The FBI is expanding its usage of FirstNet, awarding AT&T a mobility contract for additional FirstNet capabilities to support the FBI’s day-to-day and emergency operations. The agreement, valued at approximately $92 million, is the largest commitment to FirstNet by a law enforcement or public safety agency.
FirstNet is built by AT&T in public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority)–an independent agency within the federal government. It is a high-speed broadband communications platform dedicated to and purpose-built for America’s first responders and the extended public safety community. FirstNet gives first responders always-on, 24-hours-a-day priority and preemption across voice and data. During an emergency, if network resources are scarce or unavailable, the preemption feature will automatically push non-emergency users to other bands of spectrum to allow critical law enforcement users, to maintain access to their voice and data. The FBI will access FirstNet using FirstNet Ready devices such as smartphones, air cards, modems and more.
Several other Department of Justice agencies are also using FirstNet, including the Antitrust Division; Drug Enforcement Administration; Executive Office of U.S. Attorneys; Justice Management Division; U.S. Attorneys; U.S. Marshals Service; and The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives.
“The FBI’s award to AT&T is testament to FirstNet’s law enforcement-specific attributes. We’re enormously proud to help the FBI and other DOJ agencies expand their FirstNet usage in support of their critical work to keep us safe and protect our democracy,” said Stacy Schwartz, vice president of the FirstNet Program at AT&T.