use of Federal grant funds to mandate
a specific public safety communications provider.
More broadly, we think it would be important for Congress to
recognize in a reauthorization that a multi-vendor ecosystem for public
safety communications is essential for national and homeland security.
A single point of failure for public safety communications should not
be acceptable to Federal policymakers and the public at large. Local
public safety officials deserve the right to choose the service that
best meets their needs, and should benefit from the FirstNet program
regardless of that choice. First responders collectively benefit from
competition in a multi-network ecosystem, giving them the most
resilient and reliable communications.
______
Response to Written Question Submitted by Hon. John Thune to
Cory Davis
Question. In the rise of the digital age, data breaches have
compromised nationwide networks, violated consumer privacy, and
emphasized the need to continually improve critical infrastructure.
What reporting structures exist to notify FirstNet Authority and
Congress of infrastructure breaches or workforce compliance failures?
Answer. Senator, I am unaware of any formal reporting structures
that exist to notify the FirstNet Authority and Congress of such
failures. Any reporting structures for the Authority would be included
in the contract between the Authority and AT&T, which has been kept
hidden from the public and policymakers. And as far as I know, there is
nothing in the law that established the First Responder Authority that
directs either AT&T or the Authority to provide mandatory reporting on
any failures of any kind to Congress.
In fact, at present, the only way I know of that the public,
Congress, or even NTIA is made aware of issues related to the Authority
or AT&T as its contract partner is through the work of the Department
of Commerce Office of Inspector General (OIG). Unfortunately, as I
informed the Committee in my testimony, the Authority often serves as a
marketing arm for AT&T's FirstNet brand and not as a governmental
entity overseeing a government contract worth billions of dollars with
AT&T.
And as I noted in my testimony, OIG has documented its concerns
about operational questions related to the Authority, including whether
it is meeting key network milestones, making justifiable investments
into AT&T's network, and, most recently, silencing internal
whistleblowers. OIG has also done important work exploring AT&T's
network issues and the impact those issues had on AT&T's FirstNet
customers. What OIG has identified are not merely administrative
errors, but systemic risks that Congress should address because they
directly impacted first responder readiness during disasters like the
Maui wildfires.
As part of any reauthorization, Verizon would encourage Congress to
consider the Authority's lack of oversight over AT&T and its FirstNet
branded service. We would encourage Congress to consider providing NTIA
with more direct authority over the operations of the Authority and the
execution of the FirstNet contract by AT&T--a recommendation that also
comes from public safety itself. The Authority has frequently operated
in a manner that blurs the line between a Federal oversight body and a
commercial advocate for its vendor. This misalignment confuses state
and local officials and distorts the marketplace. Clearer oversight
responsibilities for NTIA, with commensurate authority to create
accountability and promote competition in the public safety
marketplace, would give public safety additional confidence that the
legal interpretations and practical actions of the Authority have
undergone the appropriate level of scrutiny.
______
Response to Written Question Submitted by Hon. Dan Sullivan to
Cory Davis
Industry Best Practices:
Verizon Frontline also supports public safety in remote and
disaster-prone areas, offering a useful comparison for best practices.
Question. From your perspective, what best practices should be
required to ensure deployable public safety assets are exercised,
logistics-tested, and deployment-ready in remote environments?
Answer. Our 30-year relationship with public safety means that we
should do everything possible to make sure all Verizon Frontline
assets, including our fleet of over 3,000 deployables, are ready
whenever they are needed. We conduct ``blue sky'' planning exercises
with our public safety partners around the country to help plan for how
we collectively respond to emergency situations, including where/when/
how we would utilize deployables in those operations. And within
Verizon, we constantly check our Frontline assets to make sure that
they are ready to go when needs arise and we refresh that fleet on a
regular basis to be sure that we have the right cutting-edge
communications assets in our deployable fleet. For those disasters
where we have effective lead time to prepare, we work with federal,
state, and local public safety officials to pre-stage deployable assets
to accelerate response time. We also take that opportunity to verify
that deployables identified for that response are ready in all respects
for the job.
Our public safety partners need to be able to focus on effective
``gray sky'' disaster response when lives are on the line; they count
on us to back them up with communications assets that are ready to go
at a moment's notice. Every disaster creates complications in
communications response, so preparation and planning are essential.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Maria Cantwell to
Cory Davis
Salt Typhoon Impact. Last June, I wrote to AT&T's CEO requesting
information to understand how the unprecedented Salt Typhoon attack
impacted not only AT&T's commercial network but also whether the
FirstNet network was affected as well.
I asked for the third-party threat assessments that would
supposedly verify their claim that their networks were now secure from
the next Chinese cyber attack. But AT&T has chosen not to cooperate.
I made the same request of Verizon and also didn't receive
anything. In the face of increasingly sophisticated attacks like
Chinese state-sponsored Salt Typhoon, public safety users should have
confidence that the network they are using is secure and protected.
