Security News > 2021 > April > FirstNet public safety cellular network adds 5G and data encryption
AT&T's public safety network picks up new features, including full tower-to-core encryption and a custom 5G setup.
FirstNet, the dedicated public safety cell carrier, is adding 5G support and new encryption for user data.
AT&T's 5G service has been inaccessible to FirstNet users ever since it launched because a number of FirstNet-exclusive features that are available on the FirstNet 4G LTE do not yet exist on the newer, more cutting-edge network.
FirstNet users receive automatic priority and preemption across AT&T's commercial cellular bands as well as access to an exclusive LTE Band 14 set of spectrum that is reserved for FirstNet customers.
"5G for FirstNet is not your typical 5G," explained Jason Porter, president of Public Sector and FirstNet for AT&T. "There's no doubt that 5G has a lot to offer the entire public safety community, but what's most important is ensuring that as new technologies become available that we take a first responder-centric view in how we approach its deployment."
FirstNet is rolling out first-of-its-kind encryption between the cell tower and the FIrstNet core network.