Mr. Bratcher also posted that, “The FirstNet core serves as the brain and nervous system of the nationwide network – it separates public safety traffic from commercial traffic and supports current FirstNet functions, like Quality of Service (QoS), priority and preemption. It will also support future mission-critical services to be offered by FirstNet, like Mission Critical push-to-talk and location based services.”
Bratcher pointed out, however, that “To ensure the network delivers the performance and integrity public safety demands, the FirstNet core will continue to undergo validation and testing with the First Responder Network Authority. . . . This final phase of testing and validation is expected to be completed in the April/May timeframe.”
Media outlets also reported that Verizon announced that its public-safety dedicated private core will be generally available March 29. Mission Critical Communications reported that Verizon’s “expanded public-safety services include traffic segmentation, priority and pre-emption, improved security, and enhanced service management and control. The public-safety core separates data traffic of public-safety mobile users from commercial users across Verizon’s LTE network using software-defined networking tools.”
Verizon also plans to launch a public-safety "app" store later this year.
Urgent Communications reported that customers will begin migrating to Verizon’s public-safety LTE core in April. Urgent Communications also reported that “What remains in question is whether public-safety agencies that continue to subscribe to Verizon broadband services will be able to interoperate seamlessly and securely with agencies that subscribe to FirstNet, including recognition of priority and preemption rights. Verizon believes that such interoperability is ‘technically possible’ and should be pursued . . .”
Stay tuned to the BayRICS Blog for more details on both AT&T and Verizon public safety LTE services.