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CES logo, FirstNet Authority watermark, "Las Vegas, NV | January 7-10, 2020," EMS technician, firefighter and police officer use various devices

FirstNet Authority at CES and CES G 2020: Innovation in the Public Safety Broadband Marketplace

Once again, the CES annual conference is promising an impressive line-up of tech tools and displays tapping into 5G, the Internet of Things (IoT), and artificial intelligence to cultivate smart solutions for the consumer technology ecosystem.

Three police officers consult information on a smartphone, a firefighter looks at a rugged device, an EMS technician next to a patient gurney in the back of an ambulance looks down at a smart device

A Growing and Diverse Ecosystem of FirstNet Devices

In a world where technology trends are ever changing, the FirstNet Authority and our network contractor, AT&T, are working diligently to deliver a dedicated public safety broadband network. In addition to a reliable and secure connection, we are working with AT&T to build a diverse device ecosystem that will meet the needs of public safety.

An emergency manager points towards a screen displaying a map, an officer holds a smartphone displaying an app, an EMS technician interacts with a display screen

Using and Developing Apps on FirstNet: the next phase of public safety communications

A robust broadband ecosystem for public safety demands a proven pool of mobile apps based on the needs of the responder community. The FirstNet applications strategy is to enable the creation of public safety mobile applications while maintaining support for existing commercial applications. This will establish a portfolio of resilient, reliable, secure and easy-to-use mobile applications for first responders.

FirstNet Public Safety Advisory Committee members discuss matters during a meeting, Twenty-three representatives of all disciplines of public safety stand for a PSAC group photo

PSAC meeting highlights 2019 accomplishments and 2020 initiatives

The FirstNet Authority Public Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) held its bi-annual meeting in Austin, TX, where more than 20 PSAC members gathered to discuss 2019 activities and accomplishments and 2020 goals and initiatives. Kenzie Capece, FirstNet Authority Senior Public Safety Advisor, recaps the conversation on the FirstNet Authority Roadmap and special presentations from FirstNet, Built with AT&T, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

Four Tech to Protect participants code in collaboration at a table filled with laptops, a Haptics Challenge judge tests virtual reality simulations, a FirstNet Authority speaker at TEEX UnderFire gestures in front of an audience

The FirstNet Ecosystem: Spurring Innovation

As technology rapidly evolves, more and more tools are becoming available to first responders. Over the past year, the FirstNet Authority has supported several innovation contests that encourage entrepreneurs, researchers, and public safety professionals to develop solutions to assist emergency responders. Brian Hobson, Director of the FirstNet Authority Enterprise Strategy Division, breaks down some of these contests and how the FirstNet Authority is helping drive innovation forward.