FirstNet Authority, an organization that provides a dedicated broadband network to first responders, recently outlined its efforts to provide 5G capabilities to all subscribers and improve the capabilities of the service in 2022.
The effort, which began with an initial investment in April 2021, has so far provided 42 cities and nearly 30 venues with access to AT&T’s 5G network and 10 cities with the provider’s 5G sub-6 spectrum, a Dec, 23 FirstNet Authority press release said. FirstNet will see more 5G services as AT&T deploys additional 5G technology nationwide.
Last year saw a significant effort in the United States to implement the 5G network, FirstNet Authority CEO Edward Parkinson said in the release.
“You would be hard-pressed to read the news today and not find a headline about 5G. It has been an exciting year for the telecommunications industry as a whole, with initial 5G services becoming more available on smartphones and tablets — including some of the devices our first responders use during emergencies and everyday operations,” Parkinson said in the release.
Prior technological improvements rarely considered the public safety sector in their implementation, the release said. FirstNet Authority’s partnership with AT&T since 2017 has made the conversation more inclusive.
“Access to 5G is a major development for FirstNet, yet we are only scratching the surface of future innovations for first responders,” Parkinson said in the release. “While there is more work to be done to advance mission-critical 5G capabilities for first responders, the FirstNet Authority is proud to deliver additional capabilities to first responders with initial access to this new technology.”
The authority created a roadmap for the network’s future in 2021, including improvements to coverage area, user interface and ‘the core,’ which is the system that allows for 4G and 5G connectivity, the roadmap on FirstNet Authority’s website said.
So far, FirstNet has begun using Compact Rapid Deployables, small portable units that provide FirstNet cellular and Wi-Fi coverage via satellite, and completed the rollout of “FirstNet MegaRange, which boosts signal strength up to six times the normal cellular power to increase range and coverage for public safety,” the release said.
“In the year ahead, we will continue to drive progress in efforts that have a true operational impact for the men and women who protect our communities every day,” Parkinson said in the release.
