- FirstNet’s president told Fierce that satellite will add to the network’s layered approach
- FirstNet is currently conducting beta tests of satellite capability
- Both AT&T and FirstNet are working with AST SpaceMobile on their satellite initiatives
AT&T’s FirstNet public safety network plans to offer satellite connectivity to first responders in the first half of 2026 to fill gaps in nationwide coverage.
FirstNet President Scott Agnew told Fierce, “You need a layered approach when deploying a public safety network.” AT&T’s mobile network covers nearly 3 million square miles in the U.S. The telco also uses a fleet of deployables such as cell-towers-on-wheels, which can be delivered to areas that have been hit by disasters. “Now, this is that satellite layer that's going to go fill out that white space area for public safety,” said Agnew.
In fact, in December some public safety organizations connected to the FirstNet network in West Texas on AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird satellites in orbit.
AT&T’s commercial mobile network and the FirstNet public-safety network are tightly integrated, and they’re both working with the satellite operator AST SpaceMobile to provide satellite connectivity to consumers and first responders.
Currently, AST SpaceMobile has deployed six of its super-large satellites into orbit. AST says it’s planning to have 45-60 satellites in orbit by the end of 2026, although some analysts question whether that’s feasible.
In addition to satellites, the partners also need ground gateways. AST SpaceMobile deploys satellite dishes and equipment used to communicate with the satellites, while AT&T provides the transport and other gateway equipment to interface to the mobile network.
Fierce asked Agnew how many AST satellites need to be in orbit to provide FirstNet coverage across the contiguous U.S. “We’re still working that through,” said Agnew. “There's still testing going on. But our expectation is that we are going to provide 100% continental U.S. based coverage, not just text messaging, but voice capabilities, data capabilities, mission critical capabilities.”
Both AT&T and FirstNet are hedging on the question of when they will deliver satellite service to customers and first responders. Agnew would only say that FirstNet plans to conduct beta tests of satellite service in the first half of this year. And he said FirstNet is being prioritized over commercial customers.
One of the big public safety benefits of FirstNet is that it operates over dedicated spectrum at Band 14. And FirstNet has priority and preemption on all of AT&T’s spectrum bands. Agnew said that when satellite connectivity is included in FirstNet’s coverage, it will also have priority over commercial traffic.
In related news, FirstNet recently introduced its FirstNet Fusion client, which is a mission critical push-to-talk application that allows multiple first responders to communicate with each other at the same time. It can connection teams across almost any radio system or wireless provider. The Fusion client will be launched in the first half of 2026. And Agnew said, “We have actually tested the Fusion product over satellite.”
As of the third quarter 2025, FirstNet serves 7.8 million public safety connections.
Is AST a good bet?
Fierce asked Agnew if AT&T feels a little behind on the satellite front, given that T-Mobile is already providing its mobile customers with emergency satellite texting through its partnership with SpaceX's Starlink.
Agnew said, “I think we're ensuring that we get it right and that we have the latest technology and the best technology that's going to provide the best performance, speeds, battery life and coverage. I think getting this right was the most important thing.”
But in a recent satellite research report prepared by Recon Analytics analyst Roger Entner, he wrote that AST SpaceMobile is significantly behind, operating only a handful of satellites with plans for just 45 to 60 by late 2026, a timeline where Starlink will have already been providing full services for nearly a year.