ANNAPOLIS, Md., Sept. 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Governor
Larry Hogan today announced Maryland will advance communications for first
responders by opting in to the FirstNet and AT&T*
plan. This state-of-the-art plan will deliver a wireless broadband
network to Maryland's public
safety community, allowing for faster, more informed and better
coordinated responses. Through FirstNet's advanced technologies,
Maryland's first responder
subscribers will now have additional resources to help save lives
and protect communities.
"Keeping Marylanders safe is our top priority, and our first
responders need to be equipped with every tool possible to protect
our citizens," said Governor Hogan. "By adopting this plan, our
first responders will now have the ability to efficiently and
effectively work together not just within the state, but across the
region and at the national level."
"This innovative initiative will also spur investment into
Maryland's economy, helping to
create jobs and enhance mobile broadband coverage in rural parts of
the state," the governor continued.
AT&T, in a public-private partnership with FirstNet, will
build, operate and maintain a highly secure wireless broadband
communications network for Maryland'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 Maryland'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 Preakness.
- Create an efficient communications experience for public safety
personnel in agencies and jurisdictions across the state during
natural disasters like 2016's Winter Storm
Jonas that brought record breaking snowfall and blizzard
conditions to the state.
- Increase public safety coverage across the state and region and
connect public safety subscribers nationally, providing modern
communications and data sharing, helping to increase the safety of
first responders.
- Enhance and expand network coverage across Maryland's diverse landscape, to cover areas
that are today underserved, benefitting first responders and
residents throughout the state's rural areas.
- 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.
FirstNet and AT&T designed Maryland's network solution with direct input
from the state's public safety community. FirstNet has been meeting
with Maryland's officials and
public safety personnel for several years to address their unique
communication needs. These include:
- Expanding coverage across the state, particularly in the
western and lower Eastern Shore.
- Focusing on the state's critical infrastructure in preparation
for severe weather events.
- Making solutions available to support the state's large base of
volunteer emergency responders.
"FirstNet is honored to serve the state of Maryland – where we launched our nationwide
consultation program in 2014," said FirstNet CEO Mike Poth. "Governor Hogan's decision will help
deliver game-changing technology to first responders throughout
Maryland, making communities safer
and more secure. FirstNet will continue our partnership with
the state to make sure the network delivers the coverage, services
and innovation that public safety expects and needs."
The decision enables FirstNet and AT&T to begin creating an
entirely new wireless ecosystem for public safety communications.
Maryland'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.
The administration's decision to opt-in will enable AT&T to
buildout FirstNet in Maryland and
begin planning and construction ahead of schedule. This will
create a highly secure public safety network for Maryland's first responder subscribers and
provide priority use and preemption on this 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.
"Governor Hogan's decision to opt-in to FirstNet demonstrates
his continued commitment to support public safety at all levels,"
said Denis Dunn, president, AT&T
Maryland. "With his decision, we're now able to launch our efforts
to deliver a public safety broadband network in Maryland. We look forward to working with
first responders statewide to give them access to the life-saving
technologies they've asked for."
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
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.