CARSON CITY, Nev., Aug. 17, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nevada is
transforming communications capabilities for first responders
across the Silver State. Today, Governor Brian Sandoval 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 Nevada the
15th state or territory to bring advanced technologies
to its first responders, helping them save lives and protect
communities.
"Public safety is of the highest concern," said Governor
Sandoval. "Increasing the safety of our residents, visitors and
first responders through FirstNet was the right choice. From
volunteer emergency responders in rural communities to those on the
front lines in populous areas, our public safety community deserves
access to the cutting-edge technologies they need to get the job
done."
AT&T, in a public-private partnership with FirstNet, will
build, operate and maintain a highly secure wireless broadband
communications network for Nevada's 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 Sandoval's decision to opt in is both economical and
technologically advanced. The FirstNet network will transform the
way Nevada's fire, police,
emergency medical services (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 annual Las Vegas New Year's
Eve Celebration or Street Vibrations.
- Create an efficient communications experience for public safety
personnel in agencies and jurisdictions across the state. This will
support emergency response during natural disasters like the
devastating floods in Washoe,
Douglas and Elko counties, as well as seasonal wildfires
recently impacting the community.
- Expand network coverage from the populous Las Vegas Valley to
the mountainous regions of Northern
Nevada and the rural landscape in between. 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 NextGen 9-1-1 networks and
Smart Cities' infrastructure.
"Public safety is our priority and, starting today, we're
embarking on a program that will change the face of how we
communicate statewide," Sergeant Mike
Edgell, Nevada Highway
Patrol, said. "The partnership with FirstNet and AT&T brings
new technologies supported by a first-rate network dedicated to
emergency responders to enhance our capabilities during a crisis.
It will also be a helpful tool in the normal course of business and
during large scale events."
FirstNet and AT&T worked with the Nevada Public Safety
Communications Committee to design a network solution with direct
input from the state and its public safety community. This helped
to address their unique communications needs, like connecting
local, state and federal responders seamlessly across jurisdictions
in every emergency, large or small.
"Governor Sandoval's decision to join FirstNet demonstrates his
strong commitment to public safety," said FirstNet CEO Mike Poth. "This decision puts 21st
century technology over a modern, broadband platform in the hands
of the state's first responders, giving them access to the speed,
bandwidth and priority services they need. FirstNet looks forward
to continued efforts with public safety to ensure this network is
built to meet their unique needs across the state – from remote
locales to populous cities."
The decision enables FirstNet and AT&T to begin creating an
entirely new wireless ecosystem for public safety communications.
Nevada's 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.
"Fire, police and EMS put their lives on the line every time
they put on a uniform," said Chris Sambar, senior vice president,
AT&T – FirstNet. "With Governor Sandoval's decision, he's
giving Nevada's brave men and
women access to the innovative communications tools they need to
complete their life-saving mission. It's an honor to connect
Nevada's public safety community
to the technologies they deserve."
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
companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of
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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SOURCE AT&T Inc.