Question 1. Did the Salt Typhoon attacks penetrate Verizon's
Frontline network, yes or no?
Answer. Verizon Frontline, our public safety communications
service, rides on top of Verizon's commercial wireless network
infrastructure. AT&T's FirstNet service and T-Mobile's T-Priority
service operate in a similar way. To the extent that the attack
penetrated our network, as with other providers, such penetration
potentially affected both commercial and Verizon Frontline services.
However, our investigation into the incursion uncovered no information
indicating that the attackers targeted the Frontline service. Further,
none of the individual numbers specifically targeted by Salt Typhoon
(i.e., the group of high-level government officials) were subscribed to
the Frontline service.
Question 2. If no, is there a third-party assessment that confirms
this? If so, do you commit to giving me that document?
Answer. We saw no indication that the Frontline service or its
subscribers were specific targets of the Salt Typhoon attack, so our
third-party assessor did not mention Frontline in its review. With your
concerns in mind, we would like to have our Chief Information Security
Officer brief you or your staff about the incursion and our work to
contain it.
Question 3. If the Salt Typhoon attackers did penetrate the
Frontline network, is there a third-party assessment confirming they
have been fully evicted? If so, do you commit to giving me that
document?
Answer. We have seen no evidence of the threat actor being present
in our networks since October 9, 2024. Further, we have not been
alerted by any Federal agency that they have seen evidence of activity
in our network since that time. With respect to the second part of your
question, please see our answers above.
Question 4. Has Mandiant or another third-party identified any
network vulnerabilities, on Frontline or otherwise, exploited by Salt
Typhoon attackers that Verizon has not fully remediated, yes or no?
Answer. Please see our answers above.
Question 5. Has Mandiant or another third-party made any security
recommendations that Verizon has not fully implemented on the Frontline
network, yes or no? This includes, but is not limited to, patching
network edge devices such as VPNs, firewalls, and routers, and
implementing phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication.
Answer. Please see our answers above.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. John Hickenlooper to
Cory Davis
Federal Labs. Colorado is home to many Federal labs which perform
mission critical research, development, and testing to improve
communications service. The First Responder Network Authority, the
NTIA's Institute for Telecommunications Sciences (ITS), and NIST's
Public Safety Communications Research Division within the
Communications Technology Laboratory all call Boulder, Colorado their
home. The FirstNet Authority's lab in Boulder tests public safety
technologies which will be used by first responders. NTIA's ITS lab is
the gold standard for researching how to maximize spectrum efficiency
and reduce interference to Federal agency missions and commercial
radiofrequency applications. NIST's PSCR Division supports the
development of technical specifications to advance next-generation
communications technologies.
Question 1. Do you believe the research activities performed by the
NIST, NTIA, and FirstNet Authority Labs are key to the success of
advancing the state of the art in public safety communications? Which
areas of research or technical challenges in public safety
communications may be useful to examine going forward?
Question 2. 47 U.S.C. Sec. 1443 outlines a process for public
safety wireless communications research and development. Do you believe
the FirstNet Authority could strengthen its collaboration with nearby
NIST and NTIA ITS labs with respect to public safety communications
research? If yes, please elaborate on how this collaboration could be
strengthened.
Question 3. Would you support or oppose cuts to Federal funding to
labs, including the aforementioned labs, which support the advancement
of communications research?
Question 4. The Public Safety Trust Fund was only authorized until
Fiscal Year 2022. From your perspective, describe where additional
Federal resources may be needed for public safety communications
research.
Answer. Senator, I believe the public and private sectors both have
key roles to play in advancing public safety communications. As I
testified before the Committee, Verizon is on the leading edge of
advancing public safety communications through technologies like 5G
network slicing. We also sponsor the Verizon Frontline Innovation
Program. The Verizon Frontline Innovation Program is a first-of-its-
kind innovation incubator dedicated to creating 5G-enabled solutions
for public safety, as well as connectivity solutions in austere network
deprived environments. The program explores new, innovative
technologies that provide solutions to public safety agencies. To date,
we have worked with over 25 Innovation Partners to evaluate existing
products or to ideate on new solutions.
Federal labs similarly help to advance critical public safety
technologies. I would defer to Congress on questions like the
appropriate level of funding for various labs funded by the Federal
government. But as I noted in my recent testimony, Verizon Frontline is
the public safety market leader while AT&T's FirstNet service currently
serves less than half of the public safety communications marketplace.
Government funding can certainly be helpful in advancing public safety
communications, but to the extent that Congress is considering
additional investments in this area, those investments should support
research that helps all of public safety, and not just AT&T customers.
