FirstNet is – finally – coming soon, and AT&T will build it, sources say.

Dan Jones, Mobile Editor

February 28, 2017

1 Min Read
AT&T Has FirstNet Public Safety Deal in the Bag – Sources

BARCELONA -- Mobile World Congress 2017 -- AT&T looks set to win the $7 billion contract to build the long-awaited FirstNet nationwide LTE network for first responders in the US."It's a done deal, but you didn't hear from me," one source on the show floor in Spain told Light Reading. Another says the win could be announced this March, or sometime later in the second quarter.AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) were always the main contenders to build the 700MHz D-Block LTE network. It is supposed to provide police, fire and emergency services with interoperable radios that allow them to all communicate. (See 9/11: The Radio Issue.)A national first-responders network in 700MHz was suggested in 2006. The 9/11 terrorist attacks highlighted how the police and firefighter radios were incompatible, making a catastrophic situation even more dangerous and difficult for emergency response teams.Congress earmarked $7 billion for the network. It has been slow progress since then, leading some to describe the whole situation as a "boondoggle." (See FirstNet: A Billion-Dollar Boondoggle?)"FirstNet remains in an ongoing procurement process and no award has been made," A FirstNet spokesperson tells us.The contract, however, is likely to be announced in the second quarter, Light Reading has been told.Much like the Affordable Care Act, however, individual states will be able to opt-out of the program if they wish to. Our sources say that some states will do just that.— Dan Jones, Mobile Editor, Light Reading

About the Author(s)

Dan Jones

Mobile Editor

Dan is to hats what Will.I.Am is to ridiculous eyewear. Fedora, trilby, tam-o-shanter -- all have graced the Jones pate during his career as the go-to purveyor of mobile essentials.

But hey, Dan is so much more than 4G maps and state-of-the-art headgear. Before joining the Light Reading team in 2002 he was an award-winning cult hit on Broadway (with four 'Toni' awards, two 'Emma' gongs and a 'Brian' to his name) with his one-man show, "Dan Sings the Show Tunes."

His perfectly crafted blogs, falling under the "Jonestown" banner, have been compared to the works of Chekhov. But only by Dan.

He lives in Brooklyn with cats.

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