Jane Edwards
Fifty U.S. states, Washington, D.C. and two territories have agreed to take part in the First Responder Network Authority’s project with AT&T to build a national emergency broadband network.
“Securing 53 opt-ins is significant for the public safety personnel that this network will serve,†Chris Sambar, senior vice president for AT&T-FirstNet, said in a statement published Friday.
AT&T will establish and operate a national wireless communications network for first responders over the next 25 years under a potential $6.5 billion contract FirstNet awarded in March 2017.
The company said it expects FirstNet to approve plans for new site construction early this year to support the public safety network’s development.
Some of the services that AT&T and FirstNet plan to offer to subscribers in 2018 include access to a security operations center, mobile network assets, national packet-core network with end-to-end encryption technology and next-generation public safety platforms.
The territories of Guam, American Samoa and Northern Marianas Islands have until March 12 to decide whether to opt into the broadband network project.
