FirstNet is the country’s first nationwide public safety communications platform dedicated to first responders, and AT&T is proud to support it.
FirstNet is an independent authority established by Congress in 2012, responsible for the design, construction, deployment, operation, and management of a single nationwide, interoperable Nationwide Public Safety Broadband Network (NPSBN). FirstNet selected AT&T as the NPSBN provider to assume operational, financial, and technical responsibilities associated with the network for up to 25 years. The FirstNet network offers first responders guaranteed priority and preemption when they’re needed. Find more information about FirstNet here.
The information on this page will help you understand the technical approval process for IoT FirstNet devices for use on the FirstNet packet core using a 313-100 UICC. PLEASE NOTE that consumer grade smartphones and tablets fall outside the scope of the certification program.
Certifying a device for use on the FirstNet network involves extra time, cost, and effort. Device manufacturers should take this into account when deciding if their device truly requires access to the FirstNet network. A FirstNet SIM card will only be provided to eligible first responders. Find a complete description of eligible FirstNet users here. Keep in mind that certifying your device for FirstNet operation does not necessarily mean that the users of your device will be eligible for FirstNet.Band 14 is 20MHz of 700 MHz spectrum allocated by Congress for emergency communications for FirstNet. AT&T is using Band 14 on the FirstNet core, along with AT&T’s other spectrum bands, to support emergency responders and all FirstNet certified devices must support Band 14 as well as AT&T commercial bands 2, 4, and 12.
AT&T issues two types of Technical Acceptance Letters for a FirstNet certification:
All FirstNet capable devices will be onboarded through the AT&T Project One web site and follow the prompts for a device inside North America. Please be sure to onboard your request and confirm testing deliverables BEFORE contracting with any outside third party labs.
Scope of FirstNet Device Testing
FirstNet certification must be obtained in addition to carrier certification. Refer to Get Certified for a description of the carrier certification process and requirements.
In addition to carrier certification, FirstNet devices are subject to the following ADDITIONAL validation areas:
Only finished and fully integrated devices are eligible for FirstNet certification. The lack of a finished platform makes it difficult to evaluate the security risks and to properly identify the device on the FirstNet network. Therfore, the following device types must be aligned to a FirstNet use case and require pre-approval before certification will be granted. Consult with your IoT team representative prior to capital expenditure. Consult this link for a list of all device types and their associated FirstNet eligibility status.
-Socket Modem– Serial Modem– USB Modem– Other (device does not clearly fit into any category)
The FirstNet network will be upgraded to support enhanced security. As a result, one important network parameter (MTU – Maximum Transmission Unit), will be change and a modification to a previously certified device is needed. See this page for more details.
You can download an implementation guide here. On that page, you will find a PDF document titled “FirstNet Implementation Guide.” This document provides even more specific information regarding test labs, device requirements, and security validation that you may find helpful. An active NDA with AT&T is required to view this document.
