AT&T has made great inroads with signing on public safety organizations to the FirstNet nationwide network. Some 16,000 agencies at last count. Plus, it has 100 deployable assets and 210 FirstNet-ready devices available for loan, not to mention the public safety apps available online. However, the other two public carriers continue to compete with FirstNet, marketing to public safety with new deployable assets and free service.
On Friday, Verizon announced that its Frontline technology has been delivered to 14 locations in Arizona by the Verizon Response Team (VRT) to firefighters in remote areas as they battle wildfires throughout the state. The Verizon Frontline technology includes a Satellite Pico-cell on a Trailer, which was deployed to the site of the Backbone fire. Another one went to the site of the Horton fire. Both provide voice and data service. Verizon Frontline technology was also distributed to interagency command posts, including repeaters, routers, mobile hotspots and smartphones, according to the carrier.
In mid-June, T-Mobile announced that it is upgrading its 10-year program that provides free service and 5G access to first responder agencies, known as the Connecting Heroes program, adding “ruthless” preemption. Wireless Priority Service-enrolled first responder agencies with Connecting Heroes plans have both priority access and preemption for voice calls and data, T-Mobile said in a press release.
“So not only do first responders get to the front of the line at T-Mobile, but if the network ever becomes crowded in an emergency, non-emergency traffic drops to make way for first responders’ critical communications,” T-Mobile said.
Second, T-Mobile announced it will offer its first set of rugged devices — including the new MG90 5G rugged router from Sierra Wireless and two new Cat phones: Cat S62 and a rugged Cat flip phone. In addition, T-Mobile is adding three new paid 5G first responder plan options.
“We launched Connecting Heroes last year so that first responders would no longer have to choose between funding life-saving equipment or wireless communications. At T-Mobile, first responder calls get through first and that could make the difference in an emergency when making life-saving decisions,” said Mike Katz, EVP of T-Mobile for Business.
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