The ‘next phase’ of the FirstNet network focuses on 5G and coverage expansion
Having completed the initial deployment of the FirstNet network for first responders, AT&T and the First Responders Network Authority today announced that they expect to invest $8 billion in to the network over the next 10 years.
That investment will focus on “evolving and expanding” the FirstNet network, including providing priority and preemption services to FirstNet customers across all of AT&T’s 5G commercial spectrum bands, starting next month; creating a Standalone 5G core with specific public safety features that will “support the transition of public safety’s Band 14 spectrum from LTE to 5G”; expanding mission-critical services; and upgrading FirstNet’s fleet of deployables to support 5G.
“By delivering a standalone 5G core, FirstNet will be able to evolve with public safety-specific technological advancements in the coming years that simply aren’t possible with 4G,” AT&T said in a release. The carrier went on to say that “5G’s ability to handle large amounts of data and connect more devices at once is essential to enabling the future of emergency response,” from handling increased IoT data for situational awareness, and use cases such as using drones for high-definition video during search and rescue efforts.
AT&T will also build another 1,000 new, purpose-built FirstNet sites across the country within the next two years.
The FirstNet Authority said that it plans to invest $6.3 billion of that $8 billion through its network contract with AT&T, plus an additional $2 billion for “ongoing investments in coverage enhancements for public safety, which is currently under discussion by the parties.”
“The transition to a full 5G network will enable FirstNet to keep pace with current evolutions in technology and 3GPP standards-based mission critical advancements,” the partners said in a release. “The planned 5G network upgrades will generate faster speeds, increase capacity, enhance the quality of service for FirstNet users, and drive innovations in 5G mission critical services. Throughout this multi-year transition to a full 5G network, the existing FirstNet 4G LTE network will remain fully operational and maintain the high level of service that first responders have come to rely on.”
“With this investment, we are ensuring FirstNet remains at the forefront of technology so that public safety can respond smarter, safer, and more effectively,” said Joe Wassel, executive director and CEO of the FirstNet Authority. “I look forward to our continued partnership with the public safety community and AT&T to deliver the most reliable, innovative communications network for public safety.”
AT&T noted that the news of the FirstNet investments does not change its financial guidance. AT&T has leveraged FirstNet work with a “one-touch” strategy to simultaneously conduct its own network upgrades more cost-effectively.
The AT&T-FirstNet network supports more than 5.5 million connections from about 27,500 public safety agencies and other responder organizations.
