AT&T and FirstNet announced this week that both entities boosted their LTE coverage area by more than 50,000 square miles in the United States last year, covering an additional 1 million individuals.
“The demand for data has been on a nonstop, upward trajectory for years,” said Marachel Knight, senior vice president of wireless and access engineering, construction and operations for AT&T. “Our ongoing work to launch new sites and build out our LTE network is delivering increased network speeds and capacity. By the end of this year, we expect our network capacity to increase by 50% since the end of 2017 while simultaneously laying the foundation for a 5G future.”
The expansion targeted both rural and urban areas, through the deployment of Band 14 spectrum. While this means more connectability for customers, it also means a larger service network for first responders, who are directly served by the FirstNet system. To date, more than 5,250 public safety agencies utilize that system, and its user base has jumped more than 60 percent to reach more than 425,000 connections to date.
“FirstNet is advancing quickly – both in terms of progress and adoption. It’s an incredible testament to the need first responders have for a dedicated, purpose-built network as well as the unparalleled capabilities FirstNet has already delivered. We are looking forward to the further expansion of FirstNet in the year ahead and will continue to work closely with first responders and AT&T to ensure FirstNet is being built to their specifications – coverage and capacity included,” FirstNet Authority Acting CEO Edward Parkinson said. “With the Band 14 buildout validated thus far, we’re pleased that more first responders in rural and urban areas have even more access to the connectivity and modern communications tools they need.”
Band 14 is a spectrum provided by the FirstNet Authority, specifically. It uses less infrastructure to broadcast its signal and, thanks to its lower-MHz spectrum, can better penetrate buildings and walls in urban areas. When not in use by responders, AT&T utilizes the added coverage and capacity for its customers.
When not in use by FirstNet subscribers, AT&T customers can enjoy Band 14’s added coverage and capacity.