NTIA Cautions Against Early Public Safety LTE Deployments

Officials for the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) recently asked jurisdictions with plans to deploy public-safety LTE systems during the next year to stop their work to ensure that money is not wasted on equipment that will not integrate into the nationwide broadband network.

Communicated during individual meetings with 700 MHz broadband waiver recipients and during group calls with relevant stakeholders, this request is an attempt by NTIA to have any money spent on LTE deployments fit into the nationwide-network design. That design will be created by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), which may not exist until Aug. 22. “Essentially, NTIA is recommending that BTOP jurisdictions hold off on the purchase of LTE equipment,” said Bill Schrier, chairman of the Operator Advisory Committee — a group of jurisdictions that have received waivers to utilize public-safety broadband spectrum in the 700 MHz band. “This is a reversal of NTIA’s previous advice.”