FirstNet and AT&T moving forward with IoT, smart city offerings

Following news that all of the nation’s states have opted in to FirstNet’s public-safety network, executives at FirstNet and AT&T are now moving forward with their network buildout plans. But, as FirstNet officials have pointed out, FirstNet is more than just a network. “FirstNet will not only solve today’s communications challenges, but it will create a new, public safety-focused marketplace that offers innovative, life-saving technologies that will help first responders do their jobs safely and more effectively, as well as connect them to the internet of things and smart cities infrastructure, as needed,” wrote FirstNet’s CEO Mike Poth. FirstNet advisor Bill Schrier provided additional details on FirstNet’s IoT and smart city efforts, explaining that FirstNet’s application ecosystem is intended to allow third-party developers to create a range of IoT services for police, firefighters and other first responders. Importantly, he said that FirstNet’s contract with AT&T calls for the company to deliver a portfolio of IoT devices by March, gadgets that could be used by police, firefighters and others to create monitoring and tracking systems, for example. A FirstNet representative couldn’t immediately provide details on the carrier’s FirstNet IoT device portfolio. Schrier pointed out that cities today are investing in a range of IoT-style technologies, from traffic cameras to connected lighting. “All of this has the potential for public safety use,” he said.