RESTON, VA — The First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) today announced plans to further expand FirstNet and strengthen wireless broadband coverage for first responders, including public safety agencies serving rural, remote, and hard-to-reach areas.
Through strategic investments, the FirstNet Authority is directing the network contractor, AT&T, to deploy more than 135 new, purpose-built cell sites across the country. These sites will add more coverage to the initial FirstNet nationwide buildout, completed in 2023, and to the 1,000 sites launched in 2024 and 2025 to further expand Band 14, public safety’s dedicated lane of connectivity.
“The Trump Administration is working to improve FirstNet to ensure it meets its obligations, delivers measurable results, and truly serves public safety — and that starts with listening to the needs of first responders,” said Arielle Roth, Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Communications and Information and NTIA Administrator. “Today’s announcement underscores FirstNet’s responsibility to deliver nationwide coverage and ensure first responders have the tools they need to save lives.”
Public safety feedback has been central to shaping the FirstNet Authority’s coverage enhancement plans. Through coverage enhancement workshops and local engagements, public safety officials are helping the FirstNet Authority identify coverage gaps and prioritize areas that matter most for their day-to-day and emergency operations.
“Expanding coverage is public safety’s top priority for FirstNet,” said Sheriff Michael A. Adkinson, Acting Chair of the FirstNet Authority Board. “With these investments, we are acting on public safety’s input by expanding the network to reach high-priority areas that are essential to emergency response.”
In addition to adding new purpose-built sites, the FirstNet Authority will continue to invest in solutions that improve indoor coverage on FirstNet. Based on public safety feedback, the FirstNet Authority has invested in the deployment of more than 14,000 miniature cell sites. These cell sites strengthen coverage inside public safety’s critical facilities at no cost to the public safety agencies.
The FirstNet Authority also is upgrading the dedicated FirstNet network core to support future public safety-specific satellite-to-device capabilities, such as priority and preemption on Band 14, as well as mission-critical push-to-talk. Once available, these solutions will complement the terrestrial network and enable first responders to access FirstNet in remote and hard-to-reach areas, helping them stay connected during emergencies and after disasters.
“Public safety has told us where more coverage would make the biggest difference for their network,” said Michael A. Cannon, Executive Director and CEO of the FirstNet Authority. “We’re turning that feedback into action with new cell sites, satellite capabilities, and stronger indoor coverage on FirstNet. This reflects our ongoing commitment to delivering coverage and capacity where first responders need it most.”
These network enhancements are funded through the FirstNet Authority’s strategic investment program, which helps drive innovation, expand coverage, and strengthen the resilience of FirstNet. The FirstNet Authority is planning to invest a total of $2 billion over a ten-year period to continually enhance coverage on the nationwide public safety broadband network.
