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First Net

Oyk boppin

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FirstNet in the Field

How the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband

Network Is Impacting First Responder Operations
and Supporting Innovations
FirstNet in the Field
How the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network
Is Impacting First Responder Operations
and Supporting Innovations

JANUARY 2022
The points of view expressed herein are the authors’ and do not necessarily represent the views of
all Police Executive Research Forum members.

Police Executive Research Forum, Washington, D.C. 20036

Copyright © 2022 by Police Executive Research Forum

All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States.

ISBN: 978-1-934485-64-4

Graphic design by Dave Williams.

Cover photos courtesy of the First Responder Network Authority.

CONTENTS

From PERF’s Executive Director | PAGE 1

About This Project | 6

Three Primary Information Sources | 7
Online surveys and phone interviews | 7
In-person discussion forums | 7
Field-testing network performance | 8

Governance: The Rules of How FirstNet Works | 20

Testing Network Coverage and Performance | 24

How FirstNet Supports Disaster Response and Major Events | 32

Severe Weather Events | 32
Sidebar: FirstNet MegaRange Boosts Connectivity In Remote Areas | 34
Super Bowls and Other Major Events | 35
COVID-19 Pandemic Response | 36

How FirstNet and Mobile Data Technology Are Helping Agencies

Innovations Made Possible by FirstNet and Mobile Data Technology | 45

Volusia County, FL: Streaming Video to Improve Situational Awareness at the Daytona 500 | 45
Coweta County, GA: Using TeleHealth to Provide On-Site Assessments of Individuals in Crisis | 46
Brazos County, TX: Using Public and Private Camera Feeds to Provide Real-Time Intelligence | 46
Biloxi, MS: Allowing Supervisors to Fine-Tune the Response to Fire Emergencies | 46
Collier County, FL: Using Mobile Data Technology to Access Trained Community Help in a Medical Emergency | 47
Duck, NC: Using License Plate Readers to Help Manage Traffic and Fight Crime | 47

Conclusion: FirstNet Remains a Work in Progress | 48

FROM PERF’S EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

When terrorists attacked the World Trade Center

on September 11, 2001, the first responders to
lower Manhattan – police officers, firefighters,
emergency medical personnel, and others – faced
an extremely unstable and dangerous situation.
The danger was compounded by the fact that they
could not easily communicate with one another.
Radio communication was spotty because crit-
ical infrastructure, including repeaters installed at
the Twin Towers, was damaged or destroyed, and
many police and fire communications systems were
not compatible. Cellular networks were still in their
infancy, and making a cell phone call was nearly
impossible because the commercial networks that communications network dedicated solely to public
public safety personnel had to rely on were either safety.
inoperable or overwhelmed with callers trying to These experts argued that police officers,
contact their loved ones. firefighters, and EMS personnel should not have
As a result, critical information from the scene to compete with businesses and individuals for
was not communicated to command personnel, limited spectrum owned and controlled by private
and instructions from command centers were carriers. They proposed that public safety should
not reaching front-line responders. As the have a dedicated network providing secure,
9/11 Commission concluded in its final report, interoperable, and reliable access to critical voice
“Command and control decisions were affected by and data communications, during emergencies as
the lack of knowledge of what was happening.” 1 well as everyday operations.
Many of these public safety and industry
leaders took part in a national meeting that PERF
A Dedicated Network Was Finally Created hosted in March 2010 to discuss allocation of the
Even before 9/11, visionaries such as retired so-called “D Block.” The D Block was 10 MHz of
Ithaca, NY Police Chief Harlin McEwen had been premium spectrum that police chiefs and others
warning about the precarious state of public safety wanted the Federal Communications Commis-
communications and advocating a nationwide sion (FCC) to set aside for public safety but which

1 “The 9/11 Commission Report.” Available at https://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report.pdf.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD From PERF’s Executive Director 1

the FCC was planning to auction to the highest These are the types of questions that PERF set
bidders. The PERF meeting was seen as pivotal to out to answer through this project.
the eventual decision by Congress to dedicate spec- Beginning in August 2018, PERF began
trum to public safety.2 interviewing and surveying dozens of public safety
It’s a shame that it took a disaster like 9/11 to personnel about what they knew about FirstNet
spur federal officials to act on the vision of Harlin and how they were thinking about the network.
McEwen and others, and that it took more than a To gather a range of perspectives and to facilitate
decade of advocacy and hard work to iron out the the sharing of ideas, PERF hosted three in-person
details and make that vision a reality. meetings that brought together agencies that had
But on February 22, 2012, President adopted FirstNet and agencies that had not, as
Barack Obama signed a law that created well as leaders from the FirstNet Authority, the
the First Responder Network Authority and AT&T-FirstNet implementation team, third-party
tasked it with overseeing creation of the partners, and others interested in public safety
Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network broadband communications.
(NPSBN).3 Working with subject matter experts in
In 2017, following a competitive bidding mobile communications technology, PERF also
process, the FirstNet Authority selected AT&T as developed a protocol for testing the perfor-
the private-sector partner to build and maintain mance of FirstNet and commercial networks,
the FirstNet network. And in March 2018, FirstNet and then we ran tests in various real-world
went live, essentially creating a new carrier that settings and analyzed the results.
public safety agencies could select for their mobile In our research on FirstNet, PERF made
broadband needs. contact with hundreds of public safety practitio-
ners and technology experts. Because FirstNet
serves the entire public safety community, we
How Is FirstNet Working Today? worked with police, firefighters, EMS professionals,
Three years after FirstNet went live, many public and other first responders.
safety leaders – police chiefs and sheriffs, fire
chiefs, EMS directors and others – still have ques-
tions about what FirstNet is and what makes it 3 Case Studies
different from other mobile broadband networks: As part of this project, PERF published three case
• As public safety agencies began to adopt study reports:
FirstNet, what pitfalls, opportunities, and • The first described our performance testing
successes did they encounter? protocol and presented the results of the field-
• What can be learned from the experiences of tests we conducted.4
FirstNet “early adopters” that will help other • Another case study focused on the experi-
agencies as they make decisions about whether ences of one FirstNet early adopter, the Brazos
to join the network and how they can use it? County, TX Sheriff’s Office.5
• How is FirstNet evolving, and how are public • The third report examined FirstNet’s “deploy-
safety agencies responding to these changes? ables” program, which provides mobile commu-
nications assets when public safety agencies

2 Subject to Debate. Police Executive Research Forum. July 2010. https://www.policeforum.org/assets/docs/Subject_to_Debate/

Debate2010/debate_2010_jul.pdf.
3 For more information about the First Responder Network Authority, visit https://firstnet.gov/about.
4 “Beyond Signal Strength: Measuring Performance of Public Safety Mobile Broadband Networks.” Police Executive Research Forum.
September 2019. https://www.policeforum.org/assets/FirstNetCaseStudy.pdf
5 “Brazos County, TX Sheriff’s Office: A FirstNet Early Adopter.” Police Executive Research Forum. January 2020. https://www.policeforum.
org/assets/FirstNetBrazos.pdf

2 From PERF’s Executive Director FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

need additional capacity in response to a 2 FIRSTNET PROVIDES CRITICAL SUPPORT
natural disaster or major event.6 DURING NATURAL DISASTERS AND MAJOR EVENTS.
Throughout this project, PERF heard examples
This final report summarizes and synthesizes of how FirstNet helped public safety agencies
what we have learned from our research on the respond to hurricanes, flooding, wildfires, and
implementation of FirstNet over the past three other natural disasters.
years. Often, one of the first casualties of these
This report is intended for both public safety events is cell phone towers and other communi-
leaders and technical audiences. cations infrastructure, which can be damaged or
• For agency leaders, the report provides an destroyed. Through its nationwide deployables
overview of what FirstNet is, including how and program, FirstNet has been able to get mobile
why it came into being, how it is being managed communications assets – both land-based and
through a public-private partnership, and the airborne – to disaster locations to reestab-
current status of the network and its build-out. lish data and voice communications for first
This background is important for police chiefs, responders.
fire chiefs, and other public safety executives Over the past three years, FirstNet also has
who are trying to make informed decisions supported public safety at major events, like
about their mobile broadband needs. the Super Bowl, which attract large crowds that
can tax or overwhelm cellular networks. And
• The report also contains technical details about
when the COVID-19 pandemic ravaged parts of
FirstNet operations and performance that
the country, FirstNet deployables were brought
should be valuable to an agency’s information
in to support the medical community and first
technology and emergency communications
responders.
staff.
3 FIRSTNET IS HELPING AGENCIES STREAMLINE OPERATIONS
AND IMPROVE EFFICIENCY.
PERF’s Findings FirstNet users reported being able to more
Four key findings emerged from our research: easily access information in the field; complete
and upload reports; transmit photographs,
1 FIRSTNET IS PROVIDING PUBLIC SAFETY AGENCIES WITH
video and other large data files; and carry out
RELIABLE, HIGH-SPEED ACCESS TO MOBILE DATA.
other everyday tasks.
In performance tests run during two large
For police agencies, these efficiencies are
public demonstrations in Washington, D.C. (the
allowing officers and deputies to remain out
March for Life on January 18, 2019, and the
in the community, available to answer calls
Women’s March the following day), and during
for service and engage in prevention activi-
everyday police patrols in Camden, NJ, the
ties, and not have to return to a police facility
PERF team found that mobile devices operating
to access information or file a report. For fire
on FirstNet had faster data upload and down-
and EMS personnel, reliable access to mobile
load speeds, and experienced fewer service
data is speeding up dispatching and improving
reliability problems, than devices operating on
situational awareness when battling fires and
commercial networks (including AT&T’s own
tracking patients from incident scenes to
commercial network).
hospitals.

6 “How FirstNet Deployables Are Supporting Public Safety.” Police Executive Research Forum. October 2020. https://www.policeforum.org/
assets/FirstNetDeployables.pdf

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD From PERF’s Executive Director 3

4 FIRSTNET IS ENABLING AGENCIES TO EXPERIMENT of the network and its implementation: Amy
WITH NEW WAYS OF DOING BUSINESS. Huston, Lead Chief of Staff; Scott Agnew, Assistant
For example, agencies are using FirstNet to Vice President; and Ryan Burchnell, Director.
conduct video roll calls; live-stream video of This project also benefited from the assistance
fires, accidents, or disaster scenes to improve of the First Responder Network Authority. CEO Ed
situational awareness; provide TeleHealth Parkinson and Director of Public Safety Engage-
services to first responders who come upon ment Dave Buchanan provided regular updates on
persons in crisis; and even remotely dispatch FirstNet plans and activities, and they attended
911 calls during the COVID-19 pandemic, so our regional meetings and provided helpful
that social distancing and other safety protocols updates to meeting attendees and PERF staff.
could be maintained in the Emergency Commu- Many PERF staff members contributed to this
nications Center. These and other innovations project and the final report. Chief Program Officer
are made possible because agencies have access Kevin Morison guided the entire effort and was
to a dedicated and secure mobile broadband a hands-on leader involved in all aspects of our
network. research, in-person meetings, and publications.
Senior Principal Dave McClure was the day-to-day
These findings are explored in greater detail
project lead. Dave organized the regional meet-
throughout this report.
ings, oversaw the collection and analysis of the
performance test data, conducted surveys and
Acknowledgments interviews, and was the lead author of this report.
Senior Research Associate Sarah Mostyn assisted
As I noted earlier, the First Responder Network
with project management and drafting of the case
Authority conducted a competitive bidding
study reports. PERF Research Associate Allison
process and then selected AT&T to be the private
Heider and Research Assistants Jessica Calahor-
sector partner on FirstNet. Shortly after FirstNet
went live, AT&T leaders approached PERF about rano and Nora Coyne assisted with background
conducting a straightforward, unbiased exami- research, case study drafting, and other project
nation of how the public safety community was tasks.
adopting and using FirstNet. The AT&T-FirstNet Communications Director Craig Fischer
team wanted to better understand the obstacles edited this final report, and Assistant Communi-
and opportunities that FirstNet presented in the cations Director James McGinty supported the
real world, and AT&T Inc. awarded a grant to PERF communications needs at our in-person meetings.
to conduct a study. AT&T personnel did not direct Dave Williams designed and laid out this report.
PERF on how to carry out this project or what And as always, my Executive Assistant, Soline
topics to examine or not examine, and they were Simenauer, kept me on track throughout this
not involved in writing this report or any of the project.
earlier case studies. I want to thank all the people who attended
Several AT&T-FirstNet leaders – including our meetings, responded to our surveys, and
Jason Porter, President-Public Sector and FirstNet; answered our interview questions. This project
his predecessor, Chris Sambar, who is now was a learning experience for PERF staff, and we
Executive Vice President of Technology Opera- are grateful to everyone who shared their knowl-
tions; Jim Bugel, Vice President-FirstNet; and edge, experiences, and insights.
Stacy Schwartz, Vice President of Public Safety, Several people deserve special recognition
FirstNet and Education – attended our regional for their insights and assistance: Harlin McEwen,
forums. At those sessions, Chris, Jason, Jim, Stacy, retired Ithaca, NY Police Chief; Scott Edson,
and their teams answered the often challenging Executive Director of LA-RICS (Los Angeles
technical and operational questions that attendees Regional Interoperable Communications System);
posed. Three members of the AT&T-FirstNet team Dave Mulholland, Administrator of the Arlington
were particularly helpful in explaining key aspects County, VA Emergency Communications Center;

4 From PERF’s Executive Director FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

Rick Neal, of Government Strategies Advisory safety to communicate more effectively during
Group; Stephen Willoughby, Executive Director major events and everyday operations.
for Emergency Communications for Richmond, The United States is still in the early phases
VA; and Kim Zagaris, Technology Advisor at the of rolling out and developing FirstNet. This
Western Fire Chiefs Association. report should not be considered the last word
A special acknowledgment to Rick Keith on FirstNet, but rather an early status report on
of VisionNext, LLC. Rick has more than three where the network stands in late 2021. In the
decades of experience in the telecommunications coming years, new devices, applications, and
field, and he was instrumental in designing the other technologies will be developed, and new
performance test protocol that PERF utilized and use cases for FirstNet will emerge. And there
in helping PERF staff analyze the results of the will continue to be obstacles and challenges that
field-tests that were run. the FirstNet Authority, AT&T-FirstNet, and the
Our nation recently commemorated the public safety community will need to overcome.
20th anniversary of 9/11. Over the past two Whether particular agencies decide to adopt
decades, we have made great strides in combating FirstNet or not, it is important for all public
terrorism, enhancing public safety, and improving safety leaders to be aware of developments in
communications. A key achievement has been public safety broadband, as they work toward the
the roll-out of FirstNet. It may have taken years common goals of keeping their communities –
to implement the vision of many public safety and the public safety personnel who serve
leaders, but today the country has a dedicated, them – safe and healthy.
nationwide broadband network that allows public

Chuck Wexler
Executive Director
Police Executive Research Forum
Washington, D.C.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD From PERF’s Executive Director 5

ABOUT THIS PROJECT

This project builds on PERF’s previous work on • NG911 AND FIRSTNET

critical issues in public safety communications. In June 2017, PERF hosted another national
• D BLOCK ALLOCATION meeting that examined two emerging technolo-
In March 2010, PERF hosted a national meeting gies: NextGeneration 911 and FirstNet. At
of public safety and telecommunications leaders that time, the law creating the First Responder
to address the issue of radio spectrum dedicated Network Authority had been enacted, and the
to public safety. The so-called “D Block” was 10 Authority had recently selected AT&T as the
MHz of highly valued spectrum that the Federal private sector partner to build and maintain
Communications Commissions was proposing the network. PERF’s publication, The Revolu-
to auction to the highest bidders at the time.7 tion in Emergency Communications, outlined the
Public safety leaders at PERF’s meeting laid planned structure and operation of FirstNet,
out the rationale for public safety agencies to but because the network wasn’t operational at
have access to the D Block and exercise control the time, the report did not include any real-
over it. The PERF meeting was seen by many world experi-
as a turning point in the eventual decision by ence with the
Congress to dedicate spectrum to public safety network.9
and establish a Nationwide Public Safety Broad-
band Network.8

March 2010 PERF meeting

of public safety and
telecommunications leaders

7 Subject to Debate. Police Executive Research Forum. March 2010. https://www.policeforum.org/assets/docs/Subject_to_Debate/

Debate2010/debate_2010_mar.pdf.
8 Subject to Debate. Police Executive Research Forum. July 2010. https://www.policeforum.org/assets/docs/Subject_to_Debate/
Debate2010/debate_2010_jul.pdf.
9 “The Revolution in Emergency Communications.” Police Executive Research Forum. November 2017. https://www.policeforum.org/
assets/EmergencyCommunications.pdf.

