Five Vermont state senators sent a letter July 20 to the Vermont Public-Safety Broadband Network Commission asking it to extend its comment period on its First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) state plan.

Rural coverage, physical security and cybersecurity, and integration with next-generation technologies dominated much of the discussion during a hearing on the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) held by the Senate Subcommittee on Communications, Technology, Innovation and the Internet July 20.

The ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board (ANAB) submitted a request with the FCC’s Office of Engineering and Technology (OET) asking to be allowed to serve as an accreditation body for labs located in countries without mutual recognition agreements (MRA) for testing equipment for authorization under the commission’s declaration of conformity (DOC) and certification programs.

A report released by the Government Accountability Office (GAO) identifies outreach to tribal stakeholders and future staffing for the Network Program Office as potential areas of concern for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet).

Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds and Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg announced the state’s participation in the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN) at a weekly press conference. Iowa is the fifth state to opt in to network after Virginia, Wyoming, Arkansas and Kentucky.

In evaluating its options, the goal of every state should be to obtain the best possible network coverage for its first responders. The safety of first responders and the public must be the primary concern in evaluating the AT&T/FirstNet plan. To conduct a reasonably thorough examination, the governors and their teams must have access to the necessary financial, technical and legal information regarding AT&T’s commitments to deliver the NPSBN.

MissionCritical Communications interviewed Troy Babbitt, Wyoming’s single point of contact (SPOC), about the state’s decision to opt in to the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet).

U.S. Sen. Roger Wicker, chairman of the Senate subcommittee on communications, technology, innovation and the internet, will convene a hearing titled “An Update on FirstNet” July 20.

The commonwealth of Pennsylvania invited qualified entities to submit a proposal for the design, installation and operation of a statewide broadband wireless system to serve Pennsylvania public-safety entities. The request for proposals (RFP) intends to provide an alternative to the offer from the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) in the event the governor decides to opt out of the FirstNet offering.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson announced that Arkansas will opt in to the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) and AT&T plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the state’s public-safety community. Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin also made the decision to opt in. Both states made the announcements at the National Governors Association’s (NGA) Summer Conference in Providence, Rhode Island.