August 13, 2019
BALTIMORE, MD – The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) marked
a significant milestone today with release of a new Roadmap for the future of FirstNet, the
nationwide public safety broadband network.
Unveiled at the APCO International Conference and Expo in Baltimore, the FirstNet Authority
Roadmap builds on the organization’s nationwide engagement with public safety to gather
feedback on the most important communications capabilities for their missions. Through
hundreds of individual engagements, workshops, and summits with first responders, the
FirstNet Authority developed prioritized technology areas to ensure the Roadmap reflects
their specific communications needs.
“As we look to the future of FirstNet, it is critical that we deliver network enhancements and
innovations based on the needs of public safety and in lock step with trends in technology,”
said FirstNet Authority Board Chair Edward Horowitz. “This Roadmap lays out
priorities for ensuring first responders have the dedicated and differentiated network they asked
for, supported by the FirstNet Authority’s management of and investment in the network.”
The FirstNet Authority Roadmap is organized around six domains representing technologies
and capabilities that are vital to public safety operations now and in the future, including:
- Network Core: provides the essential intelligence for the functioning of the network
The Core is foundational to the network, and the FirstNet Authority envisions the Core
evolving to remain technologically current - Coverage and Capacity: enables robust and ubiquitous access to the network
- Situational Awareness: envisions real-time access, collection, and distribution of
critical information - Voice Communications: envisions high-quality, reliable voice communications
nationwide working seamlessly across analog and digital platforms - Secure Information Exchange: envisions the ability to access, exchange, and manage
data securely and conveniently within and across public safety agencies and jurisdictions - User Experience: seeks to ensure interfaces are designed for specific public safety users’
operational challenges
https://firstnet.gov/system/tdf/FirstNet_Roadmap.pdf?file=1&type=node&id=1055
