RESTON, Va., Oct. 4, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Minnesota is
bringing modernized communications technology to first responders.
Today, Governor Mark Dayton
announced his decision to participate in the FirstNet and AT&T*
plan to deliver a wireless broadband network to the state's public
safety community. FirstNet will bring advanced tools to help
Minnesota's first responders save
lives and protect communities.
"First responders across our state risk their lives every day to
protect and serve the people of Minnesota," said Governor Dayton. "Modernizing
our communications infrastructure will allow our courageous first
responders to coordinate and respond more quickly, effectively, and
safely, creating better outcomes for them and the communities they
serve."
AT&T, in a public-private partnership with FirstNet, will
build, operate and maintain a highly secure wireless broadband
communications network for Minnesota's public safety community at no cost
to the state. The FirstNet network will drive innovation and create
an entire system of modern, life-saving devices, apps and tools for
first responders.
"Governor Dayton's decision to launch FirstNet in Minnesota will dramatically enhance police
work across the state by giving law enforcement access to the most
advanced communications capabilities available today," says
FirstNet Board Member Richard Stanek, who has served as the Sheriff
of Hennepin County since 2007. "It
will also modernize communications used by fire, EMS, and other
public safety personnel, which will help all first responders
maintain the safety of our neighborhoods and communities."
The FirstNet network will transform the way Minnesota's fire, police, EMS and other public
safety personnel communicate and share information. Specifically,
it will:
- Connect first responder subscribers to the critical information
they need in a highly secure manner when handling day-to-day
operations, responding to emergencies and supporting large events
like championship sporting events.
- Create an efficient communications experience for public safety
personnel in agencies and jurisdictions across the state during
severe weather events, including heavy rain and snow, tornadoes and
high-velocity, straight-line winds.
- Enhance and expand network coverage across Minnesota's diverse landscape, benefitting
first responders and residents throughout the state's rural areas,
across Minnesota's vast plains, in
wilderness areas and around its many lakes and waterways.
- Usher in a new wave of dependable innovations for first
responders. This will create an ever-evolving set of life-saving
tools for public safety, including public safety apps, specialized
devices and Internet of Things technologies. It also carries the
potential for future integration with NextGen 9-1-1 networks and
Smart Cities' infrastructure.
FirstNet and AT&T designed Minnesota's network solution with direct input
from the state and its public safety community, helping to address
the state's unique communications needs. This includes:
- Extending coverage to first responders in rural areas and
improving coverage along Minnesota's border with Canada.
- Using the FirstNet platform to drive innovation in public
safety applications.
- Providing first responders with access to dedicated network
assets that can be deployed for additional coverage and support
when needed.
"Governor Dayton's decision to join FirstNet will enhance public
safety communications throughout the state," said FirstNet CEO
Mike Poth. "This network will
connect first responders operating across Minnesota, from the populous centers of
the Twin Cities to remote areas
near the Canadian border. FirstNet and AT&T are pleased to have
delivered a plan that meets Minnesota's unique needs, and we look forward
to bringing the network to public safety throughout the Land of
10,000 Lakes."
The decision enables FirstNet and AT&T to begin creating an
entirely new wireless ecosystem for public safety communications.
Minnesota's first responder
subscribers will have immediate access to quality of service and
priority to voice and data across the existing nationwide AT&T
LTE network.
Preemption for primary users over the AT&T LTE network is
expected by year-end. This means fire, police, EMS and other public
safety workers will have dedicated access to the network when and
where they need it – 24/7/365, like their mission.
"We congratulate Governor Dayton on taking the first steps
necessary to provide our state's public safety community with the
cutting-edge technologies they need to protect Minnesotans," said
Paul Weirtz, president, AT&T
Minnesota. "AT&T is honored to bring FirstNet to
Minnesota. We are proud to already have the most wireless
coverage in Minnesota. And we are excited to strengthen our
network coverage across the state to provide first responders with
the innovative communications tools they deserve to carry out their
life-saving mission."
For more information on FirstNet, please visit
FirstNet.gov/mediakit and att.com/FirstResponderNews. For more
about the value FirstNet will bring to public safety, please visit
FirstNet.com.
About FirstNet
The First Responder Network Authority
(FirstNet) is an independent authority within the U.S. Department
of Commerce, overseen by a 15 member Board. Chartered in 2012, its
mission is to ensure the building, deployment, and operation of the
nationwide, broadband network that equips first responders to save
lives and protect U.S. communities. Learn more at
FirstNet.gov/mediakit and follow FirstNet (@FirstNetGov) on
Facebook and Twitter for updates.
*About AT&T
AT&T Inc. (NYSE:T) helps millions
around the globe connect with leading entertainment, business,
mobile and high speed internet services. We offer the nation's best
data network** and the best global coverage of any U.S. wireless
provider. We're one of the world's largest providers of pay TV. We
have TV customers in the U.S. and 11 Latin American countries.
Nearly 3.5 million companies, from small to large businesses around
the globe, turn to AT&T for our highly secure smart
solutions.
AT&T products and services are provided or offered by
subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T
brand and not by AT&T Inc. Additional information about
AT&T products and services is available at about.att.com.
Follow our news on Twitter at @ATT, on Facebook at facebook.com/att
and on YouTube at youtube.com/att.
© 2017 AT&T Intellectual Property. All rights reserved.
AT&T, the Globe logo and other marks are trademarks and service
marks of AT&T Intellectual Property and/or AT&T affiliated
companies. All other marks contained herein are the property of
their respective owners.
**Claim based on the Nielsen Certified Data Network Score. Score
includes data reported by wireless consumers in the Nielsen Mobile
Insights survey, network measurements from Nielsen Mobile
Performance and Nielsen Drive Test Benchmarks for Q1 + Q2 2017
across 121 markets.
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SOURCE AT&T Inc.