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In today’s increasingly complex world, the ability of first responders to communicate effectively during emergencies isn’t just desirable, it’s imperative. As President of AT&T Indiana, I’ve witnessed firsthand how the public-private partnership of FirstNet®, Built with AT&T has transformed public safety outcomes and saved countless lives.
The partnership between AT&T and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) was born out of tragedy: 9/11. The attacks revealed fundamental problems with the communications systems used by our nation’s first responders. The radio systems that law enforcement, fire services, EMS, and emergency management relied on could not easily operate across agencies. Secondly, the spike in call volume overwhelmed the landline and commercial mobile phone networks, keeping first responders from connecting with each other.
Following a recommendation from the 9/11 Commission, Congress passed legislation in 2012 establishing the FirstNet Authority to create a broadband network dedicated to first responders. From its founding through today, public safety involvement has been critical to the success of FirstNet. That’s why, after years of consulting with public safety agencies across the country, the FirstNet Authority awarded an innovative 25-year contract to AT&T in March 2017. We took this financial risk when no other major wireless carrier was willing to, because we understood then, as we understand now, that safety knows no price.
So, what’s the difference between a traditional network and FirstNet? Unlike conventional commercial networks that become overwhelmed during emergencies, and stymie call and data transmission, FirstNet operates fundamentally differently. During emergencies, the dedicated FirstNet network core infrastructure ensures that first responders have always-on priority and preemption. This means that when a first responder needs to make a call or send data, and the lines are congested, they automatically jump to the front of the line and the rest of the network traffic is cleared, so they will no longer deal with the difficulties of staying connected. This isn’t merely a technical distinction; it’s the difference between a coordinated emergency response and a fragmented one.
Additionally, the dedicated FirstNet fleet provides similar capabilities and connectivity as cell towers, and includes ground-based and aerial assets, such as Satellite Cell on Light Trucks (SatCOLTs) and Flying COWs™ (Cell on Wings). These portable network assets link to FirstNet via satellite and do not rely on commercial power availability. That’s not all though, public safety agencies can also own and operate their own portable FirstNet cell towers, including the FirstNet Compact Rapid Deployable (CRD) and miniCRDs. These assets can be set up in minutes by just one person, giving first responders greater command and control of their own network.
While the nationwide success of FirstNet has been nothing short of remarkable, Indiana’s leadership in adopting this technology has been a point of pride for me. Not only was Indiana an early adopter of FirstNet, but we have also pioneered the integration of traditional land mobile radio systems with FirstNet. This has created a seamless communications environment that maximizes operational efficiency.
FirstNet is connecting public safety agencies and organizations in more than 620 localities across the state, including Indianapolis, South Bend, Gary, Evansville, Fishers, Noblesville, Elkhart, Marion, Brownsburg, Bloomington, Crown Point, LaPorte, Frankfort, and Martinsville. Public safety agencies across the state understand that in emergency management, communication capability directly correlates with operational effectiveness, and FirstNet is the only network that boosts their effectiveness.
As business executives, we often speak about competitive advantage and return on investment. For public safety agencies and Indiana communities, FirstNet provides both: a technological edge that enhances their ability to save lives, and the most important return on investment there is – safety. Giving families the assurance that even in times of disaster and emergency, our public safety teams have the most modern and helpful tools possible is a return on investment that all of Indiana understands.
The partnership between AT&T and Indiana’s public safety community exemplifies how private enterprise and public service can collaborate to address critical infrastructure needs. This model of cooperation creates value that extends far beyond what either sector could achieve independently.
Looking ahead, we remain committed to expanding public safety’s capabilities and reach with FirstNet. The investment we make today in public safety communications will continue to make our state safer for generations to come.
When our first responders succeed in their mission, we all benefit.