AT&T proudly announces a 5G standalone FirstNet upgrade

FirstNet has long operated on a dedicated network core that's physically separate from AT&T's commercial network. The new announcement upgrades that infrastructure to a nationwide 5G Standalone (SA) core, allowing first responders to take advantage of the latest 5G architecture while keeping the dedicated network design that has always distinguished FirstNet.

A big plus

According to AT&T, separating FirstNet from its commercial network brings several advantages. The company says first responders will benefit from stronger security, improved reliability and greater operational control during emergencies. The dedicated architecture also creates additional redundancy by using multiple geographically distributed core sites, helping the network remain operational even if one location experiences an outage. This is pretty important stuff.

Moving to a true 5G Standalone core also enables technical improvements over older non-standalone 5G deployments. AT&T says the new platform delivers lower latency, faster upload speeds and improved responsiveness. Those upgrades are particularly important for applications that emergency agencies increasingly rely on, including body-worn cameras, live video streaming from accident scenes, connected drones, mission-critical push-to-talk services and other real-time communication tools.

It's also secure

Ma Bell says the FirstNet 5G SA core includes enhanced security measures designed specifically for public safety. Access is limited to authorized users with a FirstNet SIM card, while a dedicated security operations center monitors the network around the clock for potential threats.

Also, AT&T introduced a concept called Adaptive Mission Performance, which will gradually roll out as more FirstNet users migrate to the standalone core.

Rather than treating all network traffic equally, this system will be able to optimize performance based on the application being used. For example, live video from an active emergency could be given different network characteristics than routine data transfers, while mission-critical voice communications could be prioritized differently from telemetry or sensor data.

No additional costs

AT&T says FirstNet subscribers have already begun transitioning to the dedicated nationwide 5G Standalone core at no additional cost. The migration will continue over time, with Adaptive Mission Performance features arriving gradually as more agencies and devices move onto the new platform.