Parts of FirstNet May Go Live in 2018, Kennedy Tells Congress

“Parts of the network will be up in 2018,” Kennedy told lawmakers, saying the network will continue to be deployed on a regular basis for the years after that. “We believe the overall network will continue to grow after that.” He said the network won't be “static.”

"It's very hard without putting caveats on this," Kennedy told reporters after the hearing on the five-year deployment plan. "It's a five-year deployment. There's a difference between something going on the air and all of the areas being on the air -- they're going to take different times." There will be "additional deployment" beyond the five years, Kennedy said. "Look at states -- they're all different sizes."

House Communications Subcommittee Chairman Greg Walden, R-Ore., noted early on during the hearing that FirstNet Chairwoman Sue Swenson had assured the Senate Commerce Committee during a March hearing that FirstNet would be releasing that request for proposal (RFP) by year end (see 1503110045) but Walden worried that “it sounds like a lot of stakeholders have a lot of questions” on the draft RFP out now. “Currently we’re still holding onto that date” of year’s end, Kennedy affirmed, saying the officials are responding to questions on an ongoing basis. “We’re promising the end of December of 2015 is our current timeline for the final RFP,” Kennedy told us after the hearing.

Walden and subcommittee ranking member Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., pressed Kennedy on the Commerce Inspector General audit announced earlier this month, which will focus on FirstNet’s effectiveness in addressing federal agency challenges on the development and planned operation of the network (see 1506080033). Walden said lawmakers’ “antenna always goes up” when they hear of IG inquiries. There’s “nothing out of the ordinary” about latest IG announcement, Kennedy said, calling the process part of the “normal routine” as the FirstNet officials go forward. Kennedy told Eshoo he’s not aware of anything in particular that prompted the review.

House Commerce Committee ranking member Frank Pallone, D-N.J., mentioned JerseyNet, one of the five Early Builder projects. “I’m disappointed that [New Jersey] Governor [Chris] Christie refused to permit JerseyNet to testify today,” Pallone said in a written statement. “The project is one of the Governor’s few successes and this Committee would have benefitted from hearing firsthand about their deployment.” The Democratic memo had included New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness Public Safety Broadband Program Manager Fred Scalera as an invited witness but he didn't testify. Scalera told us there was too little notice of the hearing and he hadn't received travel approval. Pallone also asked Kennedy about the project during the hearing, prompting Kennedy to cite its “terrific progress” and potential to offer FirstNet lessons “of an operational flavor” by fall.

“I don’t want to be a fly in the ointment,” Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., said, citing his concerns with the funding required in a FirstNet buildout. “The commercial side spends $20 [billion] yearly to keep up to date. Aren’t you a little concerned?”

Congress conjured a “very unique model that is doable,” Kennedy countered. FirstNet was allocated $7 billion, which it's expected to receive from FCC AWS-3 spectrum auction revenue, but it will also have money from leveraging the spectrum through leasing -- an “absolutely critical” component -- and network user fees, Kennedy said.

Lawmakers focused questions on which users will be eligible for FirstNet, the state role in determining that and the network's security. “We’re not reinventing the wheel, we’re leveraging a lot of the best practices in place both in the private sector and government today,” Kennedy said of the network’s cybersecurity focus. Rep. Yvette Clarke, D-N.Y., asked whether FirstNet would mean “putting those systems aside” that public safety is already using. “That integration will leverage those investments that have already been made,” Kennedy said, suggesting land mobile radio and FirstNet will be “complementary” and that FirstNet will offer a “richness of applications.” Rep. Bill Johnson, R-Ohio, pressed Kennedy on the timeline for when governors would have to opt in or out of the network. “The anticipated timeline would be late in 2016 or early in 2017,” when governors are presented with a state plan, Kennedy said. “It is that state plan that is that document that will provide the ability to make an informed decision.” FirstNet is still determining what users may be joining the system and the state role in determining that, Kennedy said.

“Kennedy has been pretty transparent,” Ohio Chief Information Officer Stu Davis, the other witness, told the subcommittee. “Right now, everything seems to be rolling along pretty well.” Governors’ offices should be in contact about the network with people like Davis, Kennedy said. “The more you can minimize overbuild or eliminate it altogether, the better,” said Walden, who credited the improvements of FirstNet operations.

NTCA worries after reviewing the draft RFP, it told the subcommittee in a recent letter: "Unfortunately, given the initial acquisition process as outlined in the Special Notice and draft RFP, rural service providers remain concerned about FirstNet’s approach to rural and remote areas of the country. Rural first responders have important communications needs, and they cannot be left behind their urban counterparts. At the same time, FirstNet should not undermine existing rural networks as it looks to develop the parameters which will guide its network partnerships."