T-Mobile, Verizon duke it out for 5G public safety slices

Competition in the public safety market has increased ever since AT&T won the contract to provide the network for the FirstNet Authority—and now it’s getting even hotter in the 5G era as carriers roll out more advanced technologies like network slicing. To wit: T-Mobile formally launched T-Priority, which includes network slicing for public safety, on February 20 after unveiling it in September 2024. Verizon Frontline recently announced the availability of its 5G network slices for first responders in select markets. Coincidence? Not exactly. But Verizon said it’s been working nearly 18 months in close collaboration with public safety agencies in cities across the country to rigorously test and refine its 5G network slicing technology. Where is AT&T’s FirstNet service in all of this? To hear AT&T and the FirstNet Authority tell it, FirstNet is in a league of its own. AT&T was awarded the 25-year FirstNet contract in 2017. According to AT&T, the network slicing will come “one day,” but they’re not saying when. Until then, FirstNet has enough capacity to support every first responder in the country with a “dedicated and highly secure platform” that’s purpose-built for their unique needs, the company said.