FirstNet, AT&T Launch First Developer
Program for Public Safety
Specialized Portal Brings Public Safety, Developers Together to Pioneer Solutions for First Responders
FirstNet and AT&T
launched the first
developer program geared toward America’s first responders. This will
encourage public safety-focused innovation to help equip first
responders with state-of-the-art communications tools. It also brings
public safety closer to having their own app store where
they can find new solutions purpose-built for their needs.
“This program will tap into the expertise and
creativity of the developer community to drive innovation for public
safety,” said FirstNet CEO Mike Poth. “It will also connect first
responders with developers to
create apps that will help them stay safe and save lives.”
The developer program will feed the FirstNet app store, providing public safety with a one-stop shop for reliable, highly secure solutions optimized for the FirstNet network.
Based on common and open standards, this ecosystem will be an engine for innovative, cost effective and interoperable public safety solutions.
“The FirstNet app ecosystem is an important
building block as we work to modernize public safety’s communications
tools and capabilities,” said Chris Sambar, senior vice president,
AT&T – FirstNet. “The FirstNet network will bring public
safety the connectivity they need to communicate and collaborate. But
it’s really what we’re able to build on top of that connectivity that
will make the biggest difference in these brave men and women’s
day-to-day operations.”
Calling All Developers
Through the FirstNet developer program, developers
will be able to create apps for public safety and scale them for first
responders like never before. Developers now have access to a
specialized
portal housing resources
to help them successfully build, test, deploy and maintain public safety
applications. In addition to programming tools like APIs and software
development kits, the portal features guidelines
to follow when developing for public safety.
Some areas of focus for potential developers include, but are not limited to:
-
Situational awareness
- In-building mapping
- Field reporting and records management
-
Wearable devices and telemetry solutions
-
Forensic intelligence
The program will also enable collaboration between
first responders and developers to create mission-critical apps for
public safety and tools that give them access to timely information.
FirstNet and AT&T will host events and challenges
to help foster this collaboration.
“The developer program establishes a clear line of
sight between public safety and app developers. It will help ensure the
apps developed truly meet first responders’ field needs. It’s a really
important thing that was missing from the
market. Until now,” Sambar added.
Spurring Innovation for Public Safety
With the launch of this program, developers can now
submit their apps for inclusion in the FirstNet app store as either
“certified” or “reviewed” for first responder use.
Upon submission, FirstNet and AT&T will:
-
Evaluate performance, service-level agreements and potential source code vulnerabilities.
-
Provide a “certified” or “reviewed” rating depending on the
application’s uptime availability, resiliency and scalability for
simultaneous users.
-
Publish “certified” and “reviewed” apps in the FirstNet app store.
“The FirstNet app store will combine the
convenience of a public app store with the security of a private app
store,” said Poth. “We look forward to working with companies,
individual developers and first responders to stock the store’s
virtual shelves with fully vetted and highly secure apps to help public
safety personnel achieve their mission.”
In addition to working with developers, the program
will evaluate existing public safety apps for inclusion in the store.
Details on how to submit apps as well as the criteria by which they are
evaluated can all be found on the FirstNet
developer portal.
The development of the FirstNet app ecosystem was
informed in consultation with public safety, by the history and
traditions of public safety and through substantial research into the
needs of public safety. This was done in close collaboration
with APCO International and other public safety organizations to support app security, interoperability and reliability.
Source: AT&T media announcement