Emergency Communications

The Missouri Department of Economic Development (DED) awarded a total of more than $7.9 million through the second round of the Cell Towers Grant Program. Grants will be awarded to 14 projects to construct new towers that provide quality cellular service and greater 911 connectivity to high-cost areas.

“The initial build of the FirstNet network was done on time, on budget and on task.” With those words, the First Responder Network Authority Board Chair Chief Richard Carrizzo confirmed and validated the successful completion of the initial 5-year buildout of FirstNet, America’s public safety broadband network. The journey to this moment has been remarkable—it started with the development of custom FirstNet state plans for all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and the 5 US territories. Through our public-private partnership, and close collaboration with the public safety community across

Israel told Elon Musk his Starlink satellite network will only be allowed to operate in Gaza with Israel's approval, as the entrepreneur met the country’s leaders amid a furore over alleged antisemitism on his social platform X. Musk declared in late October 2023 that his satellite internet service Starlink would “support connectivity to internationally recognised aid organisations in Gaza”, which has suffered lengthy blackouts under Israel’s bombardment.

The Coalition for Emergency Response and Critical Infrastructure (CERCI) wants to keep the 4.9 Gigahertz (GHz) spectrum under the control of public safety and critical infrastructure industry users and out of the hands of FirstNet, whose 700 Megahertz network is run by AT&T. T-Mobile, Verizon and UScellular are among the founding members of the CERCI, along with the Competitive Carriers Association, National Sheriffs Association, Major Cities Chiefs Association, and Edison Electric Institute.

The United States is no stranger to wildfires. These fires can ignite utility poles, melt aerial fiber optic cables, obscure wireless signals, or damage transmitting or receiving equipment. This kind of damage can cut homes off from key public safety resources, and prevent calls for help in the most dire situations. As states now know their share of the $42.5 billion Broadband, Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program, they should begin planning new network deployments and upgrades to withstand increasingly severe natural disasters.

Here’s everything we have on deck for our November Open Meeting.

The Federal Communications Commission's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau seeks to partner with any entities that have a solution for delivering Wireless Emergency Alerts to mobile devices that are not connected to functioning cell towers. The Bureau asked interested parties to submit detailed information about their solution, including whether it would work with mobile devices currently in use by consumers, how to address any issues with delivering geographically targeted alerts, and how best testing should be conducted.

While the proposal I made to restore net neutrality will certainly garner the most attention, the Federal Communications Commission's October agenda features many other actions to promote digital equity and support broadband-powered innovation:

Today, there is no expert agency ensuring that the internet is fast, open, and fair. Since the birth of the modern internet, the Federal Communications Commission had played that role. It makes sense. These are principles that have deep origins in communications law and history. After all, back in the era when communications meant telephony, every call went through, and your phone company could not cut off your call or edit the content of your conversation.

Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo appointed Sean McDevitt, a partner with international management consulting firm Arthur D. Little (ADL), to serve on the Board of the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority). McDevitt has been a member of ADL’s telecommunications, internet, technology and private equity practice areas since 2017. He brings 30 years of private sector experience specializing in business development, business expansion, leadership, account management, and client project delivery for telecommunications and technology sectors.