All 50 US States Opt-In to FirstNet

AT&T said Friday all 50 US states including Washington DC, US Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico have opted-in to its FirstNet communications network for first responders.

In March, the U.S. government awarded a contract to AT&T to build the network, years after a federal commission recommended setting up such a system following the 9/11 attacks.

FirstNet will give first responders dedicated access to LTE coverage and starting today the network will run on AT&T's existing LTE infrastructure.

The FirstNet program will be funded by success-based payments from the First Responder Network Authority that will total $6.5 billion over the next five years and AT&T says it will contribute around $40 billion over the next 25 years as it builds and manages the network.

"With every state saying 'yes' to the FirstNet plan, America's first responders now have a nationwide interoperable network they can rely on 24/7/365 - like their mission," First Responder Network Authority CEO Mike Poth, said. "I applaud these governors for their decision and congratulate public safety for its advocacy and partnership throughout the process."

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