https://urgentcomm.com/wp-content/themes/ucm_child/assets/images/logo/footer-new-logo.png
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Multimedia
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Galleries
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • Commentary
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • All Things IWCE
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • IWCE
    • Conference
    • Special Events
    • Exhibitor Listings
    • Premier Partners
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Register for IWCE
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • Mission Critical Technologies
    • Microwave/RF
    • T&D World
    • TU-Auto
  • In the field
    • Back
    • In the field
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Internet of Things
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Call Center/Command
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Network Tech
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Operations
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Regulations
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • Organizations
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
Urgent Communications
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • News
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Video
    • Podcasts
    • Omdia Crit Comms Circle Podcast
    • Galleries
    • IWCE’s Video Showcase
  • Commentary
    • Back
    • All Things IWCE
    • Urgent Matters
    • View From The Top
    • Legal Matters
  • Resources
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • Reprints & Reuse
    • UC eZines
    • Sponsored content
  • IWCE
    • Back
    • Conference
    • Why Attend
    • Exhibitor Listing
    • Floor Plan
    • Exhibiting Information
    • Join the Event Mailing List
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Terms of Service
    • Privacy Statement
    • Cookies Policy
  • Related Sites
    • Back
    • American City & County
    • IWCE
    • Light Reading
    • IOT World Today
    • TU-Auto
  • newsletter
  • In the field
    • Back
    • Internet of Things
    • Broadband Push-to-X
    • Project 25
    • Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet
    • Virtual/Augmented Reality
    • Land Mobile Radio
    • Long Term Evolution (LTE)
    • Applications
    • Drones/Robots
    • IoT/Smart X
    • Software
    • Subscriber Devices
    • Video
  • Call Center/Command
    • Back
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • NG911
    • Alerting Systems
    • Analytics
    • Dispatch/Call-taking
    • Incident Command/Situational Awareness
    • Tracking, Monitoring & Control
  • Network Tech
    • Back
    • Cybersecurity
    • Interoperability
    • LMR 100
    • LMR 200
    • Backhaul
    • Deployables
    • Power
    • Tower & Site
    • Wireless Networks
    • Coverage/Interference
    • Security
    • System Design
    • System Installation
    • System Operation
    • Test & Measurement
  • Operations
    • Back
    • Critical Infrastructure
    • Enterprise
    • Federal Government/Military
    • Public Safety
    • State & Local Government
    • Training
  • Regulations
    • Back
    • Narrowbanding
    • T-Band
    • Rebanding
    • TV White Spaces
    • None
    • Funding
    • Policy
    • Regional Coordination
    • Standards
  • Organizations
    • Back
    • AASHTO
    • APCO
    • DHS
    • DMR Association
    • ETA
    • EWA
    • FCC
    • IWCE
    • NASEMSO
    • NATE
    • NXDN Forum
    • NENA
    • NIST/PSCR
    • NPSTC
    • NTIA/FirstNet
    • P25 TIG
    • TETRA + CCA
    • UTC
acc.com

Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet


News

FirstNet adoption tops 3.3 million connections and 20,500 agencies

FirstNet adoption tops 3.3 million connections and 20,500 agencies

  • Written by Donny Jackson
  • 22nd April 2022

FirstNet gained 300,000 subscribers during the first quarter, meaning the nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN) boasts more than 3.3 million connections provided across more than 20,500 agencies, according to NPSBN contractor AT&T.

AT&T CEO John Stankey said during the company’s quarterly conference call that the carrier giant will be able to concentrate fully on its connectivity strategies with the recent $43 billion sale of the WarnerMedia unit to Discovery. In addition to helping the carrier focus its efforts, the deal allowed the company to reduce its considerable debt burden by $40 billion, he said.

“The transition marks a critical step in the repositioning of our business,” Stankey said. “We’re now able to focus intensely on what we believe will be multiyear secular tailwinds in connectivity. We now have the right asset base and financial structure to devote our energy to becoming America’s best broadband provider.

“Over a five-year period, we expect a fivefold data increase on our networks, and we plan to capitalize on the growing desire from consumers and businesses for ubiquitous access to best-in-class connectivity solutions. The results we achieved in the past seven quarters—all while undergoing a significant repositioning of our business—give me confidence that we can accomplish this goal.”

Those results included 691,000 postpaid phone net adds—the company’s highest first-quarter total in a decade, according to Stankey—with more than 40% of those attributable to the FirstNet growth of about 300,000 connections during the first three months of the year.

Overall, FirstNet was serving more than 20,500 public safety agencies by providing 3.3 million connections as of the end of March, according to AT&T. During the past year, FirstNet has gained 1.1 million connection across 4,500 public-safety agencies, based on the figures provided by AT&T for the first quarter of 2021.

When the FirstNet Authority was established in 2012, many public-safety analysts indicated that FirstNet’s potential addressable market would be about 3 million—the estimated total of police, fire and EMS personnel across the U.S. at the time. FirstNet has expanded the addressable market by also providing prioritized wireless broadband service to “extended primary” public-safety entities—for example, some government, utility, transportation and healthcare users—but few industry pundits expected 3.3 million connections a year before the initial Band 14 buildout is scheduled to be complete.

