FirstNet Authority to feature at Comms Connect next week

Comms Connect returns to Melbourne next week, on 16–17 October, and the event is set to open with a keynote from Dennis Alvord from the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) in the US. The presentation will outline the Authority’s 10-year, US$8 billion investment to expand FirstNet, the nationwide public safety broadband network, and enhance coverage where first responders most need it.

In a meeting held back in August, the FirstNet Authority board approved plans to invest in coverage enhancements for the FirstNet network. The board’s action advances a 10-year initiative, originally flagged back in February, in which the Authority will make ongoing investments of approximately US$2 billion to expand FirstNet and improve coverage for public safety users.

“This board is investing in public safety’s top priority — coverage — as part of the continued growth and evolution of their network,” said Chief Richard Carrizzo, FirstNet Authority Board Chair, following the August meeting. “The FirstNet Authority will focus on enhancing coverage where public safety needs it, especially in rural and remote areas, in the US territories, and on tribal lands.”

As Deputy Executive Director for Internal Affairs at the FirstNet Authority, Alvord will speak at Comms Connect about the key areas of the FirstNet evolution: expanding coverage, creating a fully 5G standalone core, expanding MCX services, updating the dedicated fleet of deployables and providing users with always-on priority and pre-emption across all 5G commercial bands operated by network partner AT&T. He will also talk about the importance of global collaboration among mission-critical users as they seek to have influence in the global wireless standards and innovation areas.

Alvord will be joined at Comms Connect by Brian Hobson, Senior Director of the Roadmap Development Division at the FirstNet Authority, who will take part in an expert panel at the end of day one discussing the emerging technologies that are driving the critical comms industry. Altogether, the show will feature 70 speakers and 80 exhibitors, and is expected to attract over 1500 attendees from the critical comms and public safety sectors. Register now at https://melbourne.comms-connect.com.au.

CriticalComms.com.au is proud to be the official Media Partner for Comms Connect.

Image courtesy of First Responder Network Authority (via Flickr) under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0