While there was optimism that the approaching announcement of a national partner by FirstNet would turn the national public-safety broadband network into a reality, Rivada Mercury's pre-award protest of the request for proposals (RFP) and a changing presidential administration promise more uncertainty for public safety.

AT&T announced in a Securities and Exchange Comission (SEC) filing Dec. 2 that it was informed by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) that it is a bidder within the "competitive range" for a contract award under FirstNet's request for proposals (RFP). On Nov. 21, Rivada Mercury filed a pre-award protest of the FirstNet RFP, saying the Department of Interior (DOI) made an “unlawful decision to exclude Rivada Mercury’s proposal from the competitive range for the award.”

Mission-critical communications groups disagreed with internet of things (IoT) users in comments filed with the FCC regarding the 800 MHz expansion and guard bands. Public-safety and critical infrastructure industries (CII) associations touted the need for incumbent priority access to the spectrum, while IoT companies said new entrants would more effectively use the spectrum.

In comments to the FCC regarding modified 700 MHz narrowband channel rules for Project 25 (P25) Compliance Assessment Program (CAP) compliance and vehicular repeater systems (VRS), public-safety associations offered continued support for P25 CAP and VRS, and Motorola Solutions filed a petition for partial reconsideration.

FirstNet announced last week it will not make its original Nov. 1 deadline for awarding its RFP, while a U.K. official said quality is more important than timing for the U.K. Emergency Services Network (ESN). With projects of this size and scope — and as the first in the world of their kind — it’s better to get them right than to meet unrealistic deadlines.

Last week the FCC denied a request to extend the construction deadlines for certain Part 22 paging licenses, which terminated more than 2,100 licenses. The FCC has become less lenient regarding construction requirements for Part 22 auction licenses, which could free spectrum warehoused by speculators for mission-critical communications entities.

A 2016 survey of 9,735 sworn police officers conducted by the Public Technology Institute (PTI), iCERT and Deltek found top technology priorities in radio communications, mobile data and body-worn cameras.

Phil Kidner, who is celebrating 10 years as the CEO of the TETRA + Critical Communications Association (TCCA), offers his views about the past 10 years and the industry’s future.

Ten states, a Virginia county and the District of Columbia submitted comments to the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) notice and request for comments regarding the State Alternative Plan Program (SAPP) and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet). Concerns about the timing, additional information from federal entities overseeing the process, grant evaluation, transparency and other issues were raised in the comments.

It wasn’t too many decades ago when trunking technology was introduced in the Part 90 bands. Because trunking systems need not distinguish between the users seeking access to the technology, the basis for retaining 20 or so disparate radio services where spectrum was allocated based on the type of business an applicant was engaged became instantly obsolete. Just in case any readers are too young to remember, there used to be actual separate radio service spectrum allocations for relay press, motion picture, motor carrier and even telephone maintenance business activities.