1st US State Opts Out of Broadband Public Safety Network
New Hampshire on Thursday became the first state to say it will reject FirstNet, the nationwide public safety communications system that’s been approved in two-thirds of the rest of the country.
New Hampshire will use Rivada Networks. The annnouncement was made at a state police barracks, where he was joined by law enforcement officials including the state attorney general and safety commissioner.
“Rivada has proposed a plan that has the potential to provide immense value to our state, including unparalleled public safety infrastructure investments that will lead to unmatched and near universal coverage for the new public safety network,” he said. “If we successfully navigate the opt-out path, New Hampshire will retain a level of control that it would not have enjoyed in an opt-in scenario.”
States that use AT&T agree to let it build the network within their states at no cost. Those that opt out get federal grants for construction. Among the states that haven’t announced decisions, about a dozen are exploring alternatives to FirstNet, according to the International Wireless Communications Expo.
A committee that studied the issue for two years in New Hampshire voted unanimously in October to recommend opting out, while a group representing businesses in the state urged Sununu to opt in, noting that the state could face hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties if the Rivada system fails.