AT&T, Inc., announced today that it has deployed Band 14 equipment at more than 2,500 cell sites across the country, and that it is working to add another 10,000 or more sites. AT&T also said that the first dedicated deployable assets for the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) network it is building have been delivered.

“Band 14 deployments are underway in 50 states and Puerto Rico. And it’s already on-air for testing in 40+ states,” AT&T said in a news release. “This includes California, Florida, Illinois, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas. Band 14 will continue to be rapidly deployed nationwide and submitted to the FirstNet Authority for validation.” “More than 1,000 new sites are planned as part of the FirstNet Band 14 build,” AT&T added.

AT&T also said that “the first FirstNet-dedicated deployable network assets, such as Satellite Cell on Light Trucks (SatCOLT), are now available.”

There has been a delay in getting deployable equipment ordered for the FirstNet program delivered. Under its contract with FirstNet, AT&T has to have all 72 dedicated deployables ready by September. AT&T has said it will meet that milestone.

AT&T also said today that “[i]n the past month, adoption has grown to nearly 1,500 public safety agencies across 52 states and territories. This accounts for more than 110,000 connections on the FirstNet network.”

“It is great to see the incredible strides being made in the initial deployment of public safety’s spectrum,” said FirstNet Chief Executive Officer Mike Poth. “There’s still much work to be done and as the FirstNet buildout continues, we’ll work hand-in-hand with AT&T to ensure that FirstNet’s advancements meet the needs of first responders.”- Paul Kirby, paul.kirby@wolterskluwer.com

Courtesy TRDaily