AT&T reached an agreement valued at up to $2 billion to upgrade the FirstNet emergency cellular network. The company operates the infrastructure for the U.S. Department of Commerce.
AT&T CEO John Stankey and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick finalized the deal following months of negotiations.
The agreement includes approximately $1 billion in direct network investments from AT&T. The government will secure another $1 billion in cost savings through reduced service rates.
The Commerce Department will accelerate regulatory approvals for the planned upgrades. FirstNet provides priority communications for first responders and is used by about 31,000 public-safety agencies across the U.S.