6 About This Project FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

PERF’s Early Adopter Forum on November 7, 2018

PERF began the current project in the summer

of 2018, a few months after FirstNet went live with
the initial build-out of the network and the launch
of the FirstNet “core,” a physically separate and
secure infrastructure that supports the network.
While some police chiefs and other public
safety leaders for years had been advocating a
nationwide broadband network dedicated to public
safety and had been following closely the develop-
ment of FirstNet, others public safety leaders were The questions focused on how agencies were
unfamiliar with what FirstNet was, how it was using mobile data technology, their primary
different from the commercial networks that agen- considerations and expectations for a mobile
cies were using, and how FirstNet could impact broadband network, and their anticipated future
their operations. uses and integration of mobile technologies into
This project is intended to address those issues their operations. These surveys and interviews
in a straightforward, non-technical manner. This aimed to capture a wide range of agency insights
report summarizes our findings and observations. and experiences, as opposed to being a represen-
For this report, PERF worked to assemble tative snapshot of the overall experiences of the
the questions, insights, and experiences of a wide entire public safety community.
range of public safety personnel. We reached out Several themes and issues emerged from the
to “early adopter” agencies that were already using interviews and surveys. These included the growing
FirstNet; agencies that were in the process of importance of mobile data to public safety agen-
adopting FirstNet; and those that were exploring
cies, questions about coverage and capacity, and
whether FirstNet was an option for them. Because
how FirstNet might impact day-to-day agency
FirstNet is a public safety network, we included the
operations and the handling of major events.
perspectives of police and sheriffs’ agencies, fire
departments, emergency medical services, home- In-person discussion forums
land security, and other departments.
For this project, PERF conducted three in-person
issues forums. The purpose of these meetings was
Three Primary Information Sources to hear directly from public safety personnel about
PERF used three primary approaches to gather how their agencies are using FirstNet and to hold
information: peer-to-peer discussions about a range of FirstNet
issues among representatives of agencies that had
1 Online surveys and phone interviews adopted FirstNet, as well as agencies that had not
done so.
2 In-person discussion forums
Early Adopters Forum
3 Field-testing network performance
PERF convened a national Early Adopters
Online surveys and phone interviews Forum in Washington, D.C. on November 7, 2018.
At the beginning of the project, PERF identified Approximately 55 people representing 32 agencies
and interviewed a core group of individuals who and public safety stakeholder groups participated.
understood mobile broadband technology and It focused on identifying and understanding early
were exploring the adoption of FirstNet. Then, in FirstNet users’ experiences during the first few
preparation for in-person discussion forums, PERF months of the network’s operations, as well as
collected online surveys and conducted phone common issues or challenges those agencies had
interviews with approximately 100 PERF members encountered.
and other public safety stakeholders.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD About This Project 7

LEFT TO RIGHT: The Southeast Regional Forum on March 28, 2019; the Western Regional Forum on October 3, 2019.

FirstNet in the Field Forum, Atlanta Field-testing network performance

The Southeast Regional Forum was held In addition to gathering ideas and experiences from
March 28, 2019, in Atlanta. Approximately 100 a cross-section of public safety professionals, PERF
people representing more than 70 agencies and worked to develop a way for public safety agencies
other public safety stakeholder groups partici- to test the performance of FirstNet in the field. The
pated. The forum focused on broad issues related goal was to develop a testing protocol that agencies
to FirstNet implementation, as well as mobile could easily replicate in their jurisdictions.
data issues that were specific to the Southeastern Working with experts in mobile broadband
United States. communications, PERF created a methodology for
For example, the meeting included first-hand testing the performance of mobile devices running
accounts of using mobile data devices in response on both the FirstNet network and major commer-
to Hurricane Michael, as well as the role of mobile cial carriers. PERF then conducted three sets of
data in managing public safety during the 2019 field-tests using this protocol during different
Super Bowl in Atlanta. real-world conditions that public safety officials
encounter.
FirstNet in the Field Forum, San Jose, CA Two of the field-tests took place during major
The Western Regional Forum took place on events when large numbers of people were trying
October 3, 2019, in San Jose, California. Approxi- to connect to mobile data networks at the same
mately 90 people representing more than 40 agen- time in a relatively small geographic area. The other
cies and other public safety stakeholder groups field-test took place under more typical operating
participated. As with the Atlanta regional forum, conditions – that is, there were no exceptional
this meeting covered a combination of general pressures on the mobile data networks. This test
and region-specific issues. Agency representa- was designed to replicate what a police officer
tives discussed FirstNet’s role in the responses to might experience on a typical shift.
Western wildfires, TeleHealth applications, and Additional details about the testing protocol
coverage issues in large expanses of remote and and the test results are presented on page 24.
unpopulated areas, such as the desert Southwest. More information and complete testing results are
available in PERF’s case study report.10
In addition to these primary sources of infor-
mation, PERF monitored continuing developments
with the implementation of FirstNet and conducted
additional research for the case study reports. All of
these sources informed this final report.

10 “Beyond Signal Strength: Measuring Performance of Public Safety Mobile Broadband Networks.” Police Executive Research Forum.
September 2019: https://www.policeforum.org/assets/FirstNetCaseStudy.pdf.

8 About This Project FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

FIRSTNET EXPLAINED

Prior to 2018, public safety agencies had few FirstNet’s Formation and Organization
options for mobile broadband services beyond
those available to the general public.11 To get the In 2004, the final report of the 9/11 Commis-
benefits of mobile voice and data access, agencies sion identified shortcomings that affected public
had to operate alongside business and individual safety’s response to the terrorist attacks.12 One
customers using the same commercial networks. of those critical failures was the inability of first
When FirstNet was launched in March 2018, it responders to communicate effectively with one
established a new option for public safety agencies: another. Most communications networks were
a nationwide mobile broadband network created destroyed, overloaded, or otherwise not operating
exclusively for police, fire, emergency medical as needed.
services, and other public safety personnel, along The 9/11 Commission recommended that
with key public- and private-sector partners. Congress enact legislation providing for the
While the basic concept of FirstNet is fairly increased and expedited assignment of radio
straightforward, how the network operates isn’t spectrum specifically for public safety purposes.13
necessarily well-understood by public safety leaders In 2012, Congress passed legislation authorizing
or front-line personnel. This chapter provides an the formation of the First Responder Network
overview of FirstNet – how it came into being, how Authority (commonly known as the FirstNet
it operates, and how the network has evolved in Authority) to oversee creation of FirstNet – the
the three years since it went live. first-ever Nationwide Public Safety Broadband
Network (NPSBN).14
The newly created FirstNet Authority
consulted with public safety stakeholders and other
government leaders across the country to identify
the needs and requirements for the NPSBN. That
information provided the basis for a competitive
CONTINUED ON PAGE 11

11 A small number of public safety agencies had formed regional collaboratives that operated their own mobile broadband networks. For
example, the Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System (LA-RICS) has connected more than 30 jurisdictions in Los
Angeles County on a common radio and broadband communications network. In 2018, LA-RICS began transferring its network to AT&T
for integration into FirstNet. For more information about LA-RICS, see https://www.la-rics.org/.
12 “The 9/11 Commission Report.” Available at https://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report.pdf.
13 For more information about the history of FirstNet, see https://firstnet.gov/about/history.
14 The Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act of 2012 designated 20 MHz of premium radio wave frequencies for the NPSBN and
allocated $7 billion for building, operating, and maintaining the network. See https://www.congress.gov/112/plaws/publ96/PLAW-
112publ96.pdf.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD FirstNet Explained 9

THE TWO SIDES OF THE FIRSTNET PUBLIC-PRIVATE PARTNERSHIP

The term “FirstNet” is often used to describe both The Private Side of FirstNet
the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network AT&T Inc. is a diversified, global
itself and the entity that manages the network. company providing telecommu-
That entity is actually a public-private partnership nications, media and entertain-
consisting of two partners. ment, and technology services.
Consumers and businesses have
The Public Side of FirstNet more than 225 million monthly
The First Responder Network subscriptions to AT&T services.
Authority (also referred to as the AT&T Communications provides
“FirstNet Authority” or “FirstNet. more than 100 million U.S.
gov”) is an independent govern- consumers with communications
ment authority within the U.S. and entertainment services across mobile and
Department of Commerce’s broadband platforms. In addition, the company
National Telecommunications has nearly 3 million business customers.
and Information Administration (NTIA). The FirstNet Built with AT&T (also called “AT&T-
FirstNet Authority is responsible for ensuring the FirstNet” or “FirstNet.com”) is the private sector
development, construction, and operation of the component of the FirstNet partnership.17 It is
Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network. responsible for building, managing, and main-
The FirstNet Board is the governing body that taining the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband
leads the FirstNet Authority.15 Its members are Network, as well as providing voice and data
selected by the Secretary of Commerce for their services to first responders using the network.
expertise in public safety, technology, telecommu-
nications, and financial management. The FirstNet The Research Element of the FirstNet Partnership
Board also includes permanent membership seats The Public Safety Communications Research
for representatives of the Secretary of Homeland (PSCR) Division is part of the U.S. Department
Security, the Attorney General, and the Director of of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards
the Office of Management and Budget. Day-to-day and Technology (NIST). The same legislation that
operations of the FirstNet Authority are directed authorized the creation of the FirstNet Authority
by an appointed CEO and a team of professional and the NPSBN also directed NIST to allocate up
staff. to $300 million on research and development to
The Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) advance and transform public safety communica-
provides the FirstNet Authority with assistance tions capabilities.
and advice from frontline stakeholders in carrying As a result, the PSCR Division conducts
out its statutory responsibilities. The PSAC research, development, testing, and evaluation of
includes representatives from approximately 40 public safety communications technologies. PSCR
associations representing 6 million public safety also invests in addressing the critical public safety
personnel, as well as local, state, tribal, and federal needs identified by practitioners in the field (see
government.16 page 19 for more information).18

15. See https://firstnet.gov/about/board.

16. See https://firstnet.gov/about/psac.
17. See https://www.firstnet.com/.
18. See https://www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr.

10 FirstNet Explained FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

CONTINUED FROM PAGE 9 network. Those opt-in decisions did not mean
that individual public safety agencies had to select
Request for Proposals to deploy the network. The FirstNet as their mobile broadband carrier. But
FirstNet Authority opened the RFP for bids in they did make it easier and faster for FirstNet and
January 2016, and 15 months later announced AT&T to deploy a nationwide broadband network
that AT&T had won the 25-year contract to build for public safety.
and run the FirstNet network.19 AT&T then began the process of building
FirstNet is structured as a public-private part- out the network. This involved readying cell
nership, and the agreement between the FirstNet towers, acquiring mobile communications assets
Authority and AT&T provides for the following: called “deployables” and making them available
• The FirstNet Authority is providing 20 MHz to FirstNet subscribers (see page 13 for more
of high-value telecommunications spec- information on deployables), and designing and
trum to AT&T to operate the network. When deploying the FirstNet “core.” The core is the highly
project milestones are met, AT&T will receive secure infrastructure on which FirstNet operates.
payments of $6.5 billion over the first five years It ensures that public safety voice and data traffic
to support the network build-out. (FirstNet’s is separated from commercial traffic and supports
funding was obtained from FCC spectrum critical FirstNet functions. In March 2018, AT&T
auctions.) launched the FirstNet core, which provided public
safety agencies with a new option for their voice
• AT&T will spend about $40 billion over the life and data communications.21
of the contract to build, deploy, operate, and
maintain the network.
• AT&T will connect FirstNet users to the How the FirstNet Network Operates
company’s telecommunications network assets. In terms of basic technology, the FirstNet network
operates in much the same way as other cellular
The full agreement includes 16 objectives that networks. A cell phone or other mobile device
Congress and the FirstNet Authority expect AT&T emits a radio signal that is picked up by the nearest
to accomplish. In addition to building, operating, cell tower antenna. The signal is transmitted to a
and maintaining the network, these objectives switching center that can route the request – either
include developing device and application “ecosys- voice phone call or data request – to the requested
tems,” building and maintaining systems for device or network.
cybersecurity, integrating FirstNet with existing This basic process works smoothly when
infrastructure, and customer service.20 there’s a limited number of people trying to access
Next, the FirstNet Authority developed a cell tower at a time. However, when traffic
customized plans for all 50 states, 5 U.S. territo- increases, users are essentially queued-up to
ries, and the District of Columbia, which described download and upload their data over the wireless
how FirstNet would be deployed. Jurisdictions had connection to the antenna. The more people and
90 days to decide whether to opt-in with their state data in the queue for a single antenna, the longer it
plan or develop their own dedicated mobile broad- takes for the data to travel to and from each user’s
band network for public safety. All 56 jurisdic- mobile device.
tions decided to accept their plans for the FirstNet

19. “FirstNet Partners with AT&T to Build Wireless Broadband Network for America’s First Responders.” First Responder Network Authority
(News Release). March 30, 2017. https://2014-2018.firstnet.gov/news/firstnet-partners-att-build-wireless-broadband-network-americas-
first-responders.
20. For details on the 16 objectives spelled out in the FirstNet-AT&T agreement, see https://docplayer.net/23400960-Solicitation-no-
d15ps00295-section-c-statement-of-objectives-c-statement-of-objectives-c-1-c-1-background-c-1.html.
21. “FirstNet Core Delivers on the Promise of a Dedicated Network for Public Safety.” First Responder Network Authority (News Release).
March 27, 2018. https://firstnet.gov/newsroom/blog/firstnet-core-delivers-promise-dedicated-network-public-safety.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD FirstNet Explained 11

If pressure on the network becomes too great, high-quality spectrum that can carry more data
the service will slow or stop altogether. This is what over larger geographic areas and penetrate build-
can happen in an emergency when everyone in ings more easily. As PERF’s field tests uncovered,
a small geographic area is trying to use their cell mobile devices running on Band 14 had faster
phone at the same time. Often, these are the very upload and download speeds and fewer service reli-
times – like on 9/11 or during natural disasters – ability issues than devices running on commercial
when it is critical for public safety agencies to be networks (see page 24).
able to access voice and data communications.
The FirstNet network has four key features Priority and Preemption
that distinguish it from other networks: FirstNet users have access to both Band 14 and
• Band 14, a special band of radio AT&T’s existing allocation of wireless spectrum for
frequencies; its commercial subscribers. By default, FirstNet
subscribers will access Band 14 if it is available.
• Priority and preemption for public safety
But if for some reason Band 14 cannot be accessed
requests;
or it’s more efficient to use AT&T’s commercial
• The specially built FirstNet “core,” or network, the FirstNet user is switched to the
physical infrastructure; and commercial network.
• Dedicated deployable equipment, such In this situation, public safety customers’
as trucks and airborne assets, that can voice or data requests move to the front of the line
bring additional wireless communications through the concepts of priority and preemption.
capacity to locations where it is needed. Priority allows a FirstNet user to skip past
everyone else waiting to get on the network and
These features help to ensure that public safety become the next person in line. Priority allows
personnel can get on and stay on the mobile broad- public safety users to avoid the connection delays
band network, especially when it would be difficult they might experience if there were a long line of
or impossible to do so on other networks. people ahead of them trying to connect.
If, however, a large number of people are
Band 14 already on the network, then preemption comes
Band 14 refers to a special range of wireless into play. With preemption, a public safety user
frequencies that the Federal Communications does not have to wait for another user to leave
Commission (FCC) licensed to the FirstNet the network and free up space. Instead, that other
Authority specifically for use by public safety user’s connection may be slowed down or set aside
personnel using FirstNet. Band 14 resides in the to make room for the public safety user.
700 MHz band which, according to the FCC, is

“It is important to test for Band 14 coverage in your

jurisdiction with various devices. AT&T commercial coverage
is a must-have to adopt FirstNet, but Band 14 enhances the
experience along with the best priority and preemption. Your
local AT&T network team should demonstrate Band 14 tower
locations and coverage to ensure the best performance. The
devices you use day to day also need Band 14 capabilities.
Bottom line, Band 14 is a must-have, not just a nice-to-have.”
— Interoperability Communications Manager Andy Smith
San Jose (CA) Police Department

