Wyoming to Transform Communications for Public Safety; Governor Mead to Approve Buildout Plan for First Responder Network

First-of-its-Kind Solution Will Create Jobs, Spur Investment and Modernize Public Safety Communications across the State

RESTON, Va., July 11, 2017 /PRNewswire/ — Wyoming is making history. Today, Governor Matthew Mead announced his decision to accept the FirstNet and AT&T* plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the State’s public safety community. This will make Wyoming one of the first states in the country to “opt in” to FirstNet and bring advanced technologies that will help first responders save lives and protect communities.

“The State of Wyoming has participated in FirstNet consultation and outreach activities throughout the planning of the network and reviewed the details of the FirstNet State Plan,” wrote Governor Mead. “I have determined that it is in the best interest of Wyoming to participate in the FirstNet deployment of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network.”

FirstNet and AT&T will build, operate and maintain a highly secure wireless broadband communications network for Wyoming’s public safety community at no cost to the State for the next 25 years. The FirstNet network will deliver innovation and create an entire system of modernized devices, apps and tools for first responders.

“FirstNet will be an asset for emergency personnel across Wyoming. This is a tool that allows for better communication and faster response,” said Governor Mead.

The FirstNet network will transform the way Wyoming’s fire, police, EMS and other public safety personnel communicate and share information. Specifically, FirstNet and AT&T 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 Cheyenne Frontier Days.
• Create an efficient communications experience for public safety personnel in agencies and jurisdictions across the State during natural disasters. This includes the yearly wildland fires across the west.
• Enhance network coverage in rural areas. This will benefit first responders and residents throughout Wyoming’s topographically diverse landscape. First responders will also have access to dedicated network deployables – like satellite cells on wheels – for additional coverage and support when needed.
• Drive infrastructure investments and create jobs across the State.
• Usher in a new wave of innovation that first responders can depend on. 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 FirstNet solution that will be built in Wyoming was designed with direct input from the State’s public safety community. FirstNet has been meeting with Wyoming’s officials and public safety personnel for several years to address their unique communication needs.

“Governor Mead’s decision will enhance public safety communications throughout the state,” said FirstNet CEO Mike Poth. “The FirstNet network will connect first responders operating across Wyoming’s diverse landscape – including its rural, mountainous and remote areas, as well as federal and tribal lands. FirstNet and AT&T are pleased to have delivered a plan that meets Wyoming’s unique needs, and we look forward to deploying the network across the Equality State.”

The decision enables FirstNet and AT&T to begin creating an entirely new wireless ecosystem for public safety communications. Wyoming’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.

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 Mead is taking a leading role to make it easier for first responders to communicate across the state and across the country,” said Chris Sambar, SVP, AT&T – FirstNet. “We rely on first responders to keep us safe every day. So we applaud Governor Mead’s quick decision to give Wyoming’s public safety community access to a first-of-its-kind network and next-generation technologies purpose-built for their needs.”

“We thank Governor Mead for making one of the most economical and technologically advanced decisions for Wyoming’s first responders and the residents they serve,” said Cheryl Riley, president, AT&T Northern Plains. “We’re proud to partner with the state to help them transform the way public safety communicates. Through this partnership, we will build upon our investments in Wyoming with a dedicated focus on our first responders. They put their lives on the line every day, and now, the Wyoming is bringing them the network they need to support their brave efforts without delay.”

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.

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