FirstNet, AT&T begin edging toward 5G

AT&T today counts more than 1.3 million FirstNet connections across more than 12,000 public-safety agencies – an impressive feat given that AT&T first launched FirstNet services just two years ago.

It’s also notable considering that, so far, 5G is nowhere to be found inside FirstNet’s portfolio despite 2020 being hyped as the “year of 5G.”

However, the officials at FirstNet are finally pulling back the veil on 5G by detailing some of their initial planning efforts around the technology. The agency confirmed that one of its main technological goals for this year would be to pursue investments in “initial generational upgrades to the FirstNet Core to enable 5G network capabilities.”

“This investment opportunity will also set us on a path to enable 5G capabilities when they are ready for public safety’s use,” the agency said in its 2019 annual report to Congress. However, FirstNet did not specify when a 5G launch might happen.

Nonetheless, in its report, FirstNet offered some clear hints about what it might want to do with 5G.

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