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AT&T/FirstNet team briefs commissioners on public-safety network and local enrollment options
Summary
AT&T representatives described FirstNet’s public-safety capabilities, Band 14 coverage, recent North Dakota network upgrades, and an agency and family enrollment program for first responders and volunteers.
Representatives from AT&T and FirstNet presented to the Mercer County Commission on the band-14 public-safety network, recent North Dakota upgrades and enrollment options for agencies and individual first responders.
Keith Schloss, representing AT&T’s FirstNet program in North Dakota, said FirstNet was created after the September 11, 2001, communications failures to give first responders prioritized and preemptive access to cellular communications during crises. Schloss described Band 14 as dedicated spectrum for first responders and said that FirstNet subscribers have priority on that band and can access AT&T’s broader spectrum if needed. He also described preemption behavior: if critical congestion occurs, non‑first-responder traffic can be stepped down to preserve capacity for responders.
Travis Rich, a consultant supporting FirstNet in North Dakota, told the commission that AT&T and the FirstNet Authority have invested heavily in the state, adding dozens of sites and an ongoing network modernization project that is replacing older equipment with Ericsson hardware and adding 5G-plus capability. Rich said the county and some local cities already have several equipped sites and that roaming agreements provide redundancy.
Schloss and Rich explained two customer options: an agency program for county and city emergency services and a FirstNet “family” program that lets individual first responders enroll their personal lines at a discount and receive priority for service. Staff said the county would receive an affiliation code to help local first responders enroll more easily; individuals seeking the program could contact the county emergency manager to be vouched for rather than supplying badges or credentials.
Commissioners asked about coverage in Mercer County and were told AT&T had added sites in and around Mercer County, that some local agencies (including Beulah departments) had used FirstNet for years and that roaming had been set up statewide to provide redundancy. No action was required; commissioners thanked the presenters and asked staff to circulate the enrollment information.
