FirstNet Opt Out: With Accusations Flying, AT&T and FirstNet Respond

As roughly half of US states consider a FirstNet opt out or opt in decision, considerable confusion has arisen about states’ options – confusion resulting, some say, from pressure tactics applied by FirstNet, the government entity created to administer the nationwide mobile broadband public safety network that carries the same name.

Concerns also have arisen about whether AT&T will build out the spectrum leased to the company to support FirstNet to the extent that many anticipated. Meanwhile, Verizon is advising individual public safety entities that they can continue to use their current communications provider, even if their state chooses AT&T to build the public safety network in that state, raising questions about whether public safety users choosing that option would be able to interoperate with FirstNet users.