How is FirstNet different from AT&T’s commercial and consumer network?

A. (Short) FirstNet is not a commercial network – it was designed and built “from the ground up” specifically for first responders and the extended public safety community:

• Groundbreaking technology delivering priority and preemption
• Coverage and capacity reaching over 99% of Americans
• System reliability that’s purpose-built and reinforced
• Enhanced security to help ensure communications stay protected
• No speed limits because FirstNet subscribers will never be throttled

B. (Long) FirstNet Connectivity (178 words)

• The FirstNet dedicated core serves as the brain and nervous system of the nationwide network – it separates public safety traffic from commercial traffic and supports current FirstNet functions, like Quality of Service (QoS), priority and preemption.
• With First Priority® on Band 14 and AT&T existing LTE, first responders receive access to network resources first, ahead of others. And there’s no throttling for FirstNet users anywhere in the U.S. In times of crisis, first responders within the network get first access to necessary resources through the automatic preemption capabilities of the network.
• Coverage extends to 2.74 million square miles covering 76.2 percent of the continental United States. FirstNet wireless coverage will reach more than 99 percent of Americans.
• Over 6,000 distributed antenna systems in place providing enhanced connectivity, capacity, and coverage in multi-story buildings.
• Supporting both planned and unplanned events, FirstNet-dedicated deployable, such as Satellite Cells on Light Trucks, are mobile cell sites that link to FirstNet via satellite. They don’t rely on commercial power availability and provide first responders with the connectivity they require.

Brand Guidelines on using FirstNet and Family: