Public safety personnel across the country continue to turn to FirstNet to advance their routine and emergency responses. Nearly 9,000 public safety agencies and organizations have subscribed to FirstNet, accounting for over 750,000 connections in service, according to AT&T.
Why? The FirstNet communications platform – built with AT&T and the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) – offers first responders and those critical to their response a purpose-built experience.
“FirstNet is designed to be different because that’s what public safety specifically asked for,” said Chris Sambar, senior vice president, FirstNet Program at AT&T.
AT&T has about 65 percent of its nationwide Band 14 coverage targets completed ahead of schedule. That will enable a signal increase in the coming months as AT&T and Assured Wireless Corporation work together to bring first responders the ability to use high-power user equipment (HPUE). Following 3GPP standards, HPUE solutions can transmit at stronger signals.
For rural and remote responders, HPUE could triple the coverage range of a cell site, according to AT&T. For urban and suburban responders, this will help solve the common challenge of indoor coverage. The stronger signal will be better able to reach places like basements, elevators, stairwells and parking garages.
August 13, 2019
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