FirstNet Status/Issues and the Future of Public Safety Communications Networks

Transcription

1 International Municipal Lawyers Association 2013 Spring Conference, Washington, DC FirstNet Status/Issues and the Future of Public Safety Communications Networks Sunday, April 14, 2012 Nicholas Miller Best Best & Krieger Washington, DC 2012 International Municipal Lawyers Association. This is an informational and educational report distributed by the International Municipal Lawyers Association. IMLA assumes no responsibility for the policies or positions presented in the report or for the presentation of its contents.

2 Introduction Best Best & Krieger Background in 700 MHz Recent History of 700 MHz Public Safety Wireless FirstNet Actions to Date Major Challenges for Local Government Unanswered Questions

3 Best Best & Krieger Background Houston 700 MHz narrow band $116M contract Motorola BAFO RFP process Construction Contract Compliance BayRICS General Counsel to JPA Washington DC Counsel for NTIA and FCC Negotiated Joint Venture with Motorola Assisting on FirstNet Spectrum Lease discussions STA Spectrum process BTOP funding and Spectrum Lease Discussions

4 History of 700 MHz Public Safety 1990:s FCC reallocation of UHF broadcasting Most auctioned to commercial cellular operators 10MHz to Public Safety broadband 10MHz to Public Safety narrowband (or voice) Public Safety Spectrum Trust 700 MHz narrowband licensed to individual communities (like Houston) D Block (an additional 10MHz) to be auctioned for public private joint venture with PSST

5 First Net Legislation Title VI of Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012, Pub. L. No , 126 Stat 156 (2012), 47 U.S.C. 1420, et seq. Reallocate T Band Reallocate 700 Public Safety broadband + D Block to FirstNet (10 x 10) Create FirstNet as independent authority within NTIA

6 FirstNet Legislation 15 member board (4 for state and local government and public safety) take all action necessary to build, deploy and operate network... in consultation with federal, state, tribal and local public policy entities $2B immediately and $7B potential for deployment Leveraging, to the maximum extent economically desirable, existing commercial wireless infrastructure 47 USC 1426(b)(1).

7 Developments Since Legislation NTIA froze all LTE funding for 7 BTOP grantees FCC terminated all 700 Mhz waivers FCC created STA process for interim operations; then granted one and denied others NTIA publicly opposed any interim operations that would limit FirstNet s options

8 FCC STA Process Texas (Harris County) got STA, as imminent and ready to operate (not a BTOP grantee) BayRICS denied an STA 1. wouldn t be operational during 6 month grant 2. funding not certain (NTIA had frozen $) 3. BayRICS should get NTIA and FirstNet concurrence for interim operation.

9 FirstNet Organizes Aug : 12 public members appointed Tim Bryan, CEO, National Rural Telecommunications Cooperative Charles Chuck Dowd, Deputy Chief, New York Police Department F. Craig Farrill, Wireless telecommunications executive Paul Fitzgerald, Sheriff, Story County, Iowa Sam Ginn (Chairman), Retired telecommunications executive Jeffrey Johnson, CEO Western Fire Chiefs Association William Keever, Retired telecommunications executive Kevin McGinnis, Chief/CEO North East Mobile Health Services Ed Reynolds, Retired telecommunications executive Susan Swenson, Telecommunication/technology executive Teri Takai, Former CIO for states of Michigan and California Wellington Webb, Former Mayor, Denver CO Secretary: Uzoma Onyeije (202) ;

10 FirstNet Organizes Quarterly Board Meetings Actions to Date: by-laws/organization Received FCC frequency license grant Reveals possible high-level architecture/business relationships very significant slide deck by Mr. Ferrill Chair Ginn: FirstNet looks to smart phone development model FirstNet runs the network carrying apps Public Safety Community develops or asks FirstNet to develop apps NTIA Notice of Inquiry to get ideas and reactions from Public Safety community and commercial carriers.

