AT&T, which in October revealed plans to bring mobile 5G to 12 cities this year, has announced an exclusive device availability that could enhance FirstNet members’ and first responders’ digital capabilities in the field and during major emergencies.
The communications provider said in a news release that it would offer three classifications of Cradlepoint 5G Evolution routers and modems just to FirstNet subscribers and business customers until March. The availability of three levels of products from Idaho-based Cradlepoint, a leader in in-cloud 4G LTE network solutions for government and the private sector, is aimed at empowering mobile users including firefighters, police and paramedics who are FirstNet members — but may still need more versatile options on the go.
Chris Sambar, senior vice president for FirstNet at AT&T, called the move “an important step” toward uniting FirstNet with the promise of 5G.
“By bringing these devices to the FirstNet ecosystem, we can continue to keep public safety on the cutting edge in network technology. First responders can benefit from fast speeds today while getting a path to easily move to 5G at a future state without having to fully rip and replace their equipment," Sambar said in a statement. Among the takeaways:
• The offering includes two series of routers and one modem. Cradlepoint’s IBR900-1200M and IBR1700-1200M are “ruggedized, GPS-enabled mobile routers,” AT&T said, designed to be used in police cars, ambulances and firetrucks — but also in mobile command centers and public utility vehicles. Its MC400-1200M modular modem was created to be used with “applicable” Cradlepoint routers to offer primary or secondary LTE connectivity across FirstNet and other AT&T networks. Cradlepoint’s AER2200-1200M router is an all-in-one device targeting small to medium businesses.
• The goal, a Cradlepoint representative told Techwire, is for all these products to support devices on AT&T’s 5G Evolution and its gigabyte-class LTE network — notably, by offering “aggregation” or simultaneous access across multiple spectrum bands including Band 14, which is exclusive to first responders during crises but available to residents when not needed by the public sector. An in-vehicle router, AT&T said, could support first responders’ ability to send and receive high-quality video while responding to an incident, and facilitate computer-aided dispatch.
On AT&T's 5G Evolution network, the Cradlepoint solutions would be capable of "reaching peak theoretical speeds" of up to 400 megabits per second depending upon the device supported, AT&T said; and peak theoretical speeds of up to 1 gigabit per second on its LTE-LAA network — noting actual speeds are lower and may vary.
• The devices are believed to be the first enterprise and first responder solutions for in-vehicle and branch networking, Cradlepoint said, highlighting their ability to offer mobile support — but also on-site connectivity at command centers, dispatch centers, 911 call centers, government facilities and stadiums being used during evacuation.
“There’s a lot of facilities that need to remain connected and need to be on a network that offers priority and pre-emption. And this is the first and, I believe, the only branch solution that is FirstNet-ready,” said Donna Johnson, Cradlepoint vice president of product and solution marketing, referring to the fact that the devices are all certified as FirstNet-ready and have been subjected to more than 3,500 tests.
