Just over a month after beginning its public-private partnership with AT&T, FirstNet is achieving milestones ahead of its planned timeframe. All of AT&T’s LTE bands are planned to be available for the nation’s first public safety wireless broadband network as soon as the end of this year, according to FirstNet CEO Mike Poth.
That can happen as soon as a state governor accepts the FirstNet State Plan (“opt in”), writes Poth in a blog. Preemption services will be available on existing AT&T LTE bands nationwide while FirstNet deploys Band 14 for public safety, increasing the available public safety capacity “without having to wait for the availability of Band 14,” according to Poe.
AT&T recently announced it will roll out an additional 40 MHz of commercial spectrum in conjunction with the 20 MHz of FirstNet spectrum, increasing available capacity for all AT&T customers, including first responders on AT&T’s LTE bands.
Another milestone FirstNet is ticking off its list is the expected delivery of draft State Plans in June, three months early. FirstNet and AT&T plan to bring the State Single Points of Contact together to preview information that will be shared in an online State Plans portal.
U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross announced the award of the FirstNet contract to AT&T on March 30, Inside Towers reported.
May 3, 2017
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