12 FirstNet Explained FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

Priority and preemption are not at issue with Deployables
Band 14, because Band 14 is a dedicated network
To augment its permanent infrastructure of cell
for public safety. But these concepts are important
towers, antenna, and other hardware, FirstNet
when public safety users are accessing commercial
has a dedicated fleet of more than 100 mobile and
networks along with everyone else.
airborne assets that are available on demand to
The FirstNet Core FirstNet subscribers. These temporary cell sites
are known as “deployables.” They are strategi-
The “core” is the physical infrastructure that cally located throughout the country and can
supports FirstNet. It can be thought of as the brain be dispatched to areas that do not have enough
and nervous system of the network. The physical mobile data access at a time when first responders
core runs on its own separate hardware. This allows need it.
public safety communications to be segregated With all broadband networks, extra capacity
from traffic on the commercial networks that can be needed for several reasons. Cellular infra-
consumers and businesses use. structure may not exist in a particular area, such
The FirstNet core is also customized to as a remote mountain area experiencing a wildfire.
address the public safety community’s unique In other locations, existing cell towers may be
needs, such as end-to-end encryption and disabled or destroyed by fire, hurricanes, or earth-
24/7 security monitoring. quakes. Or existing cell towers may lack sufficient
capacity because many users are simultaneously
trying to connect to that same cell at the same time
(such as an urban area hosting a large event).
Deployable cell sites typically connect
back to the main network via satellite and can
quickly establish new or additional mobile
access almost anywhere.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD FirstNet Explained 13

FIRSTNET DEPLOYABLES

FirstNet has several types of deployables that are provided this service following back-to-back hurri-
designed to meet the needs of public safety agencies canes in Puerto Rico in 2018.
in different situations: 22
Micro SatCOLTs
COWs (Cell on Wheels) These are small land-based vehicles that can be
COWs are land-based deployables that can range in deployed and operated by a single technician. Micro
size from a “Compact Rapid Deployable” (small enough SatCOLTs combine the agility of COWs with the
to roll through a doorway) to trailers that are towed to coverage of larger SatCOLTs, making them particularly
a site. These deployables broadcast Band 14 and WiFi useful on the front lines of dynamic natural disasters
to the surrounding area; the distance of their reach like wildfires.
varies by size of the COW. Because they are compact, AT&T-FirstNet stationed the four Micro SatCOLTs in
COWs can be maneuvered into some locations where the Western United States to support the 2021 wildfire
larger deployables cannot be driven. During an early response.
surge of COVID-19 cases in northern California, a
FirstNet COW was deployed to a medical center to Communications Vehicles
provide additional communications capacity and help These are ruggedized, multi-purpose vehicles that
keep physicians, ER nurses, and remote staff members provide connectivity to Band 14 and WiFi and can
connected. also serve as command vehicles during emergencies,
training exercises, or other planned events. The vehi-
SatCOLT (Satellite Cell on Light Trucks) cles have multiple monitors, a large exterior screen and
SatCOLTs are larger deployables, built on truck frames, speakers for conducting briefings, and sleeping and
that provide more extensive coverage than COWs. eating accommodations for longer term deployments.
SatCOLTs are often used to support large pre-planned
events, such as sports championships, or unplanned Flying COWs
events such as natural disasters. FirstNet has airborne deployables as well. Flying
SatCOLTs can be loaded onto C-130 transport COWs are essentially aerial cell towers that use a pair
planes and flown to distant locations. AT&T-FirstNet of tethered drones that can broadcast Band 14 and

LEFT TO RIGHT: Cell-on-Wheels (COW), Satellite Cell on

Light Truck (SatCOLT), and Communications Vehicle.

22. Further details and use cases of FirstNet deployables are available in PERF’s case study report: “How FirstNet Deployables Are Supporting
Public Safety.” October 2020. https://www.policeforum.org/assets/FirstNetDeployables.pdf.

14 FirstNet Explained FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

other signals. The drones can fly as high as 400 feet Deployables are available to FirstNet subscribers
while receiving power and data through their teth- 24 hours a day, seven days a week. There is no charge
ered connections to a satellite-connected trailer on to agencies requesting these assets. FirstNet deploy-
the ground. Flying COWs can operate for about 23.5 ables are supporting approximately 500 operations a
hours at a time before needing to be brought down for year, including natural disasters and planned events.
maintenance.
Some Agencies Are Building and
Aerostat Using Their Own Deployables
Dubbed “FirstNet One,” this 55-foot blimp can operate To ensure availability of extra coverage and capacity
from a height of about 1,000 feet, allowing the aero- in their jurisdiction, some FirstNet users have acquired
stat to cover a much wider area than other airborne their own deployables that can be connected to the
or land-based deployables. (AT&T-FirstNet officials FirstNet network. The Los Angeles Regional Interoper-
estimated that it would take 3 to 5 SatCOLTs to cover able Communications System (LA-RICS) used grant
the geography of FirstNet One.) funds to purchase and outfit nine Cells on Wheels
FirstNet One is tethered to a deployable on the (COWs) that can be deployed to incidents where extra
ground that supplies power and connectivity. This capacity is needed or areas where broadband coverage
allows the blimp to operate for up to three weeks is spotty.
before it needs to be brought down for maintenance. Scott Edson, Executive Director of LA-RICS, said the
Following Hurricane Laura, which made landfall in COWs are especially valuable for responding to fires.
Louisiana in August 2020, FirstNet One provided first “When we have a fire in a remote area where FirstNet
responders with connectivity to support public safety coverage may be limited, we can roll the deployables,”
activities and the restoration of normal operations. he said. “They arrive right behind the firetruck, and
we can set them up quickly. Since LA County Fire is a
How Deployables Are Managed FirstNet user, we can have our FirstNet service available
The deployables program is managed by the Response almost immediately.” Edson said these additional assets
Operations Group of AT&T-FirstNet. This provides are key in mutual aid responses.
for a coordinated, nationwide response to the many AT&T-FirstNet’s Customer Owned And Maintained
requests for deployables that are received each year. (COAM) program allows agencies to purchase and
The deployables are housed at more than 40 secure operate their own deployables. However, all inde-
locations around the United States, which allows for pendent (non-FirstNet) deployables must undergo
the assets to be dispatched quickly and efficiently. testing at the FirstNet Authority’s Innovation and Test
Lab in Boulder, CO.23 And use of these
deployables needs to be coordinated
with AT&T-FirstNet to ensure that the
mobile assets don’t interfere with the
existing FirstNet infrastructure.

LEFT TO RIGHT: Cell on Wings (Flying COW) and

Aerostat (FirstNet One).

23. For more information about the FirstNet Innovation and Test Lab, see https://firstnet.gov/network/innovation-and-test-lab.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD FirstNet Explained 15

FIRSTNET BUILD-OUT

During PERF’s regional meetings and other expansion to connect rural, remote, and tribal
discussions with public safety leaders, probably the areas, which include locations without a strong
most frequently asked question was, “How good cellular infrastructure. FirstNet is collaborating
is the FirstNet coverage in my area?” Public safety with local telecom providers in these areas to
agencies won’t consider a new broadband network address rural coverage needs.
if it does not provide adequate coverage. FirstNet also is working directly with indi-
vidual agencies to identify and address coverage
issues. Some agencies contacted by PERF said they
Status of the Build-Out regularly notify FirstNet of specific areas where
AT&T’s contract with the FirstNet Authority greater coverage is needed.
requires the company to complete the build-out
of the entire network by March 2023. When
complete, the network will cover 2.74 million 5G and Other Network Enhancements
square miles, or 76% of the continental U.S. land 5G represents the 5th generation of mobile data
mass, reaching more than 99% of the population. technology. Though still in its early stages – most
It is likely that this goal will be met ahead areas across the United States are not yet fully
of schedule. In September 2021, AT&T-FirstNet outfitted with 5G – its announcement has gener-
reported that 95% of its contracted build-out of ated considerable interest among individual,
the Band 14 network had been completed.24 In business, and public safety users.
many areas, Band 14 is being installed on new or 5G can handle data 10 times faster than
existing AT&T cell sites, which provides additional 4G, and its latency – the lag time between
coverage in densely populated areas. Officials also initiating a command and the network
reported more than 2.8 million connections to responding – is almost imperceptible to the
FirstNet, representing approximately 18,500 public human senses. The biggest limitation of 5G,
safety agencies.25 especially for public safety users, is that its
As the FirstNet build-out continues, emphasis radio waves can travel only short and unob-
is being placed on expanding coverage in rural structed distances. The signals can have a
areas. AT&T-FirstNet is installing more than hard time penetrating walls and other obsta-
1,000 new cell sites as part of the initial FirstNet cles, and during inclement weather. What this

24. Jackson, Donny. “FirstNet buildout more than 95% complete, AT&T exec says.” ICWE Urgent Communications. October 5, 2021.
https://urgentcomm.com/2021/10/05/firstnet-buildout-more-than-95-complete-att-exec-says/.
25. Jackson, Donny. “FirstNet tops 2.8 million connections and 18,500 agencies after best quarter ever, AT&T says.” ICWE Urgent
Communications. October 21, 2021. https://urgentcomm.com/2021/10/21/firstnet-tops-2-8-million-connections-18500-agencies-after-
best-quarter-ever-att-says/.

16 FirstNet Build-Out FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

“There are areas where we don’t have radio connectivity
through our 800 MHz system. In some of the areas,
we’ve lost coverage even with FirstNet. There’s an app
that we have on our phones. When an officer is in an
area like North Duck where we might lose signal, they
mark the spot on their phone, and the app lets FirstNet
know that’s an area that needs to be addressed.”
— Chief (ret.) John Cueto
Town of Duck (NC) Police Department

means in practical terms is that 5G can provide fast that FirstNet subscribers in an additional 10
data speeds over relatively short, open distances. U.S. cities will have access to 5G.29 In these areas,
So 5G networks will require larger numbers of FirstNet users will continue to use the 4G LTE
small cellular base stations. network for voice communications with priority
FirstNet is currently deployed over a 4G LTE and preemption. For data traffic, the FirstNet
(long-term evolution) network. 4G networks network will determine the better option, either
remain the primary broadband networks in the 5G or 4G LTE spectrum.
United States. Most voice, text, and data traffic 5G has the potential to make smartphones
is transmitted over 4G networks, a trend that is faster and more powerful. 5G is also expected
expected to continue for the next several years. to drive major innovations in other types of
Even as 5G becomes more prevalent, it will not connected devices for FirstNet and other mobile
entirely replace 4G LTE but will instead anchor to broadband networks, including drones, autono-
and build upon the existing network.26 mous vehicles, and sensor technology.
FirstNet has begun making investments to
ready the network for the next generation tech-
nology. In June 2020, the FirstNet Authority Board FirstNet Devices
approved more than $200 million in network To take full advantage of FirstNet, mobile devices
investments in two areas: expanding the fleet must be able to receive and transmit voice and data
of deployables and funding the initial phase of a through the dedicated FirstNet core. Individuals
multi-year project to enable 5G services for FirstNet cannot simply take a smartphone or other mobile
subscribers.27 device and “program” it to access FirstNet. Rather,
An initial focus is upgrading FirstNet’s dedi- devices must be outfitted with special FirstNet SIM
cated core to enable 5G connections from FirstNet cards, which give the devices access to the FirstNet
users. In addition, in April 2021 FirstNet users network and the priority and preemption that
were given access to AT&T’s mmWave 5G spec- come with the network. FirstNet SIM cards are
trum in parts of 38 cities and 20 venues across the provided only to verified public safety personnel.
United States.28 In August 2021, AT&T announced

26. Tibken, Shara. “No, 5G isn’t going to make your 4G LTE phone obsolete.” CNET. July 12, 2019. https://www.cnet.com/tech/mobile/no-5g-
isnt-going-to-make-your-4g-lte-phone-obsolete/.
27. “FirstNet Authority Board Approves Network Investments for 5G, On-Demand Coverage.” First Responder Network Authority (News
Release). June 17, 2020. https://www.firstnet.gov/newsroom/press-releases/firstnet-authority-board-approves-network-investments-5g-
demand-coverage.
28. Parkinson, Edward. “FirstNet Partnership Kicks Off Fifth Year, Brings Initial 5G Investment to FirstNet.” First Responder Network Authority
(Blog Post). April 1, 2021. https://www.firstnet.gov/newsroom/blog/firstnet-partnership-kicks-fifth-year-brings-initial-5g-investment-
firstnet.
29. Hill, Kelly. “AT&T extends 5G access to FirstNet customers in 10 more cities.” RCR Wireless News. August 17, 2021. https://www.rcrwireless.
com/20210817/5g/att-extends-5g-access-to-firstnet-customers-in-10-more-cities.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD FirstNet Build-Out 17

There are two classes of FirstNet devices: applications, as well as cloud services; an appli-
• “FirstNet Ready” devices are capable of cations development platform and third-party
accessing the network right out of the box, once applications developer community; an applications
the FirstNet SIM card is installed. store; and security and privacy compliance for all
users.31
• “FirstNet Capable” devices require software Although most apps available through commer-
updates and may need to be “unlocked” before cial app stores will work on FirstNet devices, the
the FirstNet SIM can be installed. FirstNet App Catalog is a curated collection of
mobile applications designed and vetted specifi-
As of August 2021, there were nearly 300
cally for public safety users. As of August 2021, the
types or models of devices certified by FirstNet.30
App Catalog had approximately 175 apps for law
However, not all devices perform equally on all
enforcement, fire and rescue, Hazmat, emergency
networks. For example, an iPhone XR specifically
management, and other disciplines.32
made to run on one network’s service may not
Apps featured in the Catalog include the
include the antenna required for a different compa-
following:
ny’s network. As public safety agencies are making
decisions about mobile broadband networks, they • Mapping tools (including in-building and 3D
should keep in mind whether devices are able to visualizations);
access FirstNet and Band 14 if they are considering • Push-to-Talk solutions;
switching to FirstNet in the future.
While smartphones are the most common • Secure and encrypted messaging and
device that runs on FirstNet, the network supports emergency alerts;
many other types of mobile data devices, including • Remote fleet management (automated
tablets, laptops, smart watches, and other vehicle locaters);
connected devices. Peripheral devices – such as • Remote access to records management and
automated license plate readers, drones, gunshot other systems; and
detection systems, mobile fingerprint scanners,
and security cameras – become more useful when • Workforce management tools that, among
they can be connected remotely through a mobile other things, allow personnel to submit
broadband connection. paperwork remotely.
PERF’s research found that some public
Other apps provide more specific functionality.
safety agencies are using mobile routers running
For example:
on FirstNet to turn their vehicles into mobile
WiFi hotspots. This allows a wide range of mobile • One app accesses a thin sensor within an
devices to run on FirstNet, even if those devices officer’s body armor to detect any time the
don’t have a built-in connection. armor is pierced (shot, stabbed, shrapnel) and
report the officer’s location.
• Another app allows a first responder to take a
FirstNet App Ecosystem photo of an unconscious person and use facial
Under its agreement with the FirstNet Authority, recognition to help determine the victim’s
AT&T-FirstNet is required to provide an applica- identity and emergency contact information.
tions (app) ecosystem that supports the Nation- • An app provides first responders with
wide Public Safety Broadband Network with information about the contents of specific
capabilities and services for public safety. Among freight railcars in case there is a derailment or
other things, the FirstNet app ecosystem must other incident.
include a portfolio of mobile and enterprise

30. See https://www.firstnet.com/content/dam/firstnet/white-papers/firstnet-certified-devices.pdf.

31. For details on the contractual requirements of the FirstNet Applications Ecosystem, see https://docplayer.net/23400960-Solicitation-no-
d15ps00295-section-c-statement-of-objectives-c-statement-of-objectives-c-1-c-1-background-c-1.html.
32. For a link to browse the online App Catalog, visit https://www.firstnet.com/apps/featured-apps.html.

