By Matthew Schreiner

Presenters: David Buchanan, Susan Swenson, Jeffrey Bratcher, Richard Stanek, Kevin McGinnis

This update to FirstNet’s progress was a high-level summary of many other deeper-level FirstNet presentations provided throughout the conference. The five-member panel provided a 30-minute update, followed by 30 minutes of questions from the audience. The panel’s comments and answers to questions communicated the following very clear messages:

• Members of the Board are pleased with the progress made in the last 18 months.
• FirstNet’s primary role is to ensure that AT&T delivers all the things the project promised to deliver to public safety practitioners.
• FirstNet will remain committed to being an advocate for public safety as long as the network exists.
• FirstNet must ensure the service provides interoperability, security, resilience and quality of service, all at a reasonable price.
• There are three groups from which accountability is required for FirstNet to be successful:
  1.  FirstNet: accountable to public safety to ensure advocacy, good governance and excellent service
  2. AT&T: accountable to FirstNet to deliver what it promised in its RFP response
  3. Public Safety: accountable to participate in good faith and take ownership in the solution

Those messages seemed to provide the audience with a feeling of confidence that FirstNet is on the right track.