On May 7, I joined several of my AT&T colleagues and Tom Lampe, Senior Public Safety Advisor from the First Responder Network Authority (FirstNet Authority) to brief Oklahoma state legislators on the impact and many benefits of FirstNet®, Built with AT&T – the only nationwide public safety broadband platform dedicated to America’s first responders.
It was good to be back in our beautiful state capitol to visit with the members of the Veterans and Public Safety Caucus, a group of Oklahoma representatives and senators who focus on policies related to our veterans and public safety. I appreciate them for taking time out of their incredibly busy schedules to join us.
Meeting recap
First, we wanted to give our audience some background on FirstNet.
FirstNet was born from critical lessons learned during the tragic events of 9/11: our nation’s first responders need a reliable, dedicated communications network that allows them to stay connected when seconds matter most. It’s designed to enhance wireless communication for first responders, helping them reliably connect to the critical information they need.
In 2012, the FirstNet Authority was created as part of the Middle Class Tax Relief and Job Creation Act. The law allocated 20 megahertz of spectrum and $7 billion to establish a broadband network dedicated to the nation’s first responders. It also mandated the FirstNet Authority to ensure the building, deployment, and operation of the network, now known as FirstNet. In 2017, AT&T was selected to build out the FirstNet network through a public-private partnership with the FirstNet Authority. In fact, AT&T was the only major carrier to bid on this nationwide project.
Building the network in Oklahoma
Since then, AT&T has been working nonstop to build out this network in Oklahoma — and across the nation — to provide support to public safety when they need it most.
Whether responding to an emergency at a professional basketball game, assisting with tornado recovery efforts, or managing day-to-day operations, Oklahoma first responders in rural and urban areas are using FirstNet to increase their communications coverage and ensure their teams have reliable communications – no matter the situation. With FirstNet’s always-on priority and preemption features, first responders now have a VIP lane for communications. If there’s congestion on the network, a special lane is cleared for FirstNet users.
Here in Oklahoma, we’re connecting public safety agencies and organizations in more than 580 municipalities across the state, including organizations such as the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, the Oklahoma Electric Cooperative, and public safety agencies in communities statewide, including Bixby, Broken Arrow, Norman, Muskogee and many more.
FirstNet is also available to an extended community that could be called on to help support first responders – from the mitigation, remediation, overhaul, clean up and restoration to the provisioning of other services required during the time of an emergency or its aftermath — think hospitals, schools, utilities and transportation.
First responders in Oklahoma have access to tools like GPS tracking, live video streaming, and data sharing that enhance situational awareness. For instance, during a wildfire, firefighters can use drones connected to the FirstNet network to monitor the blaze’s progression in real time, enabling faster, smarter decision-making. These advancements save lives, protect property, and minimize risks.
We also have a fleet of deployables – equipment that can be dispatched to help boost coverage and capacity during emergencies or planned events.
Most recently, 100 mph, straight-line, tornado-force winds hit Tulsa, damaging homes, power lines and other infrastructure throughout the city.
When the Tulsa Fire Department requested FirstNet support, we deployed a FirstNet SatCOLT, or Satellite Cell on Light Truck, to provide first responders with dedicated connectivity on Band 14, which is nationwide, high-quality spectrum set aside by the federal government exclusively for FirstNet.
What’s on the horizon for FirstNet in Oklahoma
FirstNet has the largest wireless network footprint in the country, covering more first responders than competing commercial networks, and we are only continuing to grow.
As part of our investment initiatives with the FirstNet Authority to transform public safety’s communications, we recently completed the buildout of 1,000 new FirstNet sites across the country – well ahead of schedule and almost twice as fast as we pledged – providing first responders with dedicated connectivity on public safety’s Band 14 spectrum.
As part of this pledge, we turned on new sites in 25 different communities across Oklahoma last year. AT&T targeted cities and towns of all sizes ranging from OKC to Ardmore to Roff. We’ve also added Band 14 on more than 1,350 sites across the state to provide public safety with truly dedicated coverage and capacity.
And we’re continuing to expand FirstNet with purpose – built FirstNet sites — based on public safety’s direct feedback and network considerations. These sites will focus on building out coverage in rural, tribal and remote areas of the country.
We wrapped up the day with the presentation of a Citation from the legislature, given to me by Rep. Robert Manger, which read, in part: “…the Oklahoma House of Representatives honors FirstNet for its creation, mission, and steadfast commitment to empowering the first responders with reliable communication tools, expresses deep gratitude for its vital contributions to public safety in Oklahoma, and encourages continued support and expansion of its services statewide.”
Click here to read the entire citation.
On behalf of our entire team — and the Oklahomans who rely on FirstNet every day — thank you, Rep. Manger, and the caucus for welcoming us and spending time learning about the impact of FirstNet in our state.
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