The U.S. Army has awarded FirstNet a task order to support firefighters, law enforcement and security personnel at 72 Army installations across the U.S. and Puerto Rico, the company reported on Tuesday. FirstNet will provide support and mission-focused tools to help the Army ensure reliable, secure communications capabilities during national emergencies.
"FirstNet is helping us improve vital communications on our installations, depots and arsenals, including during catastrophic disasters or emergencies when communications capabilities are strained," said Col. Kevin Comfort, Command Provost Marshal at Headquarters, Installation Management Command.
Under the task order, AT&T will deliver nearly 3,200 lines of FirstNet services, more than 3,000 FirstNet-capable devices and over 700 signal boosters to help improve indoor connectivity. The company will also provide staging and kitting of devices, including preloading multiple FirstNet apps on the devices.
"We're adopting FirstNet because it is designed for public safety professionals with priority, preemption and highly reliable data communications that will improve our overall response and our interoperability with our civilian partners," Comfort added.
In addition, the U.S. Army will gain access to more than 76 land-based and airborne portable cell sites stationed across the country to provide connectivity during significant events in support of public safety's mission.
"It's an honor to help the U.S. Army enhance its vital communications with FirstNet capabilities," said Jill Singer, vice president of Defense and National Security, AT&T Public Sector and FirstNet. Singer is also a 2020 Wash100 Award recipient and notable GovCon Expert.