FirstNet expands North Carolina reach

First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet) officials said the high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to first responders has expanded across North Carolina as a means of advancing public safety communications.

“FirstNet is a dedicated broadband platform for public safety, by public safety,” FirstNet Authority CEO Edward Parkinson said. “We worked hand-in-hand with North Carolina’s public safety community to understand their needs for the network. And these network enhancements are a prime example of how that input and feedback is becoming reality. We look forward to supporting North Carolina’s first responders’ use of FirstNet to help them save lives and protect communities.”

The expansion effort, per authorities, includes the addition of five new, purpose-built FirstNet cell sites and other network enhancements, noting the endeavor would yield new infrastructure as part of the FirstNet network expansion delivering increased coverage, capacity, and capabilities for public safety.

“When an emergency happens and lives are on the line, reliable communications are essential,” Brunswick County Sheriff John Ingram, president of the North Carolina Sheriffs’ Association, said. “That’s true in rural areas and small towns, just as much as in major cities. Keeping first responders connected is what FirstNet and new cell sites like these are all about.”

FirstNet was built with AT&T in a public-private partnership.

“North Carolina’s first responders deserve reliable coverage across the state to help them effectively and efficiently address incidents. And with FirstNet, that’s exactly what they’re getting,” Trey Rabon, AT&T North Carolina president, said. “We couldn’t be more pleased to support the public safety mission and bring the state’s first responders – and residents – greater access to the connectivity they need. Working with public safety we’ve made FirstNet reliable, adaptable, and scalable during times of need.”