18 FirstNet Build-Out FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

• Another app maintains a registry of Approximately 20% of the apps in the FirstNet
Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) App Catalog have achieved a more stringent
in a community, along with other lifesaving designation of “FirstNet Certified.” In addition
resources such as bleeding control kits and to meeting or exceeding the criteria for being
naloxone, that are accessible to public safety “FirstNet Verified,” apps that are FirstNet Certified
personnel. must also:

All apps in the FirstNet App Catalog go • Garner a higher level of confidence the app is
through a rigorous review process that includes highly secure;
checks for malware and other security vulner- • Demonstrate a performance history of even
abilities and assurances that the apps will meet higher availability (99.99% versus 99.9%);
the needs of the public safety community. These • Demonstrate an ability to be resilient in times
apps are “FirstNet Verified,” meaning they have of other system failures; and
met a four-part test during review and evaluation.
FirstNet Verified apps must: • Demonstrate an ability to be scalable in times of
peak demand.
• Be relevant for public safety use;
• Have garnered a high level of confidence that Having public safety mobile apps listed in one
the app is highly secure; place and reviewed for their reliability and perfor-
mance helps to make the FirstNet app ecosystem
• Use industry best practices for protecting access useful to public safety agencies and attractive to
to, and sharing of, app data; and app developers.
• Have demonstrated a performance history of
being at least 99.9% available.

USING COMPETITION TO SPUR APP INNOVATION

FirstNet is helping to drive innovations in the • High-quality evidence collection;

mobile broadband technologies available to • Maintaining chain of custody using a block
first responders and others in the public safety chain;
community. One example is the “Tech to Protect
Challenge,” which was hosted by the Public Safety • Mobile triaging to improve the efficiency of
Communications Research (PSCR) Division within EMS teams in the field during emergencies;
the National Institute of Standards and Technology • Biometric monitoring and alerts using wearable
in 2019-20. This event was an innovations contest devices, for public safety individuals and teams
held online and in-person at 10 cities across the in the field;
United States.
• Verifying whether an app is sufficiently secure
Each session brought together teams of entre- for sending sensitive medical information;
preneurs, technologists, students, programmers,
designers, and public safety experts to create inno- • Combining real-time resource mapping/
vative mobile data solutions for first responders. tracking and push-to-talk communications;
Contestants were competing for nearly $500,000 • Hands-free voice assistance in the field.
in prize money. The PSCR named approximately
two dozen Tech to Protect winners.33 The winning Several of the projects developed through the
projects included mobile tools for: competition are becoming commercially available.

33. “Tech to Protect Challenge Winners.” Public Safety Communications Research Division, National Institute of Standards and Technology.
https://www.nist.gov/ctl/pscr/tech-protect-challenge-winners.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD FirstNet Build-Out 19

GOVERNANCE:
THE RULES OF HOW FIRSTNET WORKS

FirstNet is accessible to a range of public and EXTENDED PRIMARY USERS are public safety indi-
private sector personnel beyond first responders – viduals, agencies, organizations, or for-profit
for example, parole and probation offices, emer- companies that may be called upon to support
gency management agencies, and utilities in some public safety personnel (Primary Users) during an
instances. In addition, individual first responders emergency. These personnel may be called in for
can sign up to get FirstNet on their personal cell mitigation, remediation, clean-up, or restoration
phones, even if their agencies are not FirstNet during and immediately after a natural disaster or
subscribers. other emergency. Examples of FirstNet’s Extended
Even though the Band 14 network is broad and Primary Users include the following:
robust, it is still a finite resource. Setting up poli- • Emergency Support & Private Security
cies and procedures to establish who has priority
› Law Enforcement Civilian Personnel
access to the network, especially during large-scale
emergencies when network usage will spike, is › Private Security
critically important, according to the experts that › Courts
PERF consulted. › Corrections
› Probation & Parole
Who Is Eligible to Use FirstNet? • Broadcasting
There are three types of FirstNet subscribers that › Emergency Broadcasting
must be accounted for when jurisdictions are plan- › Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES)
ning their FirstNet implementation. • Utilities & Energy
PRIMARY USERS are the core public safety › Electric & Gas
personnel who act as first responders in emergen- › Telecom
cies and routine day-to-day public safety matters. › Water
These primary users are: › Sewer/Waste
• Law enforcement officers, • Education – K-12/Higher Ed
• Firefighters, • Hospitals/Public Health (non-EMS)
• Emergency medical services personnel, and • Transportation
• Emergency dispatch personnel. › Public Transportation (Trucking, Bus, Rail,
Air & Wheelchair Vans)

20 Governance: The Rules of How FirstNet Works FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

› Transportation Services (Departments of Who Gets Priority Access to FirstNet
Transportation & Towing)
in an Emergency?
• Internet of Things (Devices & Alarms)
As more users and more devices join FirstNet, and
EXTENDED PRIMARY USERS WITH CRITICAL as users find more ways to push more data over
INFRASTRUCTURE RESPONSIBILITIES include a wide range the network, it becomes necessary to prioritize
of entities that may be called upon on a temporary among FirstNet users to ensure network access for
basis to assist with different types of emergency the most critical personnel during major incidents
situations. Because it is difficult to predict which or emergencies. Depending on the nature of the
roles could become critical when responding to a emergency, some people will need priority connec-
particular emergency, it is also difficult to define tions to the network. Others who may have little
eligibility rules for Extended Primary Users with or no role in responding to that situation will not
Critical Infrastructure Responsibilities. FirstNet need privileged access to the network, especially if
uses a flexible approach in which local jurisdictions it comes at the expense of other first responders
request that particular roles be given FirstNet who are actively engaged in the response.
access.

SETTING UP FIRSTNET GOVERNANCE AND PRIORITIZATION

Scott Edson is Executive Director of LA-RICS, the Los “Through

Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications FirstNet, you can
System, which connects more than 30 jurisdictions set users at the
in Los Angeles County on a common land mobile highest priority of
radio and broadband communications network. He level 1 all the way
has years of experience in managing public safety down through
communications networks and is a strong advo- levels 2, 3, 4, and
cate for strong governance of these networks.34 5. I recommend
He spoke at PERF’s Western Regional meeting: that governance
needs to be set
“You need to create policies, procedures, and so that all new
guidelines that everyone follows. This already FirstNet users
exists and is well-established for land mobile default to priority Scott Edson
radio systems. Now you need to do the same level 4, which is
thing for mobile broadband. one level above
“When you have multiple agencies on a commercial users.
scene and everyone is trying to stream video, “Priority levels also depend on the nature
you’re going to have issues. You need to have of an incident. For example, firefighters may
policies in place to dictate what should happen get a higher priority, maybe level 2, when the
in this situation. In LA County, we have a mutual emergency is a major fire. To make that happen,
aid policy where the sheriff is in charge. We met someone either needs to change those priority
with different cities to pre-plan responses and levels in a way that makes sense for the incident,
what should happen. Figure out what fits your or you can use an automated ‘uplift’ tool to
jurisdiction and map it out. assign the right people to higher priority levels.”
(See “The FirstNet Uplift Tool,” page 22.)

34. For an overview of LA-RICS governance, visit https://www.la-rics.org/governance-overview/.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD Governance: The Rules of How FirstNet Works 21

To address these governance issues, FirstNet Individual First Responder Subscriptions
allows local jurisdictions to set the rules for who
should have priority access to FirstNet under One unique aspect of FirstNet is that individual
different circumstances. When they first join first responders who are part of the Primary
the network, all FirstNet users are assigned a Users category can subscribe to FirstNet on their
priority level from 1 (highest priority) to 5 (lowest personal mobile devices, even if their agency has
priority). This system helps to ensure that the not subscribed to the network.
individuals with the greatest need can connect to To qualify, these “subscriber-paid users” must:
the network, especially when traffic on the network • Be current employees of, or active auxiliary
surges. volunteer personnel affiliated with, a qualified
The experts PERF consulted agreed that it public safety entity;
is critical for jurisdictions to establish their local • Provide services or perform functions in the
governance structures and procedures ahead of areas of law enforcement, fire protection,
time, before an emergency occurs. As one police emergency medical services, emergency (9-1-1)
chief said, “You don’t want to be handing out your call dispatch, or emergency management for the
business cards on the day of an emergency.” qualified public safety entity; and
• Subscribe to the service under individual
The FirstNet Uplift Tool FirstNet accounts.
While new FirstNet subscribers are initially These individual subscriptions expand the
assigned a priority level, FirstNet allows jurisdic- number of front-line personnel who have priority
tions to make changes to priority levels “on the fly” access to FirstNet on an ongoing basis. This
to meet the unique needs of any situation. This is can be beneficial, provided the first responder
accomplished through a device called the Uplift is permitted to use his or her personal device
Tool. for work. (See page 38 for a discussion of using
For example, firefighters would be given personal devices for work-related activities.)
highest priority when battling a high-rise This setup also creates some governance
fire. If the situation also involved a gas leak issues that jurisdictions need to address. For
explosion, personnel from the local gas example, should individual first responders be
company may also have their priority lifted. required to “register” their FirstNet devices with
The Uplift Tool can be especially helpful when their agencies? What types of official business are
FirstNet users from outside the jurisdiction arrive first responders permitted to carry out on their
on-site to assist, or when an otherwise low-priority personal devices? And if an individual is off-duty
user is a primary responder to an emergency situa- but near the site of a major event that is generating
tion. In these situations, it is especially important a lot of network traffic, how can the jurisdiction
that these users’ priority levels get raised quickly adjust that person’s priority level, since they aren’t
to ensure they are able to stay connected to the part of the response? Or if they are responding off-
network.35 duty, how can their priority level be increased?
Experts told PERF that jurisdictions need to
“Snowplows can be mission-critical when a city consider these types of issues related to subscriber-
has three feet of snow.” paid users when developing their FirstNet gover-
— Assistant Chief Mike Baltrotsky nance plans.
Montgomery County (MD) Fire and Rescue
Service

35. For more information about the FirstNet Uplift Tool, see Kerr, Randy. “FirstNet Uplift Request Tool Provides Support During Extreme
Network Congestion.” First Responder Network Authority (Blog Post). June 29, 2021. https://www.firstnet.gov/newsroom/blog/firstnet-
uplift-request-tool-provides-support-during-extreme-network-congestion.

22 Governance: The Rules of How FirstNet Works FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

THE FIRSTNET AUTHORITY ROADMAP

In addition to overseeing the initial rollout of the 1 THE CORE: The services and capabilities of FirstNet’s
FirstNet network, the FirstNet Authority is also charged physical backbone, or core.
with managing the growth, evolution, and advance- 2 COVERAGE: FirstNet’s coverage and performance to
ment of the network. To help guide this process, the meet public safety needs in their communities.
Authority published its “Roadmap,” a 32-page report
that serves as a FirstNet strategic plan for the next five 3 SITUATIONAL AWARENESS: Combining and analyzing
years.36 data from multiple sources to provide real-time
Initially released in 2019 and updated in 2020, information about what is happening.
the Roadmap was developed with input from public 4 VOICE COMMUNICATIONS: Supporting easy and effective
safety agencies, industry and government repre- conversations among public safety officials within
sentatives, and AT&T-FirstNet. The FirstNet Authority and across different public safety agencies, jurisdic-
held more than 1,600 engagements with the public tions, and technological platforms.
safety community in 2019 and 2020 and conducted 5 SECURE INFORMATION EXCHANGE: Securely and conve-
industry outreach and research to better understand niently accessing, exchanging, and managing data
technology trends and advancements. The Roadmap within and across different public safety agencies,
provides a broad view of public safety’s operational jurisdictions, and technological platforms.
needs and technology trends for mobile broadband
communications. 6 USER EXPERIENCE: Tailoring FirstNet’s capabilities,
features, devices, and applications to meet the
The Roadmap is structured around six “domains,”
unique needs and requirements of first responders
which represent network capabilities that are critical
and other public safety officials.
to police, fire, and other public safety agencies. These
domains are designed to help the FirstNet Authority The 2020 version of the First Responder Network
prioritize future programs, resources, investments, and Authority Roadmap identifies updated priorities for
partnership activities. each of the six domains.
Figure 1: Roadmap Domains and Updated Priorities

SITUATIONAL AWARENESS
• Locate and Present Personnel Location
• Location Services Integration

VOICE COMMUNICATIONS
CORE COVERAGE
• Operationalize FirstNet Push-to-Talk
• Generational Updates • Outdoor Coverage • Active Role in Standards
(e.g., 4G to 5G) Expansion • Critical Features
• Priority and • Indoor Coverage
Preemption, including Expansion SECURE INFORMATION EXCHANGE
Uplift on 5G • Unique Coverage
• Database Integration
• Mission Critical Services Solutions
Platforms and Enablers Advancement • Application Integration
on 5G
• Network Security on 5G USER EXPERIENCE
• Mission-Enabling Applications
• Mission-Capable Devices

36. “First Responder Network Authority Roadmap.” First Responder Network Authority. www.firstnet.gov/system/tdf/Roadmap_2020_
nocompress.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=1612.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD Governance: The Rules of How FirstNet Works 23

TESTING NETWORK COVERAGE
AND PERFORMANCE

While FirstNet is the nationwide mobile broad- Coverage maps

band network dedicated to public safety, there is no
Coverage maps provide a broad overview of the
requirement that individual agencies subscribe to
extent to which a broadband network is built out
the network. Police, fire, EMS, and other agencies
in a particular geographic area. Coverage maps tell
have a choice of which mobile broadband carrier
you whether your devices should be able to connect
they use – either FirstNet or a private commercial
to the network from a particular location. But
carrier.
these maps cannot guarantee that a device will be
When PERF asked public safety officials to
able to connect from that location, nor can they
define their most important factors in selecting
indicate how well the device will perform.
a mobile broadband carrier, they almost univer-
sally identified two issues: network coverage Signal strength
and performance. Officials said that factors
This measurement, often depicted as the number
such as security, network management, access
of “bars” displayed on a smartphone or tablet,
to mobile applications, and other issues were
provides some indication about whether a device
important considerations, but knowing that
will connect to the network. But unlike land mobile
their mobile devices could consistently connect
radio networks, where the strength of the radio
to the network and that they could upload and
signal is the determining factor, PERF’s research
download data quickly and reliably were the
found that more bars on a mobile device did not
paramount concerns.
necessarily translate into better performance on
a mobile broadband network. Having a strong
Testing Performance connection does not necessarily mean that a device
will be able to send or receive large quantities
from the Perspective of the User of data quickly and efficiently. This is especially
How do public safety agencies test the coverage important when first responders want to share
and performance of broadband carriers in their video footage or other content that requires large
jurisdictions? There are some common ways amounts of data.
that agencies can answer that question, but
PERF’s research found shortcomings in many Network tests
of them. Agencies can commission testing of broadband
services using sophisticated equipment and meth-
odologies, but these approaches can be expensive

24 Testing Network Coverage and Performance FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

“For our FirstNet testing, we took something personnel went to various locations around the city
seemingly complex and just made it easy for to see how fast data could load on the devices.37
our first responders. We brought FirstNet to the This provided the department with real-time
department, sent it to those on the front lines and results that were easy to capture and analyze.
said, ‘Let us know what you think.’ We empowered It’s important to test coverage and perfor-
our people to tell us what they experienced using mance at many different locations, and to conduct
FirstNet. I would encourage decision makers to testing for every public safety agency in a jurisdic-
roll it out to your people and just see what they tion. Two agencies in the same jurisdiction can
think and how it performs for them.” have completely different experiences based on
— Chief (ret.) Sylvia Moir where and how they typically operate. That is what
Tempe (AZ) Police Department the police and fire agencies in the Modesto, CA area
discovered when they conducted side-by-side tests
of FirstNet and the carrier they had been using,
using the Speedtest app.
and time-consuming, and the results can be overly In Modesto’s case, FirstNet had better connec-
complicated for key decision-makers. tivity and performance within the city limits
In addition, these tests may not be able to
where the police department operates. However,
account for all of the ways that public safety the county’s Consolidated Fire Protection District
personnel use their devices, which can influence covers both the city and areas of the Central Valley,
the results. For example, a smartphone may lose its which include mountains and low-lying hills. At the
signal because of how it is situated on an officer’s time of the tests, FirstNet did not perform as well
belt while they’re driving. as the existing carrier in those more remote areas.
The key to obtaining simple and useful test So the police department signed a contract to
results is to focus on the perspective and experi- adopt FirstNet, while the Fire Protection District
ences of the end-users – the police officers, fire- decided to stay with its current provider and
fighters, EMTs, and other first responders who use monitor the FirstNet build-out in the area.
the network.
Straightforward tests that closely mirror an
agency’s real-world, daily use patterns will produce PERF’s Testing Protocol
results that reflect what that department should
While the simple side-by-side tests using apps such
experience if it subscribes to a particular mobile
as Speedtest can provide jurisdictions with basic
broadband provider. Some agencies have found
information for comparing carriers, that approach
that simply using the same types of devices from
may not be sophisticated enough for some jurisdic-
different carriers and using mobile apps to measure tions that want a more detailed examination of
certain indicators can sufficiently test coverage and broadband network coverage and performance.
performance in most circumstances. However, it is For this project, PERF sought to develop
important that the tests measure the right things, a robust, accurate, and easy-to-use protocol
or else the results will not be helpful and may even that public safety agencies could employ for
be misleading. testing coverage and performance in their
As it was evaluating the suitability of FirstNet, own jurisdictions.
the Tempe, AZ Police Department empowered its Given the technical nature of this work,
employees to conduct straightforward performance PERF enlisted the help of subject matter experts
tests designed to mirror the everyday experiences in telecommunications and mobile broadband
of its personnel. Using an app called Speedtest on operations.38 The rest of this chapter summarizes
devices operating on FirstNet and another carrier, our findings.

