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News and Publications

April 18, 2013 Press Release

NEW ORLEANSFirst Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board member Sue Swenson provided an update yesterday on FirstNet’s work to prepare for a nationwide public safety broadband network.  The following remarks are a summary of those delivered at the Competitive Carriers Association Global Expo in New Orleans on April 17.

March 28, 2013 Press Release

Washington – FirstNet Board member Sue Swenson, the Board’s lead negotiator with the seven Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) public safety projects on 700 MHz spectrum leases, provided an update today on the process and status of the negotiations.   The Board in February adopted a resolution outlining its path forward with the seven public safety BTOP grantees, whose funding was partially suspended following enactment of the law creating FirstNet.

March 22, 2013 Press Release

“Julius Genachowski has built a substantial legacy of accomplishments during his four years as Federal Communications Commission Chair. He has provided intellectual leadership to the U.S. government’s efforts to advance the spread of broadband nationwide and to provide more spectrum to meet the nation’s growing demand for wireless technologies. I have learned much from working with him over the years and most recently in his role as FCC Chairman. I wish him well in his future endeavors.”

February 21, 2013 Press Release

WASHINGTON  –  Intuit today announced that the company supports the draft code of conduct being developed in the National Telecommunications and Information Administration’s privacy multistakeholder process, and that the company plans to adopt the code. The code, when finalized and adopted,  will improve disclosures regarding mobile applications' privacy practicesIn addition, other key stakeholders voiced general support for the direction the code is taking.

February 20, 2013 Press Release

WASHINGTON – Following on NTIA's January 2013 report evaluating the potential use of up to 195 megahertz of additional spectrum in the 5 GHz band by unlicensed devices, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) today proposed making the spectrum in the 5350-5470 MHz and 5850-5925 MHz bands available for such use. 

February 20, 2013 Press Release

WASHINGTON – The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) today announced the structure and membership of FirstNet’s Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC), which will be comprised of 40 representatives of public safety organizations.

February 12, 2013 Press Release

“NTIA thanks the Board for conducting this review expeditiously.  NTIA is pleased that today’s resolution charts a path to allow the resumption of these projects in accordance with the two conditions set out when we partially suspended the projects last year: 

  • The grant money will remain in the communities that received the grant.
  • The grant dollars will be spent on facilities and equipment that can be incorporated into FirstNet’s nationwide network , or that will yield valuable data and information to guide FirstNet.”
February 12, 2013 Press Release

“The FirstNet Board has been hard at work now for five months, laying the groundwork for what will be one of the largest telecommunications networks ever built.  We understand the enormity of our task at hand, and the urgency to get it done as expeditiously as possible.  But we want to get it right.

February 12, 2013 Press Release

“The FirstNet Board has taken a big step forward with the BTOP public safety projects.  Using the information we obtained from our site visits and other work with the projects’ leaders and vendors, we have determined that each of these seven grantees could provide substantial benefits to FirstNet’s nationwide deployment efforts and generate valuable lessons learned on the challenges we face.  

February 12, 2013 Press Release

“The FirstNet Board understands that this network cannot be built without the critical input of the public safety community and states, tribes and regional groups. As a representative of that community, I’m committed to ensuring that these voices are heard as FirstNet develops plans for this nationwide public safety network. We’ve already begun our outreach to these stakeholders, but we’re just getting started. Please be patient because there’s much more to come.

February 12, 2013 Press Release

BOULDER, Colo. – The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board today adopted a resolution outlining its path forward with the seven public safety Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP) grantees, whose funding was partially suspended following enactment of the law creating FirstNet. 

February 06, 2013 Press Release

Washington — The U.S. Commerce Department’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) today announced the availability of $121.5 million in grants to assist states as they prepare for a nationwide public safety broadband network.

January 16, 2013 Press Release

Washington, DC – National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) Administrator Lawrence E. Strickling today delivered remarks at the Brookings Institution to underscore the importance of NTIA’s Broadband Technology Opportunities Program (BTOP), which works to expand access to broadband services to communities across the United States.

December 13, 2012 Press Release

WASHINGTON – The city of Seattle, the University of Washington, Gigabit Squared (a private company), and Gig.U joined together today to announce plans to deploy Gigabit networks and services to 12 Seattle neighborhoods.  The project targets areas surrounding the University of Washington as well as several underserved areas.

December 12, 2012 Press Release

WASHINGTON –  Following up on NTIA's recommendation from our 2010 Fast-Track evaluation and last year's spectrum report of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) adopted today in its Notice of Proposed Rulemaking proposals that would open the doo

November 30, 2012 Press Release

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Commerce on November 29, 2012, approved renewal of the .com Registry Agreement between Verisign, Inc., and the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers (ICANN). Through this agreement, Verisign will manage the registry for the .com top level domain for six more years. 

November 20, 2012 Press Release

WASHINGTON - First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board Chairman Sam Ginn announced today the appointment of four Vice Chairs of FirstNet’s Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC).

November 16, 2012 Press Release

WASHINGTON – First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Chairman Sam Ginn praised the Federal Communications Commission for granting FirstNet its spectrum license, marking another important step in the effort to build and operate a nationwide, interoperable public safety broadband network.

November 07, 2012 Press Release

WASHINGTON - First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) Board Chairman Sam Ginn announced today the appointment of Harlin McEwen as Chairman of FirstNet’s Public Safety Advisory Committee. 

October 31, 2012 Press Release

In recognition of the need for states and first responders impacted by Hurricane Sandy to focus their attention and resources on helping citizens recover from the devastating effects of that storm, NTIA will accept comments filed in response to its Notice of Inquiry (NOI) related to the FirstNet conceptual presentations until Friday, November 9, 2012.