AT&T and the First Responder Network Authority have partnered to address New York City’s public safety connectivity needs amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
The company coordinated with the city’s government, hospitals and public safety authorities to facilitate health care activities in response to the coronavirus issue, Jason Porter, AT&T’s senior vice president for the FirstNet program, wrote in a blog post published Monday.
AT&T equipped NYC ambulances with ultra-rugged Sonim XP8 and enhanced integrated push-to-talk equipment that allows dispatchers to visually locate and communicate with fielded first responders.
The two partners have also coordinated with authorities to help USNS Comfort’s first responders avoid network traffic congestion. USNS Comfort is a medical ship that visited NYC to provide relief for non-coronavirus patients to reduce the workload in city hospitals.