37. See https://www.speedtest.net/apps.

38. More detailed information about the testing procedures and specific results from the test sites can be found in PERF’s case study
report: “Beyond Signal Strength: Measuring Performance of Public Safety Mobile Broadband Networks.” September 2019.
https://www.policeforum.org/assets/FirstNetCaseStudy.pdf.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD Testing Network Coverage and Performance 25

How to structure a coverage and of the devices – one Samsung, one Apple – ran on
performance test FirstNet. The other six devices operated on three
major commercial networks.
PERF followed a few key principles in designing the
testing protocol: Off-the-shelf apps can support rigorous testing
• All tests should adhere as closely as possible to After obtaining the devices and services, the next
the conditions that police officers, firefighters, step is to assemble the apps needed to collect the
EMS personnel, and others experience in the data to be analyzed.39 There are three important
field. To get useful results, you have to mirror
metrics included in PERF’s protocol.
the real-world operations of public safety
personnel. NETWORK CONNECTION. PERF wanted to measure
• Tests should use only equipment various aspects of each device’s connection to the
or services that are available for a network, including signal strength,
department to deploy in the field. the radio frequency band being
Test results for a service or appli- accessed, GPS location, and more.
cation that you cannot purchase PERF wanted to know which radio
or use on a regular basis are not band the devices were accessing
useful in making decisions about in order to assess (1) how often
broadband networks. FirstNet devices were accessing
Band 14 (the spectrum that FirstNet
• Similarly, performance can vary dedicates to public safety) and
widely across types of devices, so (2) how devices operating on Band
testing should be conducted only 14 performed when compared to
with devices that your agency devices on other bands.
uses. If your agency uses iPhones, For these measurements, PERF
tests should be conducted using used an app called NetMonitor Pro.
iPhones. One benefit of this app is that it
can take measurements at short
Use devices that your agency
intervals, which can provide more
already has detailed data for analysis. PERF set
The first step in conducting a test Screenshot of up NetMonitor Pro to capture signal
is to obtain samples of the types of NetMonitor Pro strength and other network connec-
devices the agency will be using in tion data every five seconds on each
the field. This could include one or phone.40
two models of smartphones, tablets, and possibly
an in-vehicle router. These will need to run on each DATA UPLOAD AND DOWNLOAD SPEEDS. A key measure-
of the service options the agency is considering – ment of network performance is data upload and
mostly standard commercial carriers, possibly any download speeds – in other words, how fast a data
restricted or special alternative services from those file could be uploaded from a mobile device to the
providers, and FirstNet (for either the Band 14- or Internet and how fast a file could be downloaded
non-Band 14-capable devices). from the Internet to the device. For this protocol,
For its performance tests, PERF used a combi- PERF used an app called SpeedCheck Pro to
nation of Samsung S9 phones and Apple XR measure upload and download speeds by megabits
iPhones. These were relatively current models at per second (Mbps). Conveniently, the app can be set
the time the tests were conducted in 2019. Two to run tests automatically in the background on a

39. The apps used in PERF’s testing protocol were selected because they are readily accessible and inexpensive (or free) and have been found
to perform well. There are other apps that can provide similar functionality.
40. Signal strength was collected on the Samsung S9 devices only; automated signal strength tests were not available for the Apple iPhones
at the time of the tests.

26 Testing Network Coverage and Performance FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

set schedule of intervals, which makes testing much designed to gather information from the perspec-
easier. For its field tests, PERF set up SpeedCheck tive of the user – the police officer, firefighter, or
Pro to run automated upload and download samples EMS technician operating in the field.
on each smartphone at five-minute intervals.
For these tests, PERF established a “pass rate” TWO LARGE DEMONSTRATIONS: The first two field-
threshold. Any tests that did not achieve 5 Mbps tests took place in January 2019 in Washington,
download or 2 Mbps upload were considered to be D.C., during two large-scale marches: the annual
unreliable, as they failed to meet a basic level of March for Life on January 18, and the Women’s
what public safety personnel would expect in the March on January 19. Each of these demonstra-
field.41 tions attracted tens of thousands of people to
areas along the National Mall, the U.S. Capitol,
IMAGE TRANSFER. Another important measure and downtown Washington, D.C. They provided a
of network performance is how long it takes to laboratory for testing the performance of FirstNet
transfer an image to a mobile device, something and commercial networks during periods when
that public safety personnel routinely do in the large numbers of people were trying to connect to
field. For this protocol, PERF downloaded a 20MB mobile data networks at the same time in a rela-
file from a website at 15-minute intervals and tively small geographic area.
tracked how long it took to fully render the image For both for these events, two teams of testers
on the smartphone. A 20MB file generally aligns were deployed; each team was equipped with a
with the typical file sizes first responders work selection of the devices being tested. One team was
with, such as building floor plans or photos of a embedded in the middle of the crowds, to repli-
missing person. cate the experience of a police officer, firefighter,
When mobile devices download the same file or EMS worker responding to an incident in the
multiple times, the device typically provides a middle of a large event. The second team stayed on
shortcut to the website so that the file loads much the immediate periphery of the marches, outside
faster on the second and subsequent downloads. the densest parts of the crowds but close enough
To mitigate this issue, PERF used the DuckDuckGo to the primary activity. This was designed to mirror
Privacy Browser, which makes it easy to clear the the experience of first responders who might be
shortcut after each download. As a result, each file monitoring events but not fully embedded in them.
download in the PERF tests mirrored the file being
downloaded for the first time, as it would be for EVERYDAY OPERATING CONDITIONS: PERF’s third
public safety personnel in the field. field-test took place under more typical operating
conditions – that is, there were no exceptional
Three sets of field-tests were conducted pressures on the mobile data networks. This test
Using this testing protocol, PERF conducted was designed to replicate what a police officer
three separate field-tests in early 2019. The tests might experience on a typical shift.
involved simultaneously monitoring multiple On March 11-12, 2019, PERF staff members
smartphones running on different networks – rode in a patrol vehicle with members of the
both commercial and FirstNet – to collect data on Camden County, NJ Police Department. Over the
various performance measurements in different course of the two days, the vehicle traversed the
locations and under different conditions. vast majority of the city’s streets and a number
These field-tests were designed to simu- of alleys. The routes were aligned with Camden’s
late working conditions and scenarios in which police districts, so that data would reflect how and
first responders would need access to a mobile where officers patrol. In addition, separate tests
data network. Importantly, all of the tests were were run on highways and interstates within the

41. The download speed of 5 Mbps represented a threshold for successfully streaming relatively high-resolution video (such as from a fixed
security camera); the upload speed of 2 Mbps represented a threshold for successfully streaming lower-resolution video (such as from a
dash-camera).

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD Testing Network Coverage and Performance 27

UPPER LEFT: March for Life, Washington, D.C., January 18, 2019
UPPER RIGHT: Women’s March, Washington, D.C., January 19, 2019
LEFT: Drive-Test Data Example, Camden, NJ, March 11-12, 2019

city where patrol vehicles would travel at higher times – would not necessarily produce the
rates of speed, posing additional challenges for same results. That is why it is critical for
broadband systems. agencies to conduct performance tests in
As with the two field-tests in Washington, their own jurisdictions that mirror the
D.C., the PERF team ran the same tests and conditions under which their public safety
collected the same types of data by monitoring personnel operate.
the various smartphones accessing FirstNet and
the commercial networks. It’s important to note Camden, NJ Drive-Test Results
that the purpose of these tests was not to evaluate PERF examined five key metrics from the two days
individual carriers, but rather to validate the of drive-tests in Camden:
testing protocol and to see how FirstNet performed
in relation to commercial networks generally. In SERVICE RELIABILITY. This was a simple assessment
the analysis, results for the three major commer- of whether a device was connected to its network
cial carriers that were tested were aggregated into during each five second-interval test. If a device was
overall averages. unable to receive or send data during a test, it was
considered non-operational for that sample and the
result was recorded as a service reliability failure.
Summary of Testing Results All of the devices in the drive-tests had service
In all, PERF collected and analyzed approximately reliability measures of 95% or greater (see Figure 1).
118,000 test samples: 80,000 during the two days One of the FirstNet phones and one of the
of drive-testing in Camden and 38,000 during the commercial carrier phones each had 100% service
two large-scale marches in Washington, D.C. A reliability. There were relatively few service outages
summary of the analysis follows. on any of the devices during the drive-tests.
It is important to note that these results
represent what PERF documented at these DOWNLOAD AND UPLOAD PASS RATES. As noted earlier,
particular locations at these specific times. PERF assigned a minimum threshold or “pass rate”
Running similar tests at different loca- of 5 megabits per second (Mbps) for data down-
tions – or even the same locations at different loads and 2 Mbps for data uploads. On this metric,

28 Testing Network Coverage and Performance FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

the FirstNet devices generally outperformed the BAND 14 DETECTION. Band 14 was detected in
commercial network devices combined. FirstNet only about 32% of the samples taken on the
phones met the download threshold 95% of the FirstNet phones over the two days. (In large part,
time and the upload threshold 87% of the time. this reflected the extent to which the FirstNet
The commercial devices met the thresholds in 82% network had been built-out in the Camden area
of the download tests and 76% of the uploads. in March 2019.) In the other 68% of the samples,
the FirstNet phones accessed the AT&T commer-
DOWNLOAD AND UPLOAD SPEEDS. On average, FistNet cial network with priority and preemption. Even
devices had faster download and upload speeds than though these devices were hitting Band 14 less than
the devices operating on the commercial carriers. one-third of the time, they still generally outper-
The download speed was approximately 46 Mbps on formed the commercial networks on data upload
the FirstNet phones and 38 Mbps on the commer- and download speeds and image transfer rates.
cial network devices. Upload speeds were approxi-
mately 12 Mbps on FirstNet and 10 Mbps on the Washington, D.C. Major Event Test Results
other networks combined (see Figure 2). PERF examined the same key metrics for the tests
IMAGE TRANSFER SPEED. Devices operating on run at the two major events in Washington, D.C.
FirstNet were able to download the 20 MB file Because the two marches were both high-capacity
events that shared the same basic characteristics –
almost twice as fast as the commercial network
that is, large crowds in a concentrated area for a
phones: just over 11 seconds, vs. approximately 20
defined period of time – PERF analyzed the data
seconds.
from the two events in tandem.

Figure 1. Performance and Service Reliability Figure 2. Download and Upload Speeds
Drive Testing, March 11-12 – Camden, NJ Drive Testing, March 11-12 – Camden, NJ

FirstNet Commercial Carriers FirstNet Commercial Carriers

Average across Average across six devices Average across Average across six devices
two devices on three carriers two devices on three carriers
DOWNLOAD PASS RATE DOWNLOAD SPEED

UPLOAD PASS RATE UPLOAD SPEED

SERVICE RELIABILITY
0 10 20 30 40 50
Megabytes per second (Mbps)

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
Notes: The pass rate thresholds were a minimum of 5 Mbps
for data downloads and 2 Mbps for uploads. Service reliability
measures the percentage of sample tests in which a device was
able to receive or send data.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD Testing Network Coverage and Performance 29

SERVICE RELIABILITY. Unlike the drive-tests in thresholds in about 55% of the tests and the
Camden, NJ, where all devices – FirstNet and upload threshold in fewer than 30% of the tests
commercial networks – had high service reliability (see Figure 3).
marks of 95% or greater, the devices tested during
the two major events experienced more numerous DOWNLOAD AND UPLOAD SPEEDS. For both events,
reliability failures (i.e., the device was unable to download and upload speeds were faster on the
receive or send data during the tests run every five FirstNet devices than on the average of devices
seconds). running on commercial networks. Given the size
On average, the commercial devices passed just of the two events, all of the networks, including
37% of the service reliability tests, an indication of FirstNet, experienced some variability in upload
the pressure these events put on cellular networks. and download speeds during the two days of
The FirstNet devices passed 88% of the reliability testing. Overall, downloads and uploads on
tests over the two days (see Figure 3). FirstNet were approximately two times faster than
on the commercial networks (see Figure 4).
DOWNLOAD AND UPLOAD PASS RATES. The FirstNet
devices also met the thresholds for data downloads IMAGE TRANSFER SPEED. The FirstNet devices were
(5 Mbps) and uploads (2 Mbps) at much higher also significantly faster at being able to transfer
rates than the commercial networks combined. For an image file. During the Women’s March, for
both data downloads and uploads, the FirstNet example, FirstNet phones averaged less than 10
phones met the thresholds more than 85% of the seconds in transferring the 20 MB image file.
time. The commercial devices met the download

Figure 3. Performance and Service Reliability Figure 4. Download and Upload Speeds
March for Life, January 18, 2019 and Women’s March, March for Life, January 18, 2019 and Women’s March,
January 19, 2019 – Washington, DC January 19, 2019 – Washington, DC

FirstNet Commercial Carriers FirstNet Commercial Carriers

Average across Average across six devices Average across Average across six devices
two devices on three carriers two devices on three carriers
DOWNLOAD PASS RATE DOWNLOAD SPEED

UPLOAD PASS RATE UPLOAD SPEED

SERVICE RELIABILITY
0 10 20 30 40 50
Megabytes per second (Mbps)
Note: For the Women’s March, only five devices on the three
0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% commercial carriers were tested.
Notes: The pass rate thresholds were a minimum of 5 Mbps for data
downloads and 2 Mbps for uploads. Service reliability measures the
percentage of sample tests in which a device was able to receive or
send data. For the Women’s March, only five devices on the three
major commercial carriers were tested.

30 Testing Network Coverage and Performance FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

Combined, devices running on the commercial It’s About More Than Signal Strength
networks were about 3.5 times slower.42
These three field-tests produced another signifi-
BAND 14 DETECTION. Band 14 was detected in 46% cant finding: A stronger signal – more bars on a
of the samples on the FirstNet phones during the smartphone or other mobile device – does not
March for Life and 84% of the samples during the necessarily translate into better performance on a
Women’s March. The Women’s March covered a mobile broadband network.
much smaller geographic footprint than the March For example, during the drive tests in Camden,
for Life, and Band 14 was more prevalent in that NJ, the Samsung S9 device operating on FirstNet
part of downtown Washington, D.C. At the March generally had a weaker signal than the S9 devices
for Life, most of the Band 14 detections occurred operating on commercial networks. However, the
at the beginning of the event, when people were FirstNet device had generally faster data upload
gathered at the main stage on the National Mall. To and download speeds and was able to transfer
boost coverage and capacity at this location, AT&T- images faster and more reliably. Throughout the
FirstNet had placed a Cell on Wheels (COW) deploy- two marches in Washington, D.C., PERF found that
able. (See page 13 for more information about all devices (both commercial network and FirstNet)
FirstNet deployables.) Again, when Band 14 was had generally strong signals. However, the FirstNet
not detected, FirstNet devices had to access AT&T’s devices were found to have faster throughput and
commercial network. Even then, FirstNet phones greater service reliability. These findings were espe-
were consistently more reliable and faster than the cially pronounced when the FirstNet devices were
phones on commercial networks, which were expe- operating on Band 14.
riencing extremely high traffic during these events.

