Expanding FirstNet’s coverage and capacity. FirstNet continued to gain rapid momentum, reaching 1 million device connections by the end of 2019. A growing number of public safety agencies nationwide began using FirstNet for every day operations, emergency situations and in response to natural disasters. As public safety’s demand for data continued to grow, so did FirstNet’s footprint with the ongoing deployment of Band 14 spectrum to further increase coverage and capacity for first responders in both urban and rural areas – on both indoor and outdoor sites.
- FirstNet Crosses Half-a-Million Connections, Expands Coverage Nationwide
- FirstNet Momentum: Platform Passes 750,000 Connections, Performs Faster Than Any Commercial Network for Second Consecutive Quarter
New initiatives to drive FirstNet’s evolution and public safety innovation. The FirstNet Authority announced the release of the FirstNet Roadmap to advance and shape the future of public safety’s network, FirstNet. The Roadmap was developed with input from public safety, industry, government, and AT&T, and outlines public safety’s operational needs and technology trends for mobile broadband communications.
Additionally, the FirstNet Investment Strategy was implemented and the FirstNet Board approved two network investments to enhance FirstNet by expanding the network’s dedicated deployable network asset program and initiating upgrades to the FirstNet core to enable 5G network capabilities. Both investments reflected public safety feedback and priorities for their critical communications needs included in the Roadmap.