AT&T cited significant traction for the FirstNet public safety network: the governors of 29 American states and territories have made the decision to opt in to the FirstNet network. An opt-in decision allows first responder agencies to sign-up for FirstNet, giving them priority access to voice and data across the existing nationwide AT&T LTE network.
“Just within the past couple of months, this country has experienced a number of tragedies. And no matter the life-threatening event, our first responders were there for us. It’s our responsibility to make sure the communications capabilities they need are there, too,” said Mike Poth, CEO of FirstNet. “We applaud these 29 governors for giving their first responders access to the cutting-edge tools they need to support their heroic efforts.”
“The needs of public safety demand more than what commercial offerings provide today. FirstNet will be a force for good, forever changing the way first responders think about and use communications,” said Chris Sambar, senior vice president, AT&T – FirstNet. “We’re honored to have more than half the country put their trust in us to deliver this game-changing platform for public safety. That trust is not misplaced. Our commitment to this community as well as what we intend to deliver is clear and unwavering.”
- In April, AT&T was awarded a 25-year contract by the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) to build and manage the first broadband network dedicated to America’s police, firefighters and emergency medical services (EMS) that will cover all 50 states, 5 U.S. territories and the District of Columbia, including rural communities and tribal lands.
The communications infrastructure to be provided by AT&T will support the millions of first responders and public safety personnel nationwide. The public-private infrastructure investment is expected to create around 10,000 U.S. jobs over the next two years, with the roll-out scheduled to begin later in 2017.
For the project AT&T will create a national IP-based, high-speed mobile communications network for first responders designed to improve rescue and recovery operations, more effectively connect first responders to the information they need, support public safety initiatives based on IoT and smart city solutions and enable the use of new capabilities such as wearable sensors and cameras.