AS THEY ADDRESS COVERAGE ISSUES, SOME AGENCIES RUN DUAL NETWORKS

In our research, PERF heard from several agen- “We began

cies that were maintaining their existing mobile implementing
broadband carrier even as they began imple- FirstNet, and
menting FirstNet. Some agencies wanted to right now, about
ensure redundancy in case there were issues with 60% of our fleet
either network. Other agencies found coverage has transferred
and performance varied by location within their over. But a lot
jurisdiction: one network may work better in a of our fleet is
more urban area, while the other network excels in running two
more remote areas. carriers – FirstNet
Such was the case with the Santa Clara County, and another
CA Fire Department when it began using FirstNet major carrier –
in 2018. Fire Chief Tony Bowden explained their for redundancy,
thinking during PERF’s Western Regional meeting: because we still
have some spots that have coverage issues.
“We serve seven of the 15 cities in Santa Clara “Our litmus test is always the experience of
County, and the areas are quite different. We the crews. It’s always going to be the officers or
have urban areas such as the city of Campbell, the firefighters that are using it daily. They rely
and very rural and mountainous areas. So heavily on a lot of web-based applications.”
coverage has always been an issue with us,
— Chief Anthony Bowden
regardless of carrier. We have some areas where
Santa Clara County (CA) Fire Department
we have difficult coverage issues.

42. At the March for Life on January 18, 2019, PERF used a 40 MB file for the image transfer tests. Across networks, this file size produced a
larger-than-expected number of failures (downloads that exceeded two minutes). For subsequent tests, PERF used a 20 MB file, which is
more in line with typical files sizes that first responders deal with in the field.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD Testing Network Coverage and Performance 31

HOW FIRSTNET SUPPORTS DISASTER RESPONSE
AND MAJOR EVENTS

When major incidents such as natural disasters, Severe Weather Events

major demonstrations or attacks, or large-scale
planned events occur, wireless communications in Hurricanes, tropical storms, and tornadoes often
general, and public safety communications specifi- interrupt or disable cellular communications. For
cally, are often disrupted. Congress authorized individuals and businesses, these disruptions can
the creation of FirstNet in order to establish a be annoying and costly. For public safety users,
dedicated system that allows police, fire, EMS, and communications failures can be dangerous and
other first responders to communicate with each interfere with their efforts to protect the public.
other during critical incidents. Over the past three years, FirstNet has been
Throughout this project, PERF heard from called on to assist in the response to numerous
public safety agencies about how FirstNet helped severe weather events. In most instances, FirstNet
them restore data and voice communications deployables have been dispatched to support the
following natural disasters and maintain communi- voice and data communications needs of police,
cations during large-scale planed events. In many fire, and other first responders. Two examples were
of these situations, a key element in maintaining discussed at PERF’s meetings for this project.
communications was the FirstNet deployables Hurricane Michael in October 2018
program, which can send mobile communications
assets to an area experiencing network outages. Hurricane Michael was the first Category 5 hurri-
(See page 13 for more information about FirstNet cane to hit the continental United States since
deployables.) Hurricane Andrew in 1992, making landfall on the
Following are a number of early case studies Florida Panhandle on October 10, 2018. The town
of events in which FirstNet supported disaster of Mexico Beach, Florida (population 1,500 at the
response. time) took a direct hit. Of the nearly 1,700 build-
ings in the city, approximately 800 were destroyed
and another 800 were damaged.43
Mexico Beach Police Chief Anthony Kelly sent
his officers out of town to ride out the storm, and
they planned to meet at a designated location

43. Beven, John; Berg, Robbie; and Hagen, Andrew. “Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Michael.” National Hurricane Center. May 17, 2019.
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL142018_Michael.pdf.

32 How FirstNet Supports Disaster Response and Major Events FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD
five hours after impact. For the next 48 hours, Carolina to sign up for FirstNet, and the network
in-person communication was the only option for remained operational throughout Hurricane Flor-
the officers. ence and its aftermath. To maintain voice commu-
Chief Kelly contacted the county Emergency nications, police and other public safety personnel
Operations Center, which was able to provide the used the enhanced push-to-talk service on their
Mexico Beach Police Department with cellular FirstNet smartphones.
phones operating on FirstNet, even though the While the FirstNet devices worked well for
department was not a FirstNet subscriber. Chief voice, data transmissions over the network were
Kelly said the phones allowed his officers to initially slow. Hal Lowder, Whiteville’s Director
communicate and keep track of one another. In of Emergency Services, said he contacted AT&T-
addition, the phones enabled officers to take and FirstNet, which sent a SatCOLT to boost capacity
share photos and video that could be used for and coverage in the area. “It was like flipping on
situational awareness and documentation of the a light switch,” Director Lowder said at PERF’s
damage. Officers also had access to mapping appli- Early Adopter Forum. “Everything on the data side
cations, which enabled them to conduct search- started to work.”
and-rescue efforts more accurately and effectively.
Mexico Beach and other communities hit by Western Wildfires
Hurricane Michael were able to regain communica- In recent years, the number of wildfires in the
tions after FirstNet-dedicated SatCOLTs (satellite United States has been fairly constant, but the
cell on light trucks) were deployed to several parts intensity of the blazes and the number of acres
of Florida and Georgia. In addition, a Flying COW burned have increased dramatically.46 These fires,
(cell on wings) was deployed over the ground in especially those in California and the Pacific North-
Mexico Beach and other parts of the Panhandle to west, have required large numbers of personnel
support communications. from multiple agencies. For example, more than
1,000 first responders were deployed to the 2021
Hurricane Florence in September 2018 Bootleg Fire in Oregon.
A month before Hurricane Michael, Hurricane Because many of the largest fires occur in
Florence made landfall on September 14, 2018, as remote areas, the existing cellular infrastructure –
a Category 1 storm along the southeastern coast either commercial networks or FirstNet – is often
of North Carolina. The large, slow-moving storm limited. Capacity on commercial networks is often
dumped huge amounts of rain as it pushed inland. used up by local residents and businesses trying to
Officials in Whiteville, NC, a city of 5,400 people connect with the outside world.
located almost 50 miles west of Wilmington, PERF’s research found that today’s fire agen-
recorded up to two feet of rain.44 cies are relying more on smartphones, tablets,
The flooding caused extensive damage to much and other mobile devices to share data (including
of Whiteville’s infrastructure. The storm knocked video) and support other needs such as virtual
out its land mobile radio system, which left White- briefings. Applications such as Geographic Infor-
ville first responders without their primary means mation System mapping (GIS), resource allocation
of voice communications.45 and tracking, and situational awareness generate
Three months earlier, in June 2018, White- large amounts of data. And personnel on the scene
ville had become the first municipality in North want to be able to stay in touch with their families.

44. Stewart, Stacy R., and Berg, Robbie. “Tropical Cyclone Report: Hurricane Florence.” National Hurricane Center. May 30, 2019.
https://www.nhc.noaa.gov/data/tcr/AL062018_Florence.pdf.
45. Unlike most jurisdictions in North Carolina, Whiteville was not part of the statewide LMR system, which remained operational during the
hurricane. Rather, Whiteville used a county-owned system that runs on proprietary software.
46. “Climate Change Indicators: Wildfires.” U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. April 2021. https://www.epa.gov/climate-indicators/
climate-change-indicators-wildfires.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD How FirstNet Supports Disaster Response and Major Events 33
As a result, broadband coverage and performance At PERF’s Western Regional meeting, fire
are critical when fighting wildfires. officials from California described the types of
For the past four wildfire seasons, FirstNet has communications that front-line firefighters rely
sent deployables and other resources to support on and why reliable access to mobile broadband
personnel battling the major fires on the West networks is so important.
Coast.47 In most cases, these efforts involved
strategically deploying SatCOLTs near command RESOURCE REQUESTS. Santa Clara County Fire
centers and on the front lines. One advantage of Chief Anthony Bowden said one of the biggest
having mobile communications assets during a needs at a fire scene is the ability to request
wildfire is that as the fire line moves, so can the resources from other agencies. In California, fire
deployables be relocated, thus enabling a more agencies use the Interagency Resource Ordering
consistent level of coverage. Capability (IROC) system to request resources from
In addition to accessing deployables, California other departments. Chief Bowden said that having
public safety officials have worked with AT&T- reliable access to that system is critical for incident
FirstNet to increase capacity in areas that are prone commanders when they first arrive on the scene
to having fires. and as conditions change.
“When that first command post gets set up
“We worked closely with AT&T and the U.S. and you have that first team come in and start
Forest Service to build FirstNet LTE sites in setting up, the incident commander needs to start
the Angeles National Forest. We identified communicating resource requests with multiple
areas where we know we have fires, and we’re agencies and jurisdictions, not just locally, but
building LTE sites in the forest. That was a huge across the state. That requires data. You need to
accomplishment.” be able to access that system and transmit data up
and back,” Chief Bowden said.
— Executive Director Scott Edson
LA-RICS GIS DATA. Fire leaders discussed the importance
of being able to collect and share Geographic
Information System mapping during a large-scale

FIRSTNET MEGARANGE BOOSTS CONNECTIVITY IN REMOTE AREAS

A new resource available to firefighters battling When fighting wildfires, improved connec-
Western wildfires is FirstNet MegaRange. tivity and signal strength are especially important
This is a High-Power User Equipment (HPUE) in remote areas that may be at the edge of existing
solution that can boost connectivity in remote networks. Because HPUE operates at a higher
areas and increase device transmission power by power class on Band 14, uplink data speeds are
up to six times.48 The increased signal with FirstNet faster, and coverage is more reliable.
MegaRange can be transmitted only on Band 14,
the spectrum reserved for FirstNet.

47. Nida, Kevin, and Baker, Chris. “FirstNet – Helping Firefighters Face Historic Wildfire Season During the Pandemic.” First Responder Network
Authority (Blog Post). August 5, 2021. https://www.firstnet.gov/newsroom/blog/firstnet-helping-firefighters-face-historic-wildfire-
season-amid-pandemic.
48. HPUE is a special class of user equipment for LTE cellular networks that meets both 3GPP and FCC standards.
See https://www.getwirelessllc.com/2020/05/hpue for additional details.

34 How FirstNet Supports Disaster Response and Major Events FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD
fire. These systems typically use large data files that Improving Situational Awareness and
require considerable bandwidth. Officer Safety at Super Bowl LIII
Chief Bowden described his agency’s GIS
The experience at Super Bowl LIII in Atlanta in
platform as “Google maps on steroids.” It stores
February 2019 demonstrated how mobile broad-
several layers of data, including the location of
band connectivity can support a variety of public
hydrants and other critical infrastructure such as
safety needs.
communications, electricity, and natural gas. For
At PERF’s Southeast Regional meeting, Warren
structure fires, the system stores building plans
Shepard, a Manager with the Georgia Emergency
and related information. For wildfires, it includes
Management and Homeland Security Agency
topographical layers, which allow personnel to see
(GEMA), discussed security planning for the Super
geographic contours that helps them to predict
Bowl and how FirstNet supported operations
which direction a fire is likely to travel, and street
throughout Super Bowl week. The Atlanta Police
layers showing buildings and other structures.
Department was the lead agency on security plan-
“They can adjust what they see in real time to help
ning. GEMA was one of several partners respon-
them gain better situational awareness of the area
sible for monitoring the events taking place in the
that they’re coming into,” Chief Bowden said.
run-up to the Super Bowl and the game itself, and
The system also provides real-time automated
then providing support as needed.
vehicle location (AVL) capabilities, allowing crews
GEMA was an early adopter of FirstNet when
to see the locations of every other unit on the
it joined the network in April 2018. The agency had
scene.
approximately 100 FirstNet devices by the time
of the Super Bowl, which were allocated to GEMA
Super Bowls and Other Major Events personnel and selected partners.
While there were no major security incidents
Unlike hurricanes, wildfires, or other natural
at Super Bowl LIII, Mr. Shepard described three
disasters, major events such as the Super Bowl are
instances where FirstNet connectivity proved
scheduled years in advance and require consider-
helpful:
able up-front planning. These high-capacity events
also attract large numbers of people using their • MAINTAINING VIDEO FEEDS FROM DRONES: Several
mobile devices to talk, take and share photos and Super Bowl events took place in and around the
video, and post to social media. All this activity can Georgia World Congress Center, the city’s main
put tremendous strain on cellular networks. convention center. The GWCC Authority hired a
To ensure that public safety personnel have private contractor to fly four tethered drones in
access to voice and data communications, FirstNet the area to enhance situational awareness. But
has supported recent Super Bowls by enhancing there were issues with keeping a stable video
the network infrastructure in advance of the games link from the drones back to the command
and staging deployables to provide extra coverage center; the video was “jumpy” and pixelating.
and capacity if needed. AT&T-FirstNet has also Because the drones were being used for
supplied FirstNet Ready mobile devices to public a public safety purpose, the GWCC received
safety personnel. authorization to install FirstNet SIM cards in
For example, in advance of Super Bowl LIV in the drones. Once these devices were connected
February 2020 in Miami, AT&T-FirstNet deployed to the FirstNet network, Mr. Shepard said the
Band 14 across the area and staged three SatCOLTs video images from the drones remained stable
outside Hard Rock Stadium, where the game was and clear throughout the event.
played. To address any communications issues that • MANAGING STRIKE TEAMS: The security plan called
might arise, technical staff from AT&T-FirstNet for 10 strike teams to be deployed throughout
were stationed in various command posts in the the Super Bowl event. These teams included a
week leading up to and during the game. Canine and Bomb Detection officer, an explo-
sive ordnance technician, a National Guard

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD How FirstNet Supports Disaster Response and Major Events 35
representative, and others. Each strike team temporary hospitals established onboard two
was given a FirstNet device for both communi- U.S. Navy medical ships.
cations and tracking. The location-based system • In northern California, a FirstNet COW (cell
on the FirstNet devices allowed the command on wheels) was deployed to a medical center to
center to keep track of where the strike teams provide additional communications capacity
were located. And if something happened, and help keep critical-care physicians, ER
commanders would know which teams could nurses, and other staff (including remote
respond fastest based on their location. workers) connected.
• TAKING FULL ADVANTAGE OF EXISTING HARDWARE: • As the pandemic spread among the Navajo
FirstNet supported other video capabilities. For Nation, FirstNet deployables were sent to loca-
example, officials were able to take feeds from tions in Arizona and New Mexico to resolve
some of the fixed video cameras that are perma- connectivity and communications issues among
nently installed throughout downtown Atlanta first responders in remote areas.
and push those images out to the strike teams
and others equipped with FirstNet phones. • At a COVID testing location in Conyers, GA
In the event of a critical incident, the video where officials were conducting 1,200 tests
feeds would provide clear, real-time situational a day, a FirstNet SatCOLT was brought in to
awareness. enhance data and voice communications.

“The camera feeds were perfectly clear – no In some areas, FirstNet-connected devices and
pixelation, no delay. Without FirstNet, you’d see apps were used for COVID testing, treatment, and
someone walking across the entrance of the cross- contact tracing. For example, jurisdictions in New
walk, then a blip, and they’d be on the other side of York State used FirstNet and RumbleUp, a peer-
the street. With FirstNet, we were able to monitor to-peer texting app, to trace COVID infections.
the activity throughout that zone,” Mr. Shepard In Massachusetts, Baystate Medical Center and
said. American Medical Response used FirstNet and the
AT&T-FirstNet had staged a SatCOLT near the e-Bridge telemedicine app to help process a surge
Mercedes-Benz Stadium, but it was never acti- in patients.
vated. The existing network provided sufficient In Alexandria, VA, FirstNet allowed some
coverage and capacity throughout the event. personnel in the emergency communications
center to work remotely, so that the call-takers
and dispatchers who were working in the physical
COVID-19 Pandemic Response center could socially distance and follow other
The COVID-19 pandemic has increased the COVID-safety procedures. The city already had
communications needs of public health and public CommandPost kits – consisting of a phone,
safety personnel. FirstNet was called upon to headset, laptop, mobile router, and second
support patient transports in COVID hot spots, monitor, all housed in a ruggedized case – that
mass testing and vaccination sites, and the needs telecommunicators could set up at their homes.
of emergency operations and 911 dispatch centers. To provide reliable and secure connections,
Early in the pandemic, FirstNet deployables Alexandria established FirstNet hot spots to
were used to boost coverage and capacity in connect their remote workers. This allowed staff
several areas where COVID cases were surging. For to access any open “position” in the emergency
example: communications center and operate with full func-
tionality, as if they were physically located at the
• FirstNet deployables were sent to ports in New center. Initially, the remote workers answered only
York City and Los Angeles to ensure interoper- non-emergency calls, but after a month, they began
able connectivity among military personnel, receiving and dispatching 911 calls as well.
nurses and physicians, and first responders at

36 How FirstNet Supports Disaster Response and Major Events FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD
HOW FIRSTNET AND MOBILE DATA TECHNOLOGY
ARE HELPING AGENCIES TO BECOME
MORE EFFICIENT AND EFFECTIVE

FirstNet offers protection for times when In examining how different public safety agen-
networks are under significant or potentially crip- cies improved their operations through FirstNet,
pling pressures. Fortunately, such extreme circum- PERF found they generally followed a three-stage
stances are relatively rare. Most of the time, public process:
safety agencies rely on access to mobile data to
support their everyday operations. 1 Gather information and assess current opera-
To get the full benefits of FirstNet, agencies tions.
should do more than just sign up and begin using
2 Identify opportunities for operational improve-
the network. Greater benefits can be realized if
ments.
agencies are more strategic and consider how high-
speed and reliable mobile data access can improve 3 Implement a revised concept of operations.
their operations and make their agencies more
efficient. Working through these steps will do more than
As part of this project, PERF examined how prepare a public safety agency to take advantage
agencies were using FirstNet to increase their of FirstNet. It will also prime those agencies to
operational efficiency and effectiveness. consider ways that mobile data technologies can
enhance their day-to-day operations.

“All of this is not just about changing your

broadband carrier or getting a different cell
phone plan. The question is, ‘How do we
use all these data streams to obtain more
actionable information?’ ”
— Information Services Manager
Maximilian Pop
Richmond (VA) Police Department

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD How FirstNet and Mobile Data Technology Are Helping Agencies to Become More Efficient and Effective 37
1. Gather Information and As mobile devices become more powerful and
more types of devices become available, it is likely
Assess Current Operations that public safety agencies will equip more of their
Determining FirstNet’s local coverage and perfor- front-line personnel with smartphones. Among
mance is a critical first step for any agency deciding agencies that told PERF they do not currently issue
on a mobile broadband carrier and looking to smartphones to all their staff, many mentioned
improve its operations. As detailed in pages 24-31, that they were planning or in the process of issuing
PERF developed a straightforward protocol that tablets instead.
agencies can use to test coverage and performance
in their jurisdictions. It is essential that these tests How many staff use their personal devices
be conducted from the perspective of the user. That for official work business?
is, agencies need to replicate as closely as possible Where members of an agency are not equipped
the circumstances under which police officers, fire- with official department-provided devices, it is
fighters, EMS technicians, and other public safety common for many of them to rely on their own
personnel would access data in the field, using the personal devices to assist them in their official
same types of devices they are currently equipped work (see Figure 6).
with. Allowing personnel to use their personal
In addition to assessing the functionality of devices for work-related activities can create signif-
the network itself, agencies need to understand icant efficiencies but also some problems. Public
how they are currently using mobile data and how safety agencies have less control when employees
they plan to use it in the future. As part of this are using their personal devices, and managing
analysis, agency decision-makers need to answer security and preventing the spread of computer
three key questions: viruses and malware become more difficult.
• Who has mobile devices? Mixing an officer’s personal information and
communications with work-related information
• What kinds of mobile devices do personnel
have?
• Are the devices compatible with FirstNet? Figure 5. Who is issued a work-provided
Who is issued a mobile device? smartphone in your agency?
As smartphones and other mobile devices have Everyone No one
proliferated in recent years, many public safety
agencies now issue devices to at least some of their Some, but not all We subsidize personal
members. However, this practice is not universal phones for use at work
or consistent across all agencies, and there is wide
7%
variation in who has a work-provided mobile 5%
device. PERF’s research found that some agencies
issue smartphones to all their sworn personnel, 27%
while others reserve agency-issued devices mostly
for command staff members, supervisors, detec-
tives, and personnel in other specialized assign-
ments (see Figure 5).
The data in Figures 5, 6, and 7 are based on
61%
responses to questionnaires that PERF sent out in
advance of the two regional meetings in Atlanta
and San Jose. There were a total of 71 responses,
although not every respondent answered every
question.

38 How FirstNet and Mobile Data Technology Are Helping Agencies to Become More Efficient and Effective FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD
on a single smartphone or other device can cause What kinds of mobile devices
other problems. For example, news media or others do personnel have?
may make Freedom of Information Act (FOIA)
In assessing their broadband capabilities and goals,
requests for video footage or other information
public safety agencies also need to catalog what
about an incident, and officers’ personal informa-
kinds of mobile devices they have. As noted earlier,
tion may be compromised if they are forced to
smartphones are the most commonly used mobile
turn over their devices to investigators or public
devices in public safety, and agencies seem to have
information officers. Several public safety officials
a mix of Android and Apple devices. However, as
told PERF that as soon as officers have to turn over
TeleHealth, situational awareness, and other video-
their phones for a FOIA inquiry, they no longer
based applications become more common, it is
want to use their phones for job-related tasks.
likely that agencies will begin incorporating more
Understanding how many people are likely
tablets and laptops into their operations. And, of
to use their personal devices for work activities is
course, the use of drones, license plate readers,
especially important for FirstNet. In addition to
body-worn cameras, and other specialized technol-
contracting with public safety agencies to provide
ogies that can be connected to the Internet is likely
mobile data services, FirstNet offers subscrip-
to grow significantly in the future.
tion service to individual employees and auxiliary
In determining how a mobile broadband
personnel of public safety agencies, even if their
network can improve their operations, public
agencies are not FirstNet customers (see page 22).
safety agencies need to consider both the mobile
As a result, individual first responders may have
devices they are using today and the devices they
FirstNet devices and access to the network even if
hope to utilize in the future.
their agency has not signed up (see Figure 7).

Figure 6. How likely are members of your organization to Figure 7. How many of your agency staff have
use their personal smartphones for official work? FirstNet on their personal devices?

60% 35%
52% 30%
50% 30%
26%
25%
40%
19%
20%
30%
15%
15%
11%
20%
15% 10%
11% 11%
10% 5%
4% 4%

0% 0%
Very Somewhat Neither Somewhat Very It Is Not Many Some Few None Not Sure
Likely Likely Likely Nor Unlikely Unikely Allowed
Unlikely

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD How FirstNet and Mobile Data Technology Are Helping Agencies to Become More Efficient and Effective 39
Are the devices compatible with FirstNet? The process of integrating a new information
technology system can sometimes prompt agencies
As detailed on page 17, for agencies to take full
to re-examine procedures that have accumulated
advantage of FirstNet, their mobile devices must
over the years and become “the way things are
be able to receive and transmit voice and data
done,” even if those approaches are inefficient or
through the dedicated FirstNet core. As of August
no longer serve their intended purpose. Agencies
2021, there were approximately 300 types or
have found that implementing a new technology
models of devices that have been certified as either
can help them rethink and improve operational
FirstNet Ready or FirstNet Capable, and that list is
procedures.
growing.
As agencies think about moving to FirstNet,
they need to consider whether their current 3. Implement a Revised Concept
devices are compatible with FirstNet and, if they
are not, what the costs of replacing devices may be.
of Operations
Some officials told PERF that if an agency is due Once an agency has identified what mobile devices
for updating its devices, that can be a good time to it has and will need, and after it has identified
consider possible changes to their network too. opportunities for operational improvements, the
next step is implementation.
PERF’s research found that when agencies
2. Identify Opportunities transition to FirstNet, they often need to replace
for Operational Improvements at least some of their existing mobile devices. And
if an agency has decided to change aspects of its
Once an agency has developed an understanding of
operations to make better use of mobile data, this
which employees are using what kinds of devices,
will also require some transitions.
the agency can begin to consider different and
PERF found there are three basic approaches
more effective ways of incorporating mobile data
agencies to making this transition:
into their operations. Key factors to consider
are how the devices are used, under what types 1 Simultaneous use of the old and new
of circumstances, and what they are intended to approaches
accomplish.
In emergency situations, understanding 2 Gradual transition from old to new approaches
which users have the greatest need for mobile
data access and at what priority level is important 3 All-at-once transition to new approaches.
for improving emergency response. The ideas and PERF examined how a number of agencies
experiences of other public safety agencies can be went about implementing FirstNet, and collected
a valuable resource for finding ways to improve information and advice from public safety officials
agency operations during both emergencies and who have used these three approaches.
everyday work. Agencies also should look inter-
nally, especially to personnel who understand Simultaneous use of old and new approaches
current operations and how technology can help
Several agencies reported that, at least in their
improve them.
initial transition to FirstNet, they were currently
running dual networks simultaneously. This
“Today’s public safety employees understand
approach provides greater redundancy and
technology. So bring them into the room at
resiliency.
the beginning of the process. Don’t wait to tell
This is especially true in areas where one
them about it until after you have made all the
service option may not be clearly superior to
decisions, or you will fail.”
another. For example, at the time of PERF’s
— Assistant Chief Mike Baltrotsky Western Regional meeting, the San Bernardino
Montgomery County (MD) Fire and Rescue County, CA Sheriff’s Office reported that while
Service

40 How FirstNet and Mobile Data Technology Are Helping Agencies to Become More Efficient and Effective FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD
FirstNet coverage was good in the urban parts of “Members of a fire department can be
the 20,000-square-mile county, coverage in desert skeptical about new technology, and that
locations was spotty. That prompted the Sheriff’s skepticism is good. You want to be ‘leading
Office to operate on two networks, to help ensure edge,’ not ‘bleeding edge.’ Our jurisdiction
coverage and provide greater redundancy. covers seven different cities, and is very diverse
Some agencies have managed to deploy “dual- geographically with urban and rural areas. So
SIM” options that allow a single smartphone we took a step-in approach, knowing that it’s
or other mobile device to easily toggle between going to be several years before we are fully on
FirstNet and another carrier’s network. Others FirstNet. We started with our support staff – our
have achieved a degree of redundancy by providing deputy fire marshals. They’re out in the field, and
staff with department-issued devices that run on they’ll be actively testing coverage every day.
one carrier while many have a different carrier on If they drop a call, it’s not mission-critical. We
their personal device. have been very methodical moving into this and
While this approach provides benefits of looking at how this will impact the organization.
redundant coverage, it often carries the greater “Second to that, as a chief, you’re always
expense of additional devices and multiple service fighting budget issues, and this was a significant
plans. Additionally, simultaneously maintaining budget concern. We have about 400-500 devices
an old and a new approach to operations can create throughout the organization. It’s a pretty big
complications and confusion for agencies that are number for us.
trying to implement operational changes. “We also are a large participant in the state
mutual aid system. We have our own Type-3
Gradual transition from old to new approaches strike team that we send all over the state of
Outfitting large numbers of personnel with mobile California. I know that members of that team
devices can be expensive, especially in larger and our battalion chiefs are going to be carrying
agencies and those that provide most or all their devices from multiple providers for quite some
time. I have to think globally, not just locally.”
members with devices. In our research, PERF heard
from numerous agencies that were considering — Chief Anthony Bowden
changes to their mobile data approaches based on Santa Clara County (CA) Fire Department
the scheduled replacement dates for their devices
or the expiration of their existing service contracts. All-at-once transition
These milestones provided a natural opportunity to
consider changes in service while upgrading their For agencies that have access to FirstNet coverage
devices. Some agencies reported having a two-year and do not have an existing mobile broadband plan
replacement cycle for smartphones, a five-year or much digital infrastructure, there can be signifi-
cycle for mobile data terminals, and contracts of cant benefits to making a complete transition to
one or more years with service providers. FirstNet all at once. This was the case for the police
At PERF’s Western Regional meeting, Chief department in Signal Mountain, TN.
Anthony Bowden of the Santa Clara County, Signal Mountain is a community of approxi-
CA Fire Department described how his agency mately 8,500 people north of Chattanooga. Until
has gone about the transition to FirstNet. His 2018, the town’s 15-officer police department
department started rolling out FirstNet devices relied entirely on manual processes for collecting
to support staff first, and then to mission-critical and reporting data.
staff. This approach also allowed the agency to “When I took over, we were basically in the
spread the cost over several budget cycles. 1970s. Everything was still hand-written. There
was literally no technology. We had no RMS
(Records Management System), no computers in
our patrol cars, and very little internet accessibility
for officers to use,” Chief Mike Williams said at
PERF’s Southeast Regional meeting.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD How FirstNet and Mobile Data Technology Are Helping Agencies to Become More Efficient and Effective 41
Chief Williams previously served as Deputy can’t do that – it won’t work.” But once the depart-
Chief of Operations responsible for technology ment completed its research and developed its
in the Chattanooga Police Department, which plan, Chief Williams decided to effectively build the
has more than 500 officers. So he understood the Police Department’s own technology platform.
opportunities and the challenges presented by
new technology. And he had an officer in Signal
Mountain, Troy Kennedy, who was well-versed in How Agencies Are Improving
technology and adept at research. Their Operations
A priority for Chief Williams and Officer
PERF’s research uncovered ways in which access to
Kennedy was to ensure that their technology
mobile data has helped public safety agencies make
adoption was seamless and that all systems worked
operational improvements, both for responding
together. “Coming from a bigger department, I
to emergencies and in their day-to-day activities.
learned to start by making everything work from
Following are some examples.
the beginning,” Chief Williams said. “None of the
systems talked to each other in our big depart- Brazos County, TX: Virtual roll calls keep
ment. We were constantly having to buy interfaces deputies in the community
and pay for software so the different parts of our
technology could work with each other.” An early adopter of FirstNet, the Brazos County,
Officer Kennedy conducted almost two years of TX Sheriff’s Office (BCSO) has used the network
research before Chief Williams began implementa- to support a variety of video applications. One
tion. In 2018, Signal Mountain became the first of them is the “virtual roll call,” an approach
community in Tennessee to subscribe to FirstNet. that allows deputies to meet and share informa-
The Police Department used this as an opportunity tion before their shifts while remaining in the
to transform how it uses technology to perform community.
many of its functions. All 12 of the department’s As in most agencies, BCSO deputies in the past
patrol vehicles are equipped with mobile tablets traveled to agency headquarters for briefings at
connected to FirstNet, and except for issuing traffic the start of their shift, and then drove out to their
citations, all processes are now paperless. assigned patrol zones after roll call. Given the size
The Department’s plans for technological of Brazos County – nearly 600 square miles – that
growth outpaced the rest of the local government process was time-consuming and kept deputies
in Signal Mountain. Chief Williams said that the away from the community. With virtual roll calls,
town’s IT Department regularly told him, “No, we deputies drive directly to their patrol areas at the

“We were the first agency in Tennessee to sign on with FirstNet as the hub for
all our communications. All the cars have in-car computers, and we all have
body cameras. We instituted it the same time as our Records Management
System, so the officers are doing reports in the cars now and are sending them
back to our RMS. We are also up and running with our Mobile CAD dispatched
through the Hamilton County 9-1-1 center.
“It’s just been amazing how seamlessly everything has worked, and it
wasn’t that expensive. Of course, we only have 12 marked patrol cars, but for a
small agency, obviously the budget’s small as well.
“We also have a lot of ideas we can expand on. One is to integrate the
body cameras with FirstNet and to stream video from our schools and some of
our businesses.”
— Chief Mike Williams
Signal Mountain (TN) Police Department

42 How FirstNet and Mobile Data Technology Are Helping Agencies to Become More Efficient and Effective FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD
“People like to see police cars in their
neighborhoods. It’s great that the deputies
can sit in a neighborhood in their patrol
zone and basically go to the shift briefing,
without having to physically go to the
office.”
— Sergeant Josh Hearen
Brazos County (TX) Sheriff’s Office

beginning of their shift, park in a safe location, VOICE-TO-TEXT REPORTS: Mesa Police are also
launch the videoconferencing feature on their investigating other efficiencies that save time
tablets, and participate in the daily briefing. Then, and improve accuracy. For example, voice-to-text
throughout their shifts, deputies use the same functions will make it easier for officers to dictate
technology to participate in other meetings or reports and transfer them automatically to the
impromptu briefings, while still remaining in their RMS. Under the old system, officers responding to
patrol zones. traffic accidents frequently had to enter the same
This approach not only saves time and fuel information multiple times, which took time and
previously spent in transit to and from head- increased the chances of errors.
quarters; it also allows for effective information-
sharing. Deputies can upload live feeds from their CRIME SCENE PHOTOS: The department is also
in-vehicle cameras and share documents with phasing out point-and-shoot cameras that officers
colleagues over the network. For planned briefings, previously used to document minor crimes. This
supervisors can preload information that the depu- system required officers to go into the station at
ties will need during their shifts, including recent the end of their shift and upload the images from
crime trends, scheduled home checks, and other the cameras to the evidence management system.
assignments. With their FirstNet phones, officers can take the
images and immediately upload them in the field.
Mesa, AZ: Capturing and uploading information
more efficiently and accurately Santa Clara County, CA: Giving firefighters
situational awareness
The Mesa, AZ Police Department recently imple-
mented a new Records Management System (RMS) For firefighters battling a wildfire or a large struc-
that includes mobile applications for patrol officers ture fire, real-time situational awareness is critical.
to use on their FirstNet smartphones. These func- Responding units need to know where to go – and
tions are making data collection during traffic sometimes where not to go – when they arrive on
stops faster and more accurate. scene.
In the past, the Santa Clara County, CA Fire
SCANNING DRIVERS’ LICENSES AND REGISTRATION Department relied largely on radio communica-
INFORMATION: In the past, officers had to manually tions to coordinate units responding to a large fire.
key information from motorists’ driver’s licenses Today, the department is using iPads connected to
and registration cards into the RMS. With their FirstNet to share up-to-the-minute, easy-to-under-
FirstNet smartphones, offices can now scan those stand geographic information among responding
documents, which are instantaneously uploaded units.
to the RMS. The system also gives officers the Here is how the system works: The first inci-
flexibility to run inquiries directly from their dent commander to arrive pulls up a map of the
smartphones. location on an iPad. The commander can use his or

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD How FirstNet and Mobile Data Technology Are Helping Agencies to Become More Efficient and Effective 43
her finger to draw where the incident is, the loca- Duck, NC: Streamlining property checks
tion of command posts, and other relevant data, during the off-season
including suggested entry routes. That informa-
Duck is a tourist community on the Outer Banks
tion is automatically updated in the system and
of North Carolina. The town has fewer than 400
transmitted to the tablets of all units responding
permanent residents, but its population swells
to the scene. These GIS files can be large, so it is
during the summer months. Approximately 2,100
important that fire personnel have the bandwidth
of the town’s 2,500 homes are rental properties,
to share them.
and the police department, which has 11 officers,
conducts property checks on the rental homes
“The units coming in can get a real-time visual
throughout the off-season to look for burglaries,
perspective of what the scene looks like, rather
vandalism, or property damage. In the past, the
than trying to discern that over the radio. They
agency used a largely manual system for recording
can see where they’re going.”
which properties were checked and when. This led
— Chief Anthony Bowden to inaccuracies and redundancies.
Santa Clara County (CA) Fire Department The police department found a mobile app to
streamline the process. Officers can bring up a map
on their FirstNet smartphones that shows the loca-
tions of all properties, and when they have been
checked. The app uses a specific color to indicate
the properties that were checked in the current
week. This information is also sent to the depart-
ment’s CAD system.

44 How FirstNet and Mobile Data Technology Are Helping Agencies to Become More Efficient and Effective FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD
INNOVATIONS MADE POSSIBLE BY FIRSTNET
AND MOBILE DATA TECHNOLOGY

Once mobile data devices and applications are in The Sheriff’s Office had already been using an
the hands of public safety professionals, they often application developed by a local software company,
find creative and innovative ways to incorporate Callyo, to support its Internet Crimes against Chil-
them into their agency’s operations. As this project dren and Narcotics units. VCSO asked the company
revealed, these innovations not only allow agen- to discuss how they could utilize the app for
cies to make existing processes more effective and domestic security purposes. At the 2019 race, the
efficient; the technology can also enable agencies VCSO used the Callyo app on FirstNet devices to
to develop new approaches that were not possible enhance situational awareness among personnel.
before.
PERF’s research uncovered numerous examples “At our Tactical Command Post, I was able to
of innovations made possible by FirstNet and see where all my teams and all my undercover
mobile data technology. detectives were. I was able to push out
information to them and track them on the
map around the Speedway and see where
Volusia County, FL: Streaming Video everybody’s going.
to Improve Situational Awareness “I had a team respond to a suspicious
at the Daytona 500 package. I was able to have my detectives in the
crowd go live on the app and post it. Anybody
The Daytona 500 typically attracts 200,000
can go into this channel with the right password
NASCAR fans each February. For local law
from anywhere in the world. Our sheriff could be
enforcement – including the Volusia County
miles away from the Speedway and still watch
Sheriff’s Office (VCSO) and the Daytona Beach
each incident that we were working.
Police Department – the event is a massive secu-
“We were also able to bring feeds from
rity operation that involves other local, state, and
multiple cameras to our command post, which
federal partners. The Sheriff’s Office alone stages
also had ATF, FBI, and Department of Homeland
multiple bomb squads and places about 40 plain-
Security. All this information was being provided
clothes detectives into the crowds.
to us live. With the help of FirstNet, we were
Communications was always the biggest chal-
able to do all this because we had priority on
lenge that public safety agencies faced. Agencies
the network, even though there were 200,000
generally had to rely on voice communications –
people at the event.”
radios, cell phones, and push-to-talk – but these
communications channels were not always reliable — Lieutenant Kurt Schoeps
Volusia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office
or interoperable across agencies.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD Innovations Made Possible by FirstNet and Mobile Data Technology 45
LEFT TO RIGHT: Lt. Kurt Schoeps, Volusia County (FL) Sheriff’s Office and
Sheriff (ret.) Christopher Kirk, Brazos County (TX) Sheriff’s Office

Brazos County, TX: Using Public and

Private Camera Feeds to Provide
Real-Time Intelligence
As an early adopter of FirstNet, the Brazos
County, TX Sheriff’s Office has experimented with
numerous mobile broadband applications. With
the bandwidth provided by FirstNet, the agency
has focused extensively on making use of video.
For future races, the Sheriff’s Office is looking In addition to supporting “virtual roll calls” for
to incorporate drones and other feeds into its video its deputies (see page 42), the sheriff’s office has
network. worked on a drone project that allows video feeds
to be pushed not only to personnel in a command
center, but also to deputies in their squad cars.
Coweta County, GA: Using TeleHealth The agency is also looking to live-stream body-
to Provide On-Site Assessments worn camera video of deputies involved in critical
of Individuals in Crisis incidents. Both these applications allow supervi-
sory and command personnel to monitor and help
For public safety personnel who frequently encounter direct ongoing incidents, while providing other
individuals in a mental or behavioral health crisis, responding units with the situational awareness
being able to access expert mental health resources they need to approach dynamic incidents safely
can be critical to resolving these situations safely
and effectively.
and get the person the help they need.
One other video application the sheriff’s office
It’s impractical to expect doctors or other
is exploring is connecting video cameras from
professionals to be able to respond to locations in
schools and other public agencies, as well as from
the field where these encounters take place. But
private entities.
what if first responders could bring that expertise
to the field through a mobile data network?
That is what Coweta County, GA is doing with “With any place that has an IP (Internet Protocol)
its “Coweta Cares” program, which includes a Tele- camera system, public or private, we could
Health component geared toward persons in crisis. develop an MOU to access their camera feeds.
The program pairs a paramedic with a licensed That way, when deputies are responding to
clinician from a private care provider. Working alarm calls, a mass gathering, or anything, we’ll
in an unmarked SUV that purposefully doesn’t have a heads-up and be able to have a plan in
look like a public safety vehicle, the team makes place, with real-time intelligence.”
regular checks with behavioral health and stroke — Sheriff (ret.) Christopher Kirk
patients. The team also responds to calls for service Brazos County (TX) Sheriff’s Office
involving individuals in crisis.
The vehicle is equipped with a camera, monitor,
and keyboard. When the team encounters a person
in crisis, they can videotape the person’s actions Biloxi, MS: Allowing Supervisors to
or even conduct an interview, if the individual is Fine-Tune the Response to Fire Emergencies
stable enough. The live video is then transmitted
over the network to a doctor at the local hospital. The dispatch center in Biloxi, MS uses standard
The doctor can evaluate the person and advise protocols for determining how to code and assign
the Coweta Cares team on next steps, including a call requiring a fire response, based on the initial
possible placement in a treatment facility, if neces- information the center receives. These standard-
sary. Making these diagnoses remotely gives the ized procedures are helpful for ensuring a consis-
Coweta Cares team more options than taking the tent response to most alarms or other emergencies.
individual to the emergency room or having police
bring them to jail.

46 Innovations Made Possible by FirstNet and Mobile Data Technology FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD
But some incidents call for a more customized Duck, NC: Using License Plate Readers to
response than the one suggested by the protocol.
The Biloxi Fire Department is using tablets Help Manage Traffic and Fight Crime
connected to FirstNet to provide firefighters with Located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, the
more detailed information before they arrive on tourist town of Duck has one entry point from the
scene – sometimes before they even leave the north and one from the south, along State Highway
fire station. The system also allows supervisors 12. Knowing in real time how many vehicles are in
to monitor dispatches in real time and adjust the the town helps the police department to manage
response, if needed. routine traffic, and also to evacuate residents
At PERF’s Southeast Regional meeting, Biloxi during a hurricane or other natural disaster.
(MS) Fire Chief Joe Boney explained how the The police department has invested in auto-
network is empowering supervisors and improving mated license plate readers (ALPR) that are
the response to some calls: connected to FirstNet. “By connecting our ALPRs
to FirstNet, we’re able to know when every vehicle
“We have a dispatch app on our tablets. A lot of has entered and exited our town, in real-time,”
times, as the dispatcher is typing the information Police Chief John Cueto said at the PERF Southeast
in, the firefighters are seeing that information Regional meeting.
before they get the call over the radio. When The system is helpful on “changeover days” –
supervisors see the same information, they are the Saturdays and Sundays in the summer when
able to change the dispatch call. tourists who rent homes are leaving in the
“That’s really helpful when you have a lot of morning, and new tourists are arriving in the
standard responses for different kinds of alarms afternoon.
or emergencies. The supervisor can catch any The police department also relied on ALPRs
issues with the preset response and adjust it as to help evacuate people in advance of Hurricane
needed, often before the units even leave the Florence in 2018. The system allowed the police
station.” to know how many vehicles were still in the town
and needed to be evacuated as Florence advanced.
Chief Cueto said the ALPR system has also helped
Collier County, FL: Using Mobile Data his department solve a series of burglaries, recover
Technology to Access Trained Community stolen vehicles, and arrest suspected opioid
Help in a Medical Emergency traffickers.49
When someone suffers a heart attack, a near
drowning, or other life-threatening emergency,
getting medical attention as quickly as possible
is critical. But EMS resources are often stretched
thin. Collier County, FL has developed a way to use
mobile technology to tap into trained community
resources that can help.
The county is using an app that maps indi-
viduals in the community who are trained in CPR.
When a cardiac arrest or similar call is dispatched,
the app notifies community members near the
location of the incident. If they’re available, the
Fire Chief Joe Boney, Biloxi (MS)
trained citizens can respond and provide initial
CPR until first responders arrive.

49. Griffith, David. “More than Just License Plate Readers.” POLICE. October 7, 2020. https://www.policemag.com/577493/more-than-just-
license-plate-readers.

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD Innovations Made Possible by FirstNet and Mobile Data Technology 47
CONCLUSION:
FIRSTNET REMAINS A WORK IN PROGRESS

Public safety communications have come a long decide which mobile broadband network is best for
way since September 11, 2001, when communica- them.
tions failures hampered the response to an unprec- PERF’s research found that FirstNet is
edented terrorist attack on the United States. impacting operations in public safety agencies of
Thanks to the vision and persistence of a all sizes and types.
committed group of public safety professionals, • After implementing FirstNet, the 15-officer
the United States now has a Nationwide Public Signal Mountain, TN Police Department went
Safety Broadband Network dedicated to police, from all-manual operations to a robust, inte-
fire, and other first responders. Under a unique grated technology platform that allows officers
public-private partnership, that network is up and to access data and file reports while remaining
running, and expanding. Public safety agencies in the community.
are achieving operational efficiencies and creating
innovative ways of managing information. And the • Another small police department, in the tourist
public safety community is beginning to see what’s town of Duck, NC, is using FirstNet to support
possible with mobile data technology. the property checks that officers make during
This report documents the development and the off-season and improve traffic and emer-
implementation of FirstNet during the first three- gency management during the peak summer
plus years the network has been in operation. months.
Using in-person meetings, surveys and interviews, • The much larger Mesa, AZ Police Department
and ongoing monitoring of FirstNet developments, is relying on FirstNet to automate and improve
PERF researchers have identified key issues facing the collection of drivers’ information during
public safety agencies as they consider adoption traffic stops and to streamline the collection
of FirstNet. This report also catalogues numerous of photo evidence at the scenes of crimes and
efficiencies and innovations that agencies have traffic crashes.
achieved through the use of FirstNet and mobile
• With the increased bandwidth and priority
broadband technology.
access that come with FirstNet, the Brazos
In addition, the report presents a testing
County, TX Sheriff’s Office is implementing a
protocol that public safety agencies can use to
number of video-based applications, including
measure the coverage, performance, and reliability
“virtual rolls calls” and other meetings that
of different mobile broadband networks, including
allow deputies to remain in the community.
FirstNet. Having an easy-to-use and accurate
The video-sharing technology also provides
testing regimen is critically important as agencies

48 Conclusion: FirstNet Remains a Work in Progress FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD

real-time situational awareness, as in-car using video to enhance situational awareness and
camera footage is fed to a command center or to improve the safety of their personnel. A growing
other deputies responding to an incident. number of mobile apps are being designed specifi-
• FirstNet is also supporting innovations in cally to make the jobs of first responders easier,
firefighting. The Santa Clara County, CA more effective, and safer.
Fire Department is using iPads connected This process will accelerate in the future
to FirstNet to allow the first commander on as more types of mobile devices are connected
the scene of an incident to pull up a map of to FirstNet, including drones, wearable sensor
the area, add important details such as the technology, Internet of Things (IoT) solutions,
command post location and entry and egress artificial intelligence-based systems, and more.
routes, and instantly push that information to The continued development of NextGeneration
all other responding units. 911 systems will also increase the amount of data
(especially video and photos) coming into emer-
• Emergency medical services agencies are using gency communications centers and, in turn, being
FirstNet to support applications such as Tele- pushed out to police officers, firefighters, EMS
Health and the real-time sharing of information personnel, and other first responders.
about patients with hospital and doctors. FirstNet remains a work in progress. Over the
• Jurisdictions that are called upon to manage past three years, there have been implementation
major incidents – both planned events like and operational challenges, and there will likely
sports championship games and unplanned be more in the future, especially as severe weather
incidents such as hurricanes – are relying on events and other natural disasters make it chal-
FirstNet assets to improve their response. Many lenging to maintain network communications
have used FirstNet’s fleet of “deployables” – under unusual and adverse conditions.
land-based and aerial temporary cell sites – to As FirstNet continues to evolve, it will be
provide coverage and capacity when networks crucial for public safety agencies to stay on top
are overloaded, damaged, or in remote areas, of new developments in mobile broadband tech-
nonexistent. nology. By continually learning from one another
and applying new technologies with efficiency and
While this report covers a lot of ground imagination, public safety agencies of all types can
regarding the implementation of FirstNet, it repre- help keep their communities safe and be better
sents only a snapshot in time. New applications prepared for the next major threat or catastrophe.
of mobile data technology are emerging rapidly.
For example, agencies are finding new ways of

FIRSTNET IN THE FIELD Conclusion: FirstNet Remains a Work in Progress 49

Police Executive Research Forum
1120 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 930
Washington, DC 20036
202-466-7820
www.PoliceForum.org

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