At its Capital Markets Day in September, T-Mobile (NASDAQ: TMUS) unveiled what it calls T-Priority, a wireless service that is designed to support mobile voice and data communications for first responders and emergency workers using 5G network slicing. T-Priority is positioned to compete with AT&T’s (NYSE: T) FirstNet and Verizon’s (NYSE: VZ) Frontline, which are wireless network services dedicated to first responders. However, there are significant technological differences in the way the three MNOs are providing internet access and on-site communications during a crisis, according to The Mobile Report.
AT&T has established FirstNet, its dedicated public safety communications network, using 20 MHz in Band 14 (758-768 MHz for downlink and 788-798 MHz for uplink). Band 14 is distinct from Band 5 (850 MHz) and Bands 12/17 (700 MHz) that AT&T uses for its commercial 4G LTE network. By comparison, Verizon primarily uses Band 13 (746-756 MHz for downlink and 777-787 MHz for uplink) for its 4G LTE network and enables Verizon’s wide area coverage, especially in rural areas. Verizon operates Frontline on Band 13 and does not have access to Band 14.
The way T-Mobile describes it, T-Priority will operate on its currently established frequencies used in its commercial 5G network, primarily low band 600 MHz and mid-band 2.5 GHz. For public safety applications, the company plans to implement 5G network slicing to segment the commercial mobile traffic from public safety communications. This way, emergency workers have an assigned and reliable communication pathway, according to the company.
The Mobile Report says it has access to an internal AT&T document in which the company criticizes T-Mobile’s approach to offering public safety communications. AT&T wrote that T-Mobile “falsely claims it is the world’s first network slice for First Responders.”
The document stresses how FirstNet is different from, and better than, T-Priority. AT&T implies T-Mobile is testing unproven technology on the “wrong people” and called T-Mobile “irresponsible” for testing with users that do not have the same critical communications needs as public safety.
AT&T stressed that FirstNet offers “a dedicated communications platform for public safety” while claiming that T-Priority is simply a “commercial offering.”
T-Mobile, for its part, says that in conjunction with the network slicing, it will deploy Emergency Management trucks on a 24/7 basis during an emergency. These vehicles could act as cell sites-on-wheels to help augment mobile communications during disasters, and other public safety situations.
With proper testing and spectrum management, AT&T says that 5G network slicing could prove to be a valuable capability for first responders. The company has acknowledged it plans to deploy 5G network slicing at some point, but for specific mission-critical needs only.
By John Celentano, Inside Towers Business Editor
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