News and Publications

The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) this week awarded grants under the State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP) to the following states to help in planning for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet):

WASHINGTON — First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) General Manager Bill D’Agostino announced today that FirstNet has posted its answers to questions received from potential respondents to 10 Requests for Information (RFIs) issued on July 10. The RFIs seek information regarding deployment options for two key portions of the nationwide, broadband public safety network: the radio access network (RAN) and core network.

WASHINGTON — First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) General Manager Bill D’Agostino  announced today that FirstNet has completed its analysis of 54 industry responses to its April 15, 2013, Request for Information (RFI) for wireless devices.

WASHINGTON — Senior leaders of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) met yesterday with the Executive Committee of APCO International at the association’s 79^th Annual Conference in Anaheim, CA, and pledged to continue their close collaboration to help ensure the successful development of FirstNet.

The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) last week awarded grants under the State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP) to the following states to help in planning for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet):

• Arizona – $2.9 million
• California – $5.6 million
• Iowa – $1.6 million
• Missouri – $2.4 million

All the recipients are required to provide a matching contribution of at least 20 percent. Additional grants will be awarded on a rolling basis.

WASHINGTON — First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) General Manager Bill D’Agostino announced today that FirstNet has named Randolph M. Lyon as its Chief Financial Officer. Lyon is the third FirstNet senior executive to be hired this year in the ongoing effort to fully staff the management team. He will be responsible for FirstNet financial strategy, management and oversight.

President Obama’s ConnectED proposal aims to bring next-generation broadband, with speeds of at least 100 megabits per second and high-speed wireless, to K-12 schools across the nation.

WASHINGTON – Marking its first anniversary, the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board today adopted its business plan for FY ’14, signaling the most important progress in FirstNet’s short history.

The Board adopted a $194 million budget in support of management’s plans and priorities to continue developing the nationwide broadband network dedicated to public safety.

WASHINGTON – The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) announced today that it has approved an agreement with the state of New Mexico allowing it to lease access to FirstNet’s spectrum. This is the second such agreement between FirstNet and one of the seven public safety Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grantees, whose funding was partially suspended following enactment of the law creating FirstNet.

Two and a half years ago, the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) launched an interactive online map that shows what high-speed Internet services are available to every neighborhood in the country.

This week, we are updating the dataset underlying the National Broadband Map (NBM) for the sixth time since it was established in early 2011 in collaboration with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and partners in every state and territory.

WASHINGTON — First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Chairman Sam Ginn announced that he has named FirstNet Board Member Kevin McGinnis to head the organization’s stakeholder outreach with tribes. McGinnis has begun meeting with tribal leaders.

This post is part of our “Spotlight on NTIA” blog series, which is highlighting the work that NTIA employees are doing to advance NTIA’s mission of promoting broadband adoption, finding spectrum to meet the growing demand for wireless technologies, and ensuring the Internet remains an engine for innovation and economic growth.

WASHINGTON — Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling issued the following statement on the multistakeholder process to develop the first privacy code of conduct aimed at improving disclosures on mobile devices.

Washington — The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced it has awarded the first $13.1 million in grants under the State and Local Implementation Grant Program (SLIGP). The awards are going to Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, New York and Ohio, and will support state planning, consultation and outreach activities of these states as they prepare for the launch of the first nationwide public safety broadband network.

Late last month, I had the pleasure of joining representatives from the Keystone Initiative for Network Based Education and Research (KINBER) as they celebrated the completion of their statewide network linking many of the state’s colleges and universities. What had long been out of reach for Pennsylvania’s education community had finally become a reality with the help of NTIA’s broadband grant program. 

The White House recently set an ambitious goal to connect 99 percent of American students to ultra-fast broadband within five years. President Obama’s ConnectED initiative would bring Internet speeds of at least 100 megabits per second and high-speed wireless to K-12 schools across the nation.

Testimony of
Mr. Karl Nebbia
Associate Administrator, Office of Spectrum Management
National Telecommunications and Information Administration
U.S. Department of Commerce

Before the

Subcommittee on Communications and Technology
Committee on Energy and Commerce
United States House of Representatives

Hearing on
“Equipping Carriers and Agencies in the Wireless Era”
June 27, 2013