T-Mobile unveils first-responder prioritization powered by 5G network slicing

T-Mobile yesterday announced T-Priority, an offering designed to prioritize first-responder communications by leveraging the carrier’s 5G standalone core and network slicing technology, and the City of New York as a significant new “anchor” user of the service.

T-Mobile Business Group President Callie Field compared the T-Priority service to the priority and preemption many public-safety users currently experience when connected to the FirstNet system that is built and maintained by AT&T.

“Today, first responders rely mostly on FirstNet’s Band 14 [700 MHz spectrum], which is 4G and has 10 times less capacity than our 5G network,” Field said during T-Mobile’s analyst day, which was webcast. “And while priority and preemption will get first responders on the [FirstNet] network, our dedicated slice is what gives them the resources that they need to transmit the content for their mission-critical applications.

“Think of the slice as a traffic cop, always directing traffic to make sure first responders get the best possible experience. It ensures that they can consistently get lower latency, faster 5G speeds and the highest prioritization across every single 5G band that we have at all times. And, in the extremely rare case of extreme congestion, our entire network effectively becomes dedicated to critical communications. In this situation, this slice will maintain a minimum service level for all first responders and 911 calls on the network.”

Network slicing is a 5G technology that has been anticipated for years by critical-communications users, because it is designed to let carriers customize connections in a manner that optimizes resources while delivering the type of connectivity—speed, latency, reliability, etc.—for a given application. However, network slicing requires a network built on a 5G standalone core—something T-Mobile has today, Field noted.

“AT&T FirstNet was the right solution for its time—a nationwide network dedicated to first responders to help tackle congestion in the wake of 9/11—but it was built for the 4G era,” Field said, noting that announced FirstNet investments indicate that “it will take them years” to complete a 5G standalone core.

“With T-Priority, first responders not only get priority and preemption on the largest, fastest and most-advanced 5G network, but we also deliver all of the benefits of T-Mobile’s 5G standalone core now.”

This can be crucial when delivering the communications of public-safety users, given the lives and property that can be saved when first responders can utilize advanced technology to its fullest potential, according to Field.

“And why does this matter?” she said. “It matters because, when there’s an emergency, we need to ensure that video from body cams or drones or security cameras is being prioritized on the best network in the America and getting back to first responders who need it to save lives.

“And let’s be clear: Our competitors do not have these slice-driven capabilities today.”

T-Mobile CEO Mike Sievert echoed this sentiment and highlighted why it is important for the carrier to prioritize the communications needs of public safety and other first responders.

“First responders put their lives on the line every day to protect our communities, and they deserve nothing less than the most advanced connectivity solutions to do their critical work,” Sievert said in a prepared statement. “With T-Priority, we’re more committed than ever to serving those who serve us all by delivering a dedicated 5G solution to agencies of all sizes across the country.

“At T-Mobile, our job is to make sure first responders can count on a consistent 5G experience that will evolve to meet the changing needs of the first responder mission, backed by a dedicated, award-winning support system, to be ready when it matters most.”

Field said that T-Mobile’s 5G network currently covers 98% of the U.S. population. T-Mobile continues to build out its terrestrial 5G network coverage and is exploring the use of satellite-direct-to-device technology to enable its customers to communicate when outside the carrier’s terrestrial footprint.

Among nationwide carriers, T-Mobile currently has “by far, the lowest share with first responders in the market,” but Field said initiatives like T-Priority provide an opportunity to transform the sector into a growth area for the company in the future. She also noted a key initial contract for the public-safety offering.

“I’m thrilled to announce that the City of New York will be the anchor customer for T-Priority,” Field said. “This is a true testament to the power of T-Priority, considering that New York City is the city that FirstNet was initially built for. We designed T-Priority with New York City and for New York City.

“T-Priority expands our momentum with first-responder agencies such as Chicago PD, LA [Los Angeles] Fire Department, and smaller, more rural cities like Peoria, Arizona.”

New York City CTO Matthew Fraser expressed optimism about the city’s new relationship with T-Mobile and the capabilities associated with T-Priority.

“Our north star for the City of New York is to make it safer and more affordable for all New Yorkers, including our dedicated public servants,” Fraser said in a prepared statement. “Providing our agencies and all city employees with the latest technologies is crucial to achieving this mission, and with T-Priority we will continue to do so.”

When asked by IWCE’s Urgent Communications whether the City of New York contract included the New York Police Department (NYPD) or the Fire Department of New York (FDNY), a T-Mobile spokesperson provided the following response:

“More details about our scope of support for the City of New York will be shared, but for now, we are thrilled to welcome them as our anchor T-Priority customer,” according to an e-mail from the spokesperson.