About 5x5
5x5 ― the confirmation of a strong and clear signal ― and the place to make your voice heard and drive public safety communications forward.
5x5 is a three-day summit that brings together leaders in public safety, academia, government, and industry. Every year, attendees:
With keynotes, plenaries, live technology demos, and numerous breakout sessions and deep-dive discussions, the 5x5 summit will expand your knowledge and understanding of proven and emerging tech for public safety while informing future R&D and building connections with other leaders in the field.
The Hosts of 5x5
The Public Safety Communications Research (PSCR) Division, housed within the Communications Technology Laboratory (CTL) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), is the primary federal laboratory conducting research, development, testing, and evaluation for public safety communications technologies.
PSCR has focused on driving innovation to advance communications technologies in support of the public safety community and in partnership with stakeholders across public safety, industry, government, and academia since 2002. In February 2012, however, the enactment of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act marked an unparalleled push toward next-generation technologies for public safety, charging PSCR with utilizing up to $300 million for research and development activities in support of the Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network. Our critical research and development continues today in the form of internal research, prize challenges, and stakeholder engagement opportunities through refocused key research portfolios: User Interface/User Experience, Mission Critical Voice, Location-Based Services, Uncrewed Aircraft Systems, and Next Generation Systems Integration.
The First Responder Network Authority, or the FirstNet Authority, is an independent agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) that oversees FirstNet, the nation’s communications network dedicated to emergency responders and the public safety community.
The FirstNet Authority was established in light of September 11, 2001 to create a single, nationwide broadband network specifically for first responders. FirstNet is built for public safety by public safety. From our 2012 founding through today, the FirstNet Authority has collaborated with local, state, federal and tribal public safety in every state and U.S. territory to understand and incorporate their unique communication needs into the plans for FirstNet.
Today, first responders throughout the country use FirstNet to help them save lives and keep communities safe.
