Motorola Solutions quietly raising FirstNet alarms

Motorola Solutions is angling behind the scenes to knock the credibility of a major public safety wireless network that might end up eating into its bottom line.

The telecom company is lobbying firefighters and police officers to criticize FirstNet, the entity overseeing the new communications system, on the company’s behalf. And it’s supplied those first responders with a “sample letter” — a missive without any Motorola Solutions fingerprints — that alleges FirstNet disregards public safety needs, lacks transparency and suffers from serious conflicts of interest. Motorola’s maneuvering illustrates the early market battle surrounding the government’s more than $7 billion project to bring public-safety communications into the digital age. For the company, there’s plenty to lose: It’s long been dominant in providing legacy wireless devices to local first responders, and the creation of a new broadband data network might threaten its core business.