AT&T says it has invested more than $700 million in its metro Detroit area wireless and wired networks during 2016-2018, boosting reliability, coverage, speed, and overall performance for residents and businesses.
The communications giant also said it improved critical services that support public safety and first responders using the FirstNet communications platform and, in 2018, completed more than 100 wireless network improvement projects in the Detroit area, including adding seven new cell sites, upgrading Detroit’s major sporting venues, boosting network capacity, and improving network speeds.
“We’re consistently looking for new opportunities to enhance coverage for our customers and FirstNet subscribers,” says David Lewis, president of AT&T Michigan. “And our investment in the metro Detroit area is another example of how AT&T is investing in local communities to help keep customers connected when and where they need it most.”
Overall, AT&T’s wireless network covers more than 99 percent of all Americans and has become the fastest wireless network in the nation, according to the company. The AT&T LTE network covers more than 400 million people in North America.
Building its current and planned investments in Detroit and the surrounding areas, AT&T says it continues to extend the reach and increase the capacity of the FirstNet communications platform.
It has deployed Band 14 spectrum in more than 600 markets nationwide, including Detroit, and 14 is high-quality spectrum provided by the First Responder Network Authority. Its signal covers larger geographic areas with less infrastructure to better support rural communities, and it can better reach in-building in more urban areas as compared to higher-MHz spectrum.
Detroit first responders enjoy the fastest overall experience on FirstNet, compared to any commercial network in the nation, thanks to the specialized capabilities enabled by the physically separate and dedicated FirstNet network core, like always-on priority and preemption.
FirstNet is built by AT&T in a public-private partnership with the First Responder Network Authority – an independent agency within the federal government. This helps ensure that the FirstNet communications platform and service offerings meet the short- and long-term needs of the public safety community.