AT&T officials repeatedly have declared that FirstNet is the market leader among wireless broadband providers for the U.S. law-enforcement sector. However, Verizon claims it is the market leader for the broader public-safety sector, with Verizon Frontline official stating during IWCE 2022 last month that its network provides more than 30,000 public-safety agencies with more than 4.5 million connections. If these numbers provided by the carriers are accurate, AT&T has narrowed significantly the public-safety-broadband-subscriber gap with Verizon during the five years since being awarded the FirstNet contract in March 2017.

AT&T is contracted to complete the initial five-year buildout of the FirstNet system on 700 MHz Band 14 spectrum—the nationwide airwaves licensed to the FirstNet Authority—by the end of March 2023. Under the contract, AT&T was supposed to be 95% complete at the end of March this year, but the carrier already announced that it had passed that threshold in September 2021.

AT&T provided no updates about the progress of the Band 14 buildout for FirstNet during the quarterly call yesterday.

 

Tags: homepage-featured-4 5G Broadband Push-to-X Companies Coverage/Interference Critical Infrastructure Federal Government/Military Funding Internet of Things IoT/Smart X Long Term Evolution (LTE) News NTIA/FirstNet Policy Public Safety Public-Safety Broadband/FirstNet Software Standards State & Local Government Subscriber Devices System Installation System Operation Tracking, Monitoring & Control Wireless Networks News

Most Recent


  • Panasonic Connect launches Toughbook 40 rugged laptop
    Panasonic Connect this week announced the launch of the Toughbook 40, the highest-performing device in the family of fully rugged laptops, featuring LTE-Advanced and CBRS connectivity, and a lighter total weight, despite  boasting a 14-inch touchscreen display that is larger than the previous model in the Toughbook portfolio. In addition to all of its improved […]
  • FirstNet adoption tops 3.3 million connections and 20,500 agencies
    Newscan: ‘Predator’ spyware let government hackers break into Chrome and Android, Google says
    Web Roundup Items from other news organizations ‘Predator’ spyware let government hackers break into Chrome and Android, Google says A private firm exposes Chrome vulnerabilities to government hackers, says Google EPA seeks funding to improve water-system cybersecurity Philadelphia launches real-time smart-city project NIST’s supply-chain security guidance tells agencies: Look to FedRAMP first Senate report highlights […]
  • Malicious Python Repository Package drops Cobalt Strike on Windows, macOS & Linux systems
    Public repositories of open source code are a critical part of the software supply chain that many organizations use to build applications. They are therefore an attractive target for adversaries seeking to distribute malware to a mass audience. The latest case in point is a malicious package for distributing Cobalt Strike on Windows, macOS, and Linux systems, […]
  • T-Mobile's CEO explains the company's new private 5G strategy
    T-Mobile on Monday took the wraps off its new private wireless networking offerings, and the company’s CEO spoke about it at length during an investor event. “CIOs everywhere are interested in this topic right now,” T-Mobile’s Mike Sievert said Monday at the J.P. Morgan Global Technology, Media and Communications Conference. “And they’re interested in it for a reason. […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

To leave a comment login with your Urgent Comms account:

Log in with your Urgent Comms account

Or alternatively provide your name, email address below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • PSCR: Dereck Orr highlights features of June event in San Diego
  • CEO Parkinson to leave FirstNet Authority in two weeks
  • FirstNet adoption tops 3.3 million connections and 20,500 agencies
    Newscan: Who will pay for community paramedicine in Montana?
  • U.S. cell-tower climbers move to unionize

Commentary


LTE and liability: Why the fire service must move forward with digital incident command

  • 2
6th May 2022

Partnership and collaboration must be the foundation for emergency communications

18th April 2022

FirstNet success means no hypothetical ‘shots’ need to be fired, Swenson says

22nd February 2022
view all

Events


UC Ezines


IWCE 2019 Wrap Up

13th May 2019
view all

Twitter


UrgentComm

Panasonic Connect launches Toughbook 40 rugged laptop dlvr.it/SR5vl2

26th May 2022
UrgentComm

Newscan: ‘Predator’ spyware let government hackers break into Chrome and Android, Google says dlvr.it/SR2lBG

25th May 2022
UrgentComm

Malicious Python Repository Package drops Cobalt Strike on Windows, macOS & Linux systems dlvr.it/SR0Qb2

24th May 2022
UrgentComm

T-Mobile’s CEO explains the company’s new private 5G strategy dlvr.it/SQyzhc

24th May 2022
UrgentComm

Hytera, Motorola Solutions refile appeal, cross-appeal in civil case dlvr.it/SQxNX1

24th May 2022
UrgentComm

Amid shifting workplace expectations, local government employers must adapt dlvr.it/SQwVVs

23rd May 2022
UrgentComm

The private-wireless networking opportunity shouldn’t stay too private dlvr.it/SQw7MT

23rd May 2022
UrgentComm

Europe’s first driverless-car test completed dlvr.it/SQvqyY

23rd May 2022

Newsletter

Sign up for UrgentComm’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about Communications and Technology.

Expert Commentary

Learn from experts about the latest technology in automation, machine-learning, big data and cybersecurity.

Business Media

Find the latest videos and media from the market leaders.

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital and print audiences? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • American City & County
  • IWCE
  • Light Reading
  • IOT World Today
  • Mission Critical Technologies
  • Microwave/RF
  • T&D World
  • TU-Auto

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Events
  • Careers

FOLLOW Urgent Comms ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X