AT&T and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) announced the next phase of FirstNet with a series of investments totaling more than $8 billion over 10 years.
This next phase will create a 5G standalone (SA) core and support the transition of public safety’s Band 14 spectrum from LTE to 5G. It will also expand mission-critical services – such as voice, video, data and location – and prepare the network to evolve beyond 5G.
The build includes 1,000 new cell sites within the next two years and upgrades to public safety’s dedicated fleet of deployable network assets with 5G connectivity. Starting in March, FirstNet will be “the first and only wireless network” to provide America’s first responders with always-on priority and preemption across 5G, expanding to include all of AT&T’s 5G commercial spectrum, according to a press release.