Pilot project in central Minnesota strives to set model for FirstNet

One of the big concerns about the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) is not only how a nationwide broadband network for public safety will be created but how it will be sustained with funding. A group in central Minnesota hopes to show that cooperation between the private and public sectors can work to support public safety. The pilot project involves the State of Minnesota, Great River Energy, Motorola, NewCore Wireless, Central Transport Group, the City of Elk River, Tessco and CommScope. Private-sector partners donated equipment, tower space, technical services and carrier services at no cost to the government.

"Our project reached out into the private sector, so we wanted to be able to demonstrate that if the FirstNet network is to be built and operated, there will have to be a financial budget put in place that allows that system to operate, and by just putting public safety devices on that network, it's going to be hard to generate enough revenue to pay for capital and operating expenses," explained Albert Kangas, GM and COO of NewCore Wireless. One of the ideas for supporting FirstNet involves the private sector purchasing bandwidth on the network, but those users would be pre-empted by first responders when they need it. "So it's finding that private sector use that fits in with the mission of FirstNet," as well as being able to fund the project.