11 NTIA Notice of Inquiry Released October 1, 2012; comments November 1, 2012): Comments on: Conceptual network architecture Other network and business plan considerations How to develop applications for public safety users Surprising unanimity from Public Safety Community

12 FCC NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking ( NPRM ), FCC 13-31, released March 8, main topics: technical rules re interference potential re antenna height and power, emissions and field strength the nature of FCC relationship with FirstNet as a licensee when and how to clear the 700 MHz spectrum allotted for PSWB including commercial D Block and some public safety narrowband users.

13 FCC NPRM 700 MHz Incumbent Narrowband Operations: Jurisdictions Holding Site-Based Licenses for Narrowband Operation in the Public Safety Broadband Spectrum Adams County, CO* Anoka County, MN Arapahoe County, CO* Bannock County, ID Bingham County, ID Carver County, MN Chisago County, MN Cinnaminson Township, NJ* Colorado Springs, CO* Dakota County, MN Eagle County, CO* Escanaba, MI* Garfield County, CO* Glendale, AZ* Hennepin County, MN Kalamazoo County, MI* Los Angeles, CA* Maricopa County, AZ* Marshall, MI* Commonwealth of Massachusetts* State of Missouri Monroe County, MI* Pierce Transit (WA) Pueblo, CO* Stamford, CT* St. Clair County, IL* St. Louis (MO) Police Dep t* State of Tennessee* Washington County, MN *licensed for operation of mobile stations only

14 FCC NPRM States Certifying Operation of 700 MHz Incumbent Narrowband Systems (as of 2007) Arizona Colorado Georgia** Hawaii Idaho Illinois Louisiana Massachusetts Nebraska New York North Carolina Ohio Oregon Tennessee Texas Virginia

15 Major Challenges Ahead Managing the procurement process How incorporate local priorities? What Are Appropriate Quality of Service standards for Public Safety Incorporating the use of existing local assets Each community is unique Backhaul Structures/towers Local knowledge Managing and coordinating the multiple participants and stakeholders Balance demand vs cost to communities Commercial networks traffic management policies User equipment variations Open architecture

16 Measures of Success States do not opt out Cost containment Services that deliver Coverage/capacity Public safety grade Quality of Service Applications when and where needed Prices public safety can afford

17 Questions Will FirstNet be a stand-alone network or network of networks? Farrill Presentation: Impractical to build stand alone network No single commercial carrier has ubiquitous coverage Must take advantage of existing architecture and spare capacity Redundancy requires several parallel operational pathways

18 Questions What is the time to deployment? If joint venture with commercial providers, initial service could be soon Farrill predicts 2013 to 2014 timeframe If building from scratch, initial service is probably 5 years away. What is the mostly likely build-out model? Most logical: a lego-block approach: starting with the BTOP grantees, to resolve issues re Signal coverage and equipment testing Operational protocols Public private organizational models Standards (quality of service; interoperability; open architecture) then contracting for excess capacity on commercial networks, then building out the remaining doughnut holes.

19 Questions How will FirstNet involve commercial wireless providers? Farrill Presentation: Substantial industry collaboration around user requirements, inteoprability and technology Look to Mobile Network Operator (MNO) partners to develop and construct the nationwide network infrastructure Private sector will be involved but a spectrum of possibilities providing part of network functions and facilities to a single national system contractor providing turn-key build, operate and manage network.

20 Conclusion FirstNet is a Revolutionary Change in Approach from PSST: Spectrum is allocated Substantial funding is provided Major organizational steps in last 6 months Many Challenges Remain Will Public Safety community drive design and operational decisions? State, local and federal coordination state opt outs? Technology standards not set and unresolved operational challenges Amount of throughput Fast-moving mobile handoffs voice transmission Latency and signal stability Costs, prices, alternatives: FirstNet board members said public safety agencies should pay competitive monthly rates in line with those of commercial services. FCC Commissioner Pai testifies that spectrum auctions might not raise enough money to pay for FirstNet buildout. Active and Aggressive Participation is Essential

21 Contact Information PHOTO Nicholas Miller Best Best & Krieger 2000 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. Suite 4300 Washington, DC Phone: (202) Fax: (202) Cell: (202) Website: