Technology Talk: New Technology and Funding Opportunities

For many years, public safety’s use of radio spectra within the United States existed in disparate bands allocated by the Federal Communications Commission and the National Telecommunications Information Administration (NTIA). This caused various communication problems for public safety entities, and one of the key findings of the 9/11 Commission was the need for the creation of a National Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN). Thus, for many years following 9/11, various police, fire, and EMS organizations came together to promote the benefits of a stand-alone, dedicated public safety broadband network with the necessary continuous spectrum. After years of negotiation, the U.S. Congress finally gave public safety the dedicated spectrum the field needed by establishing the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) to provide U.S. emergency responders with the first nationwide, broadband network dedicated to public safety.