AT&T Plans All LTE Band Availability for FirstNet, Potentially by Year-End

Just over a month after beginning its public-private partnership with AT&T, FirstNet is achieving milestones ahead of its planned timeframe. All of AT&T’s LTE bands are planned to be available for the nation’s first public safety wireless broadband network as soon as the end of this year, according to FirstNet CEO Mike Poth.

That can happen as soon as a state governor accepts the FirstNet State Plan (“opt in”), writes Poth in a blog. Preemption services will be available on existing AT&T LTE bands nationwide while FirstNet deploys Band 14 for public safety, increasing the available public safety capacity “without having to wait for the availability of Band 14,” according to Poe. Continue Reading