RESTON, Va., Dec. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- South Dakota is modernizing communications
technology for its first responders. Today, Governor Dennis Daugaard announced his decision to accept
the First Responder Network
Authority* and AT&T** plan to deliver a wireless
broadband network to the state's public safety community. FirstNet
will bring advanced tools to help South
Dakota's first responders save lives and protect
communities.
"We deal with our fair share of severe weather and natural
disasters in South Dakota. Our
first responders need to have access to communication technologies
that work whenever and wherever needed," Gov. Daugaard said.
"FirstNet will create a single, interoperable system across our
state to aid first responders in protecting citizens."
AT&T, in a public-private partnership with the First
Responder Network Authority, will build, operate and maintain a
highly secure wireless broadband communications network for
South Dakota'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.
FirstNet will transform the way South
Dakota's fire, police, EMS and other public safety personnel
communicate and share information. Specifically, it 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 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, one of the largest motorcycle
rallies in the world that attracts more than 450,000 people
annually.
- Create an efficient communications experience for public safety
personnel in agencies and jurisdictions across the state during
natural disasters, including the 2015 Delmont tornados that damaged
more than 20 buildings in this historic town.
- Enhance and expand network coverage across South
Dakota's diverse landscape, benefitting first responders and
residents throughout the state's rural areas, including mountainous
and tribal lands.
- Provide first responders with access to dedicated network
assets that can be deployed for additional coverage and support
when needed.
- Drive infrastructure investments and create jobs across the
state.
- Usher in a new wave of dependable innovations for first
responders. 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.
The First Responder Network Authority and AT&T
designed South Dakota's network solution with direct
input from the state and its public safety community. This helped
to address the state's unique communications needs, including:
- Expanding rural and tribal coverage beyond what is currently
available from commercial carriers, including pipeline routes.
- Offering affordable services to public safety across the
state.
- Delivering a network for public safety with increased
geographical coverage, redundancy and resiliency.
"We are pleased that Governor Daugaard has made the decision to
opt in to FirstNet, making the safety of first responders and the
public a top priority," said First Responder Network Authority CEO
Mike Poth. "FirstNet will offer
South Dakota the modern, highly
secure communications platform its first responders need to connect
and share data, voice, video, and information in extreme weather
situations, in its vast rural locations, and when disaster
strikes."
The decision enables the First Responder Network Authority and
AT&T to begin creating an entirely new wireless ecosystem for
public safety communications. South
Dakota's first responder subscribers will have immediate
access to quality of service, priority and preemption to voice and
data across the FirstNet network.
By opting in to FirstNet, fire, police, EMS and other public
safety workers subscribing to the service will have dedicated
access to the information they need, when and where they need it –
24/7/365, like their mission.
"First responders and residents in South Dakota are well served by Governor
Daugaard and his decision to opt in to FirstNet," said Cheryl Riley, president of AT&T South
Dakota. "I'm honored to help bring these life-saving tools to the
state's public safety community, and to work with an administration
so committed to the men and women who comprise it. This is a great
day for all who live and work in South
Dakota."
From 2014-2016, AT&T invested more than $90 million in its South Dakota wireless and wired networks.
These investments drive a range of upgrades to reliability,
coverage, speed and overall performance for South Dakota consumers and businesses. They
also enhance services that provide critical support to public
safety and first responders.
For more information on FirstNet, please go to
FirstNet.gov/mediakit and att.com/FirstResponderNews. For more
about the value FirstNet will bring to public safety, please go to
FirstNet.com.
*About The FirstNet Responder Network Authority
The
First Responder Network Authority 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
and on YouTube at youtube.com/att.
© 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 Q1 + Q2 2017
across 121 markets.
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SOURCE AT&T Inc.