FirstNet Authority commits to investing more than $8 billion into FirstNet NPSBN
Officials representing the FirstNet Authority and network partner AT&T today announced plans to invest more than $8 billion during the next decade that is earmarked to fund 5G evolution, expanded mission-critical services and coverage enhancements to the FirstNet nationwide public-safety broadband network (NPSBN).
“Today definitely marks a milestone in the evolution of FirstNet,” FirstNet Authority Richard Carrizzo said during an event in Fairfax, Va., celebrating the investment announcement. “We’re here to launch the next phase of … the public-safety broadband network with a major investment announcement in innovation and mission-critical services for all of public safety.”
FirstNet Authority Executive Director and CEO Joe Wassel described AT&T—announced as the FirstNet contractor in March 2017—as an “amazing” public-private partner in building and maintaining the FirstNet system, noting that the carrier giant completed the initial five-year buildout on 700 MHz Band 14 spectrum on time.
“In March of last year, the initial buildout was complete in every state, in every territory and the District of Columbia, but that’s not the end of the story. It’s just the beginning of the journey,” Wassel said during the Fairfax event. “We’re not done, and we’re launching … FirstNet 3.0, which begins right here, right now.
“These are some big numbers for public safety today. “We are excited to unveil a 10-year investment—an initiative totaling over $8 billion—that will transform this network into [FirstNet] 3.0.”
According a press release issued today, the FirstNet Authority will make a $6.3 billion network investment with AT&T that is expected to allow the NPSBN to provide users with full 5G capabilities via a 5G standalone (SA) core, expand mission-critical services like mission-critical-push-to-talk (MCPTT) and enhance coverage.
Jim Bugel, president of AT&T FirstNet team, talked about significance of the network investment to public safety.
“As we look ahead, delivering the standalone 5G core will be a game-changer for all of the nation’s first responders—rural, urban, tribal and territorial,” Bugel said during the event in Fairfax. “Together with the FirstNet Authority, we will continue to drive innovation, expand mission-critical capabilities, build out reliable connectivity dedicated to [public safety] and what you do at the most important times.
“It’s real stories from the public-safety community that keep us moving as quickly as possible to deliver the tools and solutions to first responders needed to keep them safe and to keep our communities safe. After all, we all know that there is no connection more important than the one that saves lives.”
Although the $6.3 billion includes money for enhanced coverage—notably, at least 1,000 new cell sites within the next two years—even more money is expected to be allocated to increasing FirstNet coverage.
“The FirstNet Authority anticipates an additional $2 billion in ongoing investments dedicated to coverage enhancements, which is currently under discussion by the parties,” according to the press release.
Wassel said the $2 billion investment during the next decade would be used “to deliver Band 14 coverage in every state, in every territory, in the District of Columbia, in rural areas and capacity in the urban areas. We will invest in coverage enhancement that reflect public-safety factors and network considerations.