FirstNet, built with AT&T, has officially surpassed 7 million public safety connections, marking a significant milestone in its mission to deliver fast, reliable, and dedicated communications for first responders and the critical agencies that support them. With new infrastructure, expanded in-building solutions, and unprecedented network transparency tools, FirstNet is continuing to evolve as the communications backbone for emergency services across the U.S.
Coverage Where It Matters Most
Backed by the First Responder Network Authority, FirstNet now covers more than 2.99 million square miles — the largest wireless coverage footprint in the nation. In the past year alone, over 20,000 square miles of terrestrial wireless coverage have been added, equivalent to more than double the land area of New Jersey. FirstNet’s footprint exceeds competing commercial networks by an average of 250,000 square miles, reaching deep into rural, tribal, territorial, suburban, and urban areas alike.
This growth reflects AT&T’s ongoing investments to make FirstNet the most resilient and wide-reaching network available to public safety. The network’s build-out includes Band 14 spectrum, dedicated for first responders, and specialized deployables such as portable cell sites, flying COWs (Cells on Wings), and SatCOLTs (Satellite Cell on Light Trucks) that can be rapidly deployed during disasters.
“When our officers were deployed after Hurricane Helene, FirstNet kept us connected in remote areas,” said Chief Jeffrey Ackerman, Town of Duck Police Department. “It helped us coordinate search and rescue, conduct welfare checks, and even reunite a resident with her husband.”
Tackling In-Building and Remote Access Challenges
To address one of the most persistent pain points in emergency response — indoor coverage — AT&T is rolling out the next generation of FirstNet MegaRange™ solutions. The new Nextivity SHIELD MegaFi 2 routers are 5G-enabled and offer high-power user equipment (HPUE) designed to penetrate challenging indoor environments like parking garages, basements, and stairwells.
These routers are available in fixed, mobile, and portable form factors, giving agencies flexibility whether they’re outfitting vehicles, command posts, or stations. First responders using MegaRange benefit from up to 6x the signal power compared to commercial devices, providing broader coverage and faster uplink speeds essential for live video, push-to-talk, and data transmission.
FirstNet has also deployed over 11,000 Cell Booster Pros — small, plug-and-play mini cell towers — across public safety buildings nationwide. These devices have the cumulative effect of covering the equivalent of 60 Empire State Buildings, improving indoor reliability without the need for major infrastructure overhauls.
Space-Based Connectivity and Future Readiness
FirstNet is also looking beyond Earth’s surface. In partnership with AST SpaceMobile, AT&T is testing space-based cellular service that supports advanced public safety features, such as mission-critical push-to-talk and two-way communications, even in areas unreachable by terrestrial towers. This technology could prove vital for wilderness search and rescue operations, rural disaster zones, and offshore emergency response.
Unmatched Network Transparency
Perhaps one of the most groundbreaking updates is FirstNet’s new Network Status Map, accessible through FirstNet Central. This tool offers real-time insights into network conditions, planned maintenance, and active deployables — down to the county or neighborhood level. Agencies can even subscribe to alerts, allowing them to anticipate disruptions or monitor recovery during major incidents.
“Public safety deserves more than a commercial network,” said Scott Agnew, president of FirstNet, AT&T. “Our network was purpose-built for them, and with every upgrade — from rural expansion to real-time network visibility — we’re helping first responders stay prepared and connected wherever duty calls.”
FirstNet is the only nationwide communications platform exclusively dedicated to America’s first responders and public safety community. Established by Congress after the 9/11 Commission recommended a unified public safety network, FirstNet was built in public-private partnership between AT&T and the First Responder Network Authority, an independent agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce.
