T-Mobile US threw down the gauntlet to rivals AT&T and Verizon over emergency service networks, unveiling several new initiatives for first responders including an exclusive deal with New York City.

Callie Field, president of T-Mobile Business Group (pictured), highlighted four major moves during a live event attended by first responders from various New York City agencies yesterday (20 February).

The executive revealed the operator’s T-Priority service “will be the backbone for city operations”.

“They have a million buildings in the city. They don’t joke around when it comes to the safety of their communities.”

Field noted New York City has the largest number of public safety departments in the US, with more than 40,000 first responders answering more than 9 million emergency calls.

The operator will provide city emergency personnel with access to its standalone (SA) 5G network, enabling access to dedicated network slices and greater security.

T-Mobile’s next move is a collaboration with Samsung, Getac, Skydio and equipment company Rescue 42 covering provision of ruggedised devices and search drones.

The operator is also giving emergency workers free access to T-Priority for a limited time through Go5G First Responder rate plans and offering volunteers a low-cost plan for $48 per month with the option to add network slicing for $7.50 a month.

Lastly, the operator is donating $2 million to the Tunnel to Tower Foundation, a charity supporting families of fallen first responders.

Rivalry
Field argued T-Mobile’s networks provide better connectivity than AT&T-backed FirstNet Authority and Verizon’s Frontline, which she said “were built for the 4G era”.

She noted FirstNet primarily relies on Band-14, which is 4G and “has ten-times less capacity than our 5G network”.

“When there’s an emergency, if Verizon or AT&T can support and connect the first 100,000 first responders on their network, T-Mobile can support 140,000. And then we augment that with our dedicated T-Priority slice.”

Field said T-Mobile’s network offers data rates two-and-a-half times faster than its rivals, with network slicing providing a further bump.

FirstNet and Frontline each use 5G in their first responder networks.

Starlink
T-Mobile announced a direct-to-device service provisioned by SpaceX’s Starlink will be available at no extra cost to first responder agencies on T-Priority rate plans when it launches in July.

The operator began a public beta of the service earlier this month.

Jon Frier, president of T-Mobile’s consumer group and head of its emergency response efforts, said the service enabled more than 500,000 text messages during hurricanes and fires in the US.

“We believe our satellite-to-mobile service is a game changer to help first responders save lives.”