Research funded by the Federal government should be open to all public
safety communications providers, and NIST should be committed to
working with all network providers on a fair and unbiased basis. In
reauthorizing the FirstNet Authority, Congress should ensure that
NIST's public safety research programs and any associated funding are
not conducted in a manner that is open only to the FirstNet Authority
lab or conducted solely for the benefit of AT&T's FirstNet customers.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. Maria Cantwell to
Mel Maier
Salt Typhoon Impact. Last June, I wrote to AT&T's CEO requesting
information to understand how the unprecedented Salt Typhoon attack
impacted not only AT&T's commercial network but also whether the
FirstNet network was affected as well.
I asked for the third-party threat assessments that would
supposedly verify their claim that their networks were now secure from
the next Chinese cyber attack. But AT&T has chosen not to cooperate.
I made the same request of Verizon and also didn't receive
anything.
In the face of increasingly sophisticated attacks like the Chinese
state-sponsored Salt Typhoon, public safety users should have
confidence that the network they are using is secure and protected.
Question 1. Mr. Maier, do you think that we need stronger
cybersecurity protections for FirstNet and other networks that first
responders rely on?
Answer. Strong cybersecurity protections for FirstNet and other
networks that first responders rely on are essential. As these systems
become more complex and interconnected, the number of possible entry
points for cyber threats increases, making cybersecurity an
increasingly important consideration.
FirstNet's dedicated public safety core, oversight, and built-in
security measures are specifically designed to protect both the network
and the sensitive information it carries. In addition, input from the
Public Safety Advisory Committee helps ensure that real-world threats
and experiences from public safety agencies that have faced these
challenges inform network decisions and improvements. Any disruption or
loss of trust in the network could directly impact emergency response,
so maintaining a secure, reliable, and resilient system must remain a
top priority.
First Responder Use of other Networks. Our wireless networks have
become critical infrastructure, and when they fail, the consequences
for public safety can be severe. Just last month, Verizon experienced
an outage lasting roughly ten hours. Emergency management systems in
Washington, D.C., and New York City had to issue alerts telling
residents to find other ways to reach 911.
In February 2024, AT&T suffered a nationwide outage that blocked
over 92 million voice calls and more than 25,000 calls to 911 centers--
and knocked out service for FirstNet subscribers. On Christmas Day
2020, a bombing in Nashville took out an AT&T facility, causing
regional outages that left FirstNet subscribers without service for
hours. The Nashville Police Department had to scramble for backup
phones from Verizon.
Question 1. Mr. Maier, we've heard that many public safety agencies
subscribe to multiple wireless services rather than relying solely on
FirstNet. Why is that?
Answer. Public safety agencies select wireless services based on
myriad factors, including which coverage and services best meet their
operational needs. These decisions often consider coverage capabilities
within their jurisdictions, cost, past contractual relationships, and
several other factors. An agency may need to contract with multiple
providers to achieve comprehensive coverage across its entire service
area, based on each provider's tower locations. Some agencies also rely
on overlapping coverage from multiple vendors to ensure redundancy and
resiliency.
Question 2. Mr. Maier, we've heard that FirstNet and Verizon failed
to clearly communicate with first responders that their networks were
down. Should first responders receive faster, more reliable
notification when there's an outage affecting their network?
Answer. Having timely and actionable information about network
outages is critically important for public safety agencies, so they can
take steps to mitigate the impact of an outage on the public. One of
FirstNet's strengths is the transparency built into its governance and
operations. After the 2024 FirstNet outage, public safety demanded
accountability with briefings provided to the Board and PSAC, and the
FirstNet Authority directed AT&T to do an after-action and organized a
task force to identify recommendations for improvement. One of the
primary improvements has been to communications.
FirstNet Central was refined to enhance outage notifications.
FirstNet Central provides agencies with detailed visibility into
network status, including deployables and county-level outages, a
feature that was requested directly by the public safety community.
FirstNet is the only network that provides full visibility into
coverage, tower locations, outages, maintenance information, and the
location of deployable assets through this portal.
Public safety needs this kind of visibility into every outage,
regardless of provider. That is why APCO has urged the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) to amend the rules regarding how
service providers must notify 9-1-1 centers about network outages that
impact the ability of the public to reach 9-1-1. APCO, along with other
9-1-1 associations, has requested that the FCC revise its rules so that
these notifications are provided in a format that is easily accessible
to 9-1-1 center personnel and provide real-time, actionable
information. Specifically, APCO has advocated for a secure, two-way
centralized portal for service providers to update with information
regarding network status, geographic areas experiencing service
disruptions, and restoration efforts, and that 9-1-1 center personnel
could access for real-time situational awareness when outages occur.
This request is still pending with the FCC.
Competition. When Congress authorized FirstNet in 2012, it was
clear that the commercial telecommunications market wasn't going to
deliver the kind of priority service public safety needed without help
from the Federal Government.
Now, nearly ten years after AT&T received the FirstNet contract,
competitors like Verizon and T-Mobile have emerged with their own
public service offering.
