First responders in the East Carroll Parish, Louisiana, area are getting a new, purpose-built cell site by AT&T as part of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) network. The site is located in Lake Providence.

The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) board named Edward Parkinson executive director of the organization.

DigitalBlue Software’s EnforceNet app received First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Listed designation.

The Alliance for Telecommunications Industry Solutions (ATIS) Network Reliability Steering Committee (NRSC) offers a list of proactive steps that telecommunications service providers can take to prepare for and respond to a wide array of emergency situations.

America’s Public Television Stations (APTS) submitted two reports on the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) to the FCC in an ex parte filing.

The Portsmouth (Ohio) Police and Fire Departments are connecting their first responders to the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) communications network for public safety. The departments are using FirstNet on modems and department-issued smartphones.

With another mission-critical push-to-talk (MCPTT) provider entering the U.S. market last month and the first commercial launches by carriers expected later this year, the market continues to be dynamic. The biggest challenges for public-safety users could be determining whether a PTT service is truly mission critical and ensuring that whatever service is selected is interoperable with other PTT technology used by surrounding agencies.

VITAS Healthcare, a provider of end-of-life care, is the first approved hospice provider to be connected to the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) nationwide public-safety broadband network. The company's access to FirstNet enables VITAS employees to use the highly secure and reliable communications tool for patient care and assistance while in the field.

The Senate unanimously passed the Secure and Trusted Telecommunications Networks Act, which includes $1 billion in funding to help small rural telecom carriers to replace existing Huawei and ZTE equipment.

The House communications and technology subcommittee held a hearing on numerous public-safety-related bills Feb. 27, but the bulk of the testimony and questions revolved around network resiliency and the importance of wireless carriers working more closely with utilities and public safety.