An Overview of Mobile Application Vetting Services for Public Safety

The Middle Class Tax Relief Act of 2012 mandated the creation of the Nation’s first nationwide, high-speed communications network dedicated for public safety. The law instantiated a new federal entity, the Federal Responder Network Authority (FirstNet), to build, maintain, and operate a new Long Term Evolution (LTE) network. This network has the potential to equip first responders with a modern array of network devices. Mobile applications stand to be an important resource that will be utilized by this network. However, current mobile application developers may not be aware of the unique needs and requirements that must be met for operation on FirstNet’s network. It would benefit the public safety community to leverage the mobile application vetting services and infrastructures that already exist. These services currently target the general public and enterprise markets. This document is intended to be an overview of existing mobile application vetting services and the features these services provide and how they relate to public safety’s needs. It is also meant to aid public safety organizations when choosing which mobile application vetting services are used to evaluate relevant mobile applications.