Question 1. How does competition in the marketplace improve service
for public safety officials?
Answer. Competition in the marketplace can drive innovation,
improve service, and expand options for public safety agencies.
FirstNet was created to address mission-critical needs that were not
being met by the commercial marketplace alone. FirstNet, built using
common commercial standards, has driven the modernization of public
safety technology and has galvanized competition in public safety
offerings. Before FirstNet was created, the average consumer had better
cell phone technology than a first responder in the field. Now we have
FirstNet, and additional public safety offerings like Verizon Frontline
and T-Priority. FirstNet is specifically built to address public safety
needs and expectations. As a result, competitors seeking to similarly
serve the public safety community must meet comparable standards, which
drives increased reliability, security, and innovation across the
marketplace. Overall, competition benefits all public safety users,
whether they are FirstNet customers or not, by fostering modernization
and improving the technology and services available to agencies.
Question 2. Does having alternate service offerings help public
safety officials in planning and redundancy?
Answer. Having alternate service offerings strengthens public
safety planning efforts and helps ensure redundant communications
networks. By delivering services aligned with public safety's
operational requirements, FirstNet has spurred competition among other
providers, which has, in turn, given public safety agencies multiple
service offerings to incorporate into their planning. This flexibility
enables public safety agencies to leverage different infrastructure,
devices, and capabilities to maintain continuity of service, address
local coverage needs, and avoid single points of failure.
______
Response to Written Questions Submitted by Hon. John Hickenlooper to
Mel Maier
Federal Labs. Colorado is home to many Federal labs which perform
mission critical research, development, and testing to improve
communications service. The First Responder Network Authority, the
NTIA's Institute for Telecommunications Sciences (ITS), and NIST's
Public Safety Communications Research Division within the
Communications Technology Laboratory all call Boulder, Colorado their
home. The FirstNet Authority's lab in Boulder tests public safety
technologies which will be used by first responders. NTIA's ITS lab is
the gold standard for researching how to maximize spectrum efficiency
and reduce interference to Federal agency missions and commercial
radiofrequency applications. NIST's PSCR Division supports the
development of technical specifications to advance next-generation
communications technologies.
Question 1. Do you believe the research activities performed by the
NIST, NTIA, and FirstNet Authority Labs are key to the success of
advancing the state of the art in public safety communications? Which
areas of research or technical challenges in public safety
communications may be useful to examine going forward?
Answer. The research activities performed by NIST, NTIA, and the
FirstNet Authority Labs are important to advancing public safety
communications. NIST and PSCR have supported public safety's broadband
evolution since 2005, including coordination with the FirstNet
Authority and work at the Boulder Laboratories. This research helps
ensure public safety communications evolve using common standards and
reflect real-world operational needs.
These efforts are especially valuable because they look ahead to
future challenges. Research into areas such as Supplemental Coverage
from Space, 6G, network sensing, and the integration of AI and machine
learning can improve resiliency, security, and flexibility in wireless
networks.
Question 2. 47 U.S.C. Sec. 1443 outlines a process for public
safety wireless communications research and development. Do you believe
the FirstNet Authority could strengthen its collaboration with nearby
NIST and NTIA ITS labs with respect to public safety communications
research? If yes, please elaborate on how this collaboration could be
strengthened.
Answer. APCO supports collaboration and information sharing across
Federal research organizations to advance public safety communications.
Public safety benefits when research is focused on common goals to
advance reliable, secure, and effective communications for first
responders. We defer to the FirstNet Authority, NTIA, and NIST with
respect to the manner and means by which this collaboration takes
place.
Question 3. Would you support or oppose cuts to Federal funding to
labs, including the aforementioned labs, which support the advancement
of communications research?
Answer. Public safety communications research helps ensure that
first responders rely on modern, fully tested, and mission-ready
equipment before deployment. Federal labs can serve a critical role in
developing, evaluating, and validating technologies that support public
safety communications. We respectfully defer to Congress regarding
specific Federal funding allocations.
Question 4. The Public Safety Trust Fund was only authorized until
Fiscal Year 2022. From your perspective, describe where additional
Federal resources may be needed for public safety communications
research.
Answer. We defer to NTIA, NIST, and the FirstNet Authority
regarding the allocation of their Federal resources, as these entities
are best positioned to determine research priorities. That said,
continued research will be critical as the public safety community
transitions to NG9-1-1 and other modern communications capabilities,
including broadband, satellite services, AI, and other emerging
technologies. This research provides valuable insights that guide the
development and deployment of advanced public safety communications
technologies and can help identify additional areas for Federal
investment to support public safety. For example, Federal funding is
vital to modernize 9-1-1 centers and transition them to NG9-1-1,
ensuring public safety agencies have secure, reliable, and
interoperable communications systems.
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