The Monitoring Association (TMA) announced that systems integrator Convergint Technologies of Renton, Wash., became the 50th FirstNet-certified company.

FirstNet is the nationwide public-safety wireless broadband network platform, built and deployed through a public‐private partnership between the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) and AT&T. The FirstNet Authority is an independent authority of the U.S. Department of Commerce. In April 2019, under an agreement with AT&T, TMA began issuing a Certificate of Verification to qualified alarm companies for the use of FirstNet services for alarm transport communications.

Companies wanting to obtain a TMA FirstNet Certificate of Verification must meet accepted alarm industry standards , transmit public-safety related alarms from systems designed primarily to protect life and/or property (e.g. robbery, burglary, unlawful intrusion, fire, emergency medical) to a FirstNet Certified Central Station Monitoring Facility that confirms and verifies the authenticity of the alarm and notifies a Public Safety Answering Point (PSAP) for relay to a public safety agency for the purpose of initiating an emergency response, and prove that it meets the requirements.

The alarm services company can then seek approval for eligibility to use FirstNet services by presenting the TMA Certificate of Verification to AT&T along with their contract(s) and/or service order(s), or to another alarm services company who will be providing FirstNet services from AT&T.