PUBLIC SAFETY BROADBAND WIRELESS NETWORK
First Responder Network Authority
“FirstNet”
George Bakolia
North Carolina FirstNet Program Director
February 10, 2014
Overview
 Background
 FirstNet – Single Focus
 Vision & Guiding Principles
 State and Local Implementation Grant
Program
 Timeline & Funding
 Phase I Activities
 Summary
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FirstNet Background
 Public Law 112-96 passed by Congress in 2012, establishes
an “independent authority within NTIA” (National
Telecommunications and Information Administration –
within US Department of Commerce) with responsibility
for building and operating a Nationwide Public Safety
Wireless Broadband System
 FirstNet is headed by a 15 member Board
 Secretary of Homeland Security, US Attorney General, and
Director of Office of Management and Budget are only legislated
members
 12 members are appointed by Secretary of Commerce
 Members are geopolitically diverse with expertise in Public Safety,
Technology, Commercial Networks, and Finance
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Single Focus
The First Responder Network Authority shall
hold the single public safety wireless license
granted to ensure the building, deployment,
and operation of the nationwide public
safety broadband network
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Vision & Guiding Principles
 Nationwide Wireless Broadband Network for Public Safety
for federal, state, local and tribal public safety response
personnel to share data, do their jobs more efficiently and
save more lives in the process
 “Public Safety Response” now extends data communications
to other than traditional Police, Fire, and EMS personnel –
these non-traditional responders include:
 Emergency Management
 Critical Infrastructure
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Utilities (power, gas, telecom, water, sewer)
Transportation (Road, Rail, Air, and Maritime)
 Public Health and Non-governmental organizations
 Education (shelter, transportation, fuel, feeding)
 National Guard and Federal Agencies/Departments
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Vision & Guiding Principles
 FirstNet will not be a brand new system - it will use existing
state, local and commercial infrastructure where available
 FirstNet is a PARTNERSHIP with commercial carriers and
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their active participation is critical to the success of FirstNet
FirstNet will use Fourth Generation (4G) cellular data
technology - Long Term Evolution (LTE - adopted by all
commercial carriers)
Public Safety Effectiveness - Dynamic Priority Access, Force
Multiplier (estimated at over 5 million at the start)
Public Safety Grade – Reliable, Hardened, Redundant,
Security
Public Safety Applications - 4G data for video and web, Non
mission-critical voice
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FirstNet Will Augment LMR
 Public safety will rely on LMR for mission-critical voice
until LTE capabilities exceed current functionality
 FirstNet can be co-located on existing LMR infrastructure
 Sharing infrastructure will keep costs down and enhance
coverage
 Goal is to allow voice to pass between the two networks
 Here in North Carolina, VIPER and FirstNet will be able to
support each other by using some common tower sites,
generators and common links between tower sites
 Voice and data will eventually converge
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State and Local Implementation Grant Program
 The State and Local Implementation Grant Program
(SLIGP) was also created under the Middle Class Tax Relief
and Job Creation Act of 2012.
 SLIGP is designed to provide resources to assist the
regional, state, local, and tribal government entities as they
plan for FirstNet. SLIGP is being administered by the
National Telecommunication and Information
Administration (NTIA) within the Department of
Commerce.
 Phase I - Education, outreach, and planning
 Phase II – Requirements, design, and data gathering
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Key Timelines
Dates & Times
Project Activities
February 2012
Legislation creating FirstNet is signed
August 22, 2013
North Carolina receives award for Phase I Grant funds education, outreach, and planning
November 2013
Complete staff hiring & finalize geographic regions for outreach
program
November 2013
Begin North Carolina outreach program
February 2014
Begin North Carolina regional outreach workshops
June 2014
Conclude regional outreach workshops
Approximately July 2014
FirstNet releases Phase II grant funds – requirements,
design, and data gathering
Approximately July 2016
FirstNet Planning Grant concludes
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Funding
 FirstNet is intended to be “Deficit Neutral” (built with
proceeds from Spectrum Auctions, from partners, and
sustained by user fees)
 FirstNet Board has recognized that FirstNet user fees must
be cost competitive with commercial carriers prices to
achieve success
 Allocation of $120 million for SLIGP - North Carolina
received $3.2 million
 calculation based on following formula
 50 states and 6 territories each get $500k
 remaining funds allocated based on 75% by population and
25% by geographic size.
 State required to provide 20% match (in-kind acceptable)
 $3.2 million + $800k (match) = $4 million
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Phase I Activities – Organizations Reached
NC 911 Board
Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians
NC Department of Commerce
Tribal Regional Groups
NC State Interoperability Executive Committee - SIEC
UNC Institute of Government
NC Emergency Management
NC Utilities Commission
NC Association of County Commissioners - NCACC
NC Telecommunications Industry Association - NCTIA
NC Cable Telecommunications Association - NCCTA
NC Police Chiefs Association
USDA/Rural Development
NC Sheriff’s Association
NC Department of Public Instruction
NC CJIN Board
NC Department of Insurance
NC Fire Chiefs Association
NC League of Municipalities
NC DOT
NC Hospital Association
NC DHHS
NC Department of Justice
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Phase I Activities - Workshop Regions
Region 6
Chatham, Durham, Harnett, Johnston, Lee, Nash, Orange, Wake, Wayne, Wilson
2/4/14
Region 5
Caswell, Franklin, Granville, Person, Vance, Warren, Halifax
2/5/14
Region 4
Bladen, Brunswick, Columbus, Duplin, New Hanover, Pender, Sampson
2/20/14
Region 1
Bertie, Camden, Chowan, Currituck, Gates, Hertford, North Hampton, Pasquotank, Perquimans
3/4/14
Region 2
Beaufort, Dare, Edgecombe, Hyde, Martin, Pitt, Tyrell, Washington
3/5/14
Region 3
Carteret, Craven, Greene, Jones, Lenoir, Onslow, Pamlico
3/6/14
Region 9
Anson, Cabarrus, Catawba, Gaston, Iredell, Lincoln, Mecklenburg, Rowan, Stanly, Union
3/25/14
Region 7
Cumberland, Hoke, Montgomery, Moore, Richmond, Scotland, Robeson
3/26/14
Region 10
Buncombe, Burke, Cleveland, Henderson, Madison, McDowell, Polk, Rutherford, Yancey
4/8/14
Region 12
Cherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Jackson, Macon, Swain, Transylvania
4/9/14
Region 8
Alamance, Davidson, Davie, Forsyth, Guilford, Randolph, Rockingham, Stokes, Surry, Yadkin
Region 11
Ashe, Alleghany, Avery, Alexander, Caldwell, Mitchell, Watauga, Wilkes
4/22/14
Mecklenburg - Extra Session
4/24/14
Raleigh – Extra Session
5/14/14
4/23/14
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Summary
 The North Carolina Governor, the Secretary of Public
Safety, the State CIO and the Secretary of Commerce have
all endorsed the FirstNet effort and are very supportive of it
 Plan to develop recommendations to ensure NC Citizens,
Local Governments, Businesses, and Eastern Band of
Cherokee Indians are all supported
 Partner with utilities, telecommunication companies, and
critical infrastructure providers
 Continue to work with the FirstNet Board and their
Advisory Boards
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North Carolina
Contact Information
George Bakolia
george.bakolia@nc.gov
919-899-9146
National FirstNet Website
Launching Very Soon
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