Law enforcement officers need to stay connected while doing their job — during extreme weather, among large crowds, inside buildings, or at the edge of the network’s reach. That’s why the FirstNet Authority is focused on bringing coverage to all the places where first responders go.

Building public safety’s network

Public safety’s input is integral to the evolution of FirstNet. The public safety community has told us one of their top priorities for communications is coverage.

Before the network was even built, the FirstNet Authority worked with public safety officials in every state and territory to understand their coverage needs. Then, we developed customized coverage plans for each state and territory. We continue to seek feedback from public safety on where and when coverage is needed.

Nebraska is one of the nation’s least densely populated states, a category that is historically underserved by communication infrastructure. During the initial five-year buildout of FirstNet, Nebraska’s network capacity was significantly increased by deploying Band 14 — the spectrum set aside for FirstNet — which nearly quadrupled the network across the state.

Douglas County Sheriff’s Office in Nebraska

The FirstNet buildout made a difference across all types of communities — from rural to urban — in Nebraska.

In Douglas County, the state's most populous county, the sheriff's office switched the entire agency to FirstNet two years ago.

That decision paid off when an F4 tornado tore through the community earlier this year, damaging and destroying hundreds of homes.

Despite the devastation, “FirstNet was the only service that did not experience disruptions during the spring tornado,” said Sheriff Aaron W. Hanson. The network kept deputies communicating while they responded to the storm.

Oftentimes, during extreme weather events, public safety agencies request FirstNet deployables to provide supplemental coverage. Deployables link to FirstNet via satellite, do not rely on commercial power, and provide similar connectivity as a cell tower — notably, they are available at no cost to FirstNet subscribers.

In Douglas County, no deployable was needed because the network stayed connected during the tornado. The sheriff’s office used FirstNet to connect more than 80 mobile data computers, as well as the agency’s smartphones and mobile computer-aided dispatch — all of which stayed operational during the storm.

Innovative coverage solutions

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office is taking advantage of multiple coverage solutions to support their everyday operations.

They use Cell Booster Pros in several of their office buildings to bring FirstNet coverage indoors. “The Cell Booster Pros work great,” said David Galván, Technical Support Manager for the Douglas County Sheriff's Office. “If they’re not on, we have coverage issues just because of the type of building it is, the thickness of the walls, and the way it was constructed.”

The Douglas County Sheriff's Office has also tested FirstNet’s high-power user equipment, or HPUE. At the edges of the network’s reach, HPUE boosts signal power up to six times the normal strength. HPUE gives public safety devices the power to maintain connection to the network when traditional devices might slow or drop off entirely.

“We used HPUE in a test environment in Ponca Hills, which has always been a problem area. Even though the signal was down to 30% on the HPUE, my record management system never disconnected, and I was able to run it just as if it were at 100%,” said Galván. “HPUE really works.”

Investing in coverage where public safety needs it

The FirstNet Authority is focused on enhancing coverage where public safety needs it, especially in rural and remote areas, in the U.S. territories, and on tribal lands.

We continue to invest in traditional infrastructure like cell towers and sites. We have also expanded the FirstNet deployables program to make on-demand coverage more versatile and easier to use. And we are innovating new solutions like in-building technologies to keep law enforcement connected inside headquarters and other indoor locations where they work.

In August, the FirstNet Authority Board approved plans to invest in coverage enhancements for the network as part of a ten-year network evolution initiative totaling more than $8 billion. These investments are accelerating FirstNet’s evolution to a full 5G network, expanding the network, and increasing coverage.

To learn more about how FirstNet is helping public safety and the law enforcement community to leverage innovative public safety communications, sign up for the Law Enforcement Take with Ehrin Ehlert.