RESTON, Va., Aug. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Kansas is transforming public safety
communications by opting in to FirstNet. Today, Governor
Sam Brownback announced his decision
to accept the FirstNet and AT&T* plan to deliver a
wireless broadband network to the state's public safety community.
This will make Kansas the
14th state or territory to bring advanced technologies
that will help first responders save lives and protect
communities.
"This initiative positions Kansas to provide state-of-the-art emergency
communication services to the benefit of our residents, businesses
and visitors," said Gov. Brownback. "Our first responders need to
quickly and securely coordinate efforts during an emergency, and
FirstNet will help ensure that they have the tools they need to
safeguard our state. This effort will also bring welcome broadband
service enhancements to many rural parts of our state, including
tribal lands and those areas most recently affected by wildfires
this spring."
AT&T, in a public-private partnership with FirstNet, will
build, operate and maintain a highly secure wireless broadband
communications network for Kansas'
public safety community at no cost to the state. The FirstNet
network will drive innovation and create an entire system of
modernized devices, apps and tools for first responders.
"Governor Brownback's decision to opt-in to FirstNet is great
for Kansas and will help ensure
that our state's first responders continue to stay on the
cutting-edge of public safety," said Dick
Heitschmidt, chairman of the Kansas 9-1-1 Coordinating Council and
Hutchinson chief of police.
This is one of the most economical and technologically advanced
decisions Governor Brownback could have made for the state's first
responders and the residents they serve. The FirstNet network will
transform the way Kansas' fire,
police, EMS and other public safety personnel communicate and share
information. Specifically, FirstNet and AT&T will:
- Connect first responder subscribers to the critical information
they need in a highly secure manner when handling day-to-day
operations, responding to emergencies, and supporting large events
like the Kansas State Fair.
- Create an efficient communications experience for public safety
personnel in agencies and jurisdictions across the state. Being in
the heart of Tornado Alley, this is key when responding to natural
disasters.
- Enhance network coverage across the state, including rural
areas and tribal lands, the eastern River
Valley, through the Great Central Plains and more. This will
benefit first responders and residents, alike.
- Drive infrastructure investments and create jobs across the
state.
- Usher in a new wave of innovation that first responders can
depend on. This will create an ever-evolving set of life-saving
tools for public safety, including public safety apps, specialized
devices and Internet of Things technologies. It also carries the
potential for future integration with Smart Cities'
infrastructure.
"Keeping Kansans safe and supporting our public safety community
is a top priority," said Maj. Gen. Lee
Tafanelli, Kansas Adjutant General. "By selecting the
FirstNet and AT&T plan for Kansas, our emergency responders will have
access to innovative new technologies supported by a first-rate
network that is dedicated to public safety – helping them protect
communities and save lives."
FirstNet and AT&T designed Kansas' network solution with direct input
from the state's public safety community. FirstNet has been meeting
with Kansas officials and public
safety personnel for several years to address their unique
communication needs. This includes:
- Creating an interoperable communications experience with
Kansas' 4 border states.
- Integrating state infrastructure into the network build as
appropriate.
"Today is a great day for the more than 1,400 public safety
entities in Kansas. By opting in
to FirstNet, Kansas' first
responders will have access to communications tools and resources
they need," said FirstNet CEO Mike
Poth. "FirstNet will not only offer innovative technology to
public safety subscribers, but interoperability across state and
jurisdictional boundaries – an important issue for many
Kansas communities."
The decision enables FirstNet and AT&T to begin creating an
entirely new wireless ecosystem for public safety communications.
Kansas' first responder
subscribers will have immediate access to quality of service and
priority to voice and data across the existing nationwide AT&T
LTE network.
Preemption for primary users over the AT&T LTE network is
expected by year-end. This means fire, police, EMS and other public
safety workers will have dedicated access to the network when and
where they need it – 24/7/365, like their mission.
"It's an honor to continue our nearly 140-year history of
supporting Kansas and its public
safety community," said Chris Sambar, senior vice president,
AT&T – FirstNet. "By opting in to FirstNet, Governor Brownback
is giving his first responders the tools and technologies they need
to operate faster, safer and more effectively when lives are on the
line."
"FirstNet is a game-changer for Kansas' public safety community," Mike Scott, president, AT&T Kansas, added.
"With AT&T ESInet™ Service and Kansas' NextGen 9-1-1 network, Kansas will have the 'triple crown' of public
safety communications systems all in one state."
Earlier this year, Kansas
selected AT&T to upgrade the state's 9-1-1 infrastructure with
AT&T ESInet™ Service. The solution will help Kansas create a more reliable and improved
experience for those calling 9-1-1.
With AT&T ESInet™ Service and FirstNet, Kansas' public safety community will be able
to enjoy an enhanced emergency response, creating an efficient flow
of communications, from:
- The person calling or texting 9-1-1 for help,
- To the public safety answering point dispatching the call to a
first responder,
- To the first responders answering in the car to their response
on the scene.
For more information on FirstNet, please visit
FirstNet.gov/mediakit and att.com/FirstResponderNews. For more
about the value FirstNet will bring to public safety, please visit
FirstNet.com.
About FirstNet
The First Responder Network Authority
(FirstNet) is an independent authority within the U.S. Department
of Commerce. Chartered in 2012, its mission is to ensure the
building, deployment, and operation of the nationwide, broadband
network that equips first responders to save lives and protect U.S.
communities. Learn more at FirstNet.gov/mediakit and follow
FirstNet (@FirstNetGov) on Facebook and Twitter for updates.
*About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions
around the globe connect with leading entertainment, business,
mobile and high speed internet services. We offer the nation's best
data network** and the best global coverage of any U.S. wireless
provider. We're one of the world's largest providers of pay TV. We
have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries.
Nearly 3.5 million companies, from small to large businesses around
the globe, turn to AT&T for our highly secure smart
solutions.
AT&T products and services are provided or offered by
subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T
brand and not by AT&T Inc. Additional information about
AT&T products and services is available at about.att.com.
Follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at facebook.com/att
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© 2017 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.
AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service
marks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated
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their respective owners.
**Claim based on the Nielsen Certified Data Network Score.
Score includes data reported by wireless consumers in the Nielsen
Mobile Insights survey, network measurements from Nielsen Mobile
Performance and Nielsen Drive Test Benchmarks for Q4 2016 + Q1 2017
across 121 markets.
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