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Your network’s ready, so when the call comes in, you are too.

Reliable 5G connectivity, bolstered by operational best practices, for emergency response and public safety.
 

 

Time to read: 4 minutes

KEY TAKEAWAYS

  • Operational best practices give you an unprecedented level of connectivity support.
     
  • Rigorous lab and field testing in sites across America ensure only the most reliable experience for first responders. 

  • Network configuration, service availability, and service quality are centrally managed from our Network Operations Center.

  •  More than 70 of the top smartphone models, tablets, and other devices that your first responders use every day are certified, with more coming.

 

T-Priority, the world’s first 5G network slice for public safety, was purpose-built to address three connectivity challenges faced by first responders: network congestion, insufficient speeds for data-intensive communications like transmitting live video feeds, and coverage gaps.

Priority access, preemption, network slicing, and device certification make T-Priority uniquely suited to overcome these limitations.

Here’s why T-Priority is miles ahead of other Wireless Priority Service (WPS) providers. Network slicing is an advanced capability of 5G Standalone (SA) networks that lets us dedicate customized network partitions to specific use cases—like public safety comms. Today, T-Mobile is the only U.S. network operator to deploy the nationwide 5G SA Core needed to do this.

"T-Priority is built on the foundation of a 5G standalone core —giving first responders a dedicated, dynamic network slice, which isn't possible with older technologies like LTE or Wifi. Slicing is a field-tested, proven technology that our engineering team has used to deliver amazing capabilities for partners over the last four years."

John Saw, T-Mobile's Chief Technology Officer.

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With T-Priority, we can deliver faster 5G speeds and lower latency more consistently. T-Priority does this by elevating first responders to the highest priority across every 5G band, so you can be confident that your critical communications are our top priority.

Configuration, availability, service quality.

T-Priority’s ability to deliver effectively rests on a crucial piece of support infrastructure, the Network Operations Center (NOC). It’s where we centrally manage network configuration, service availability, and service quality.

The NOC gives our engineering team visibility into the performance of the network slice across our nationwide 5G network so we can monitor and ensure that service parameters are met and maintained.

We continuously enhance the T-Priority experience by keeping a close eye on key performance indicators such as network speeds, call performance, latency, and congestion levels. And, we conduct these KPI reviews at the account level, to a deeper cohort or divisional level, all the way down to the individual device.

Self-optimizing network (SON) modules serve as our eyes and ears on the ground—regularly checking tens of thousands of cell sites across the 5G network by looking for an identifier at each site. SON can even optimize the network automatically after a major disruption like a hurricane. These daily checks of the radio access network (RAN) ensure that the network slice is active, reducing concerns over T-Priority outages.

“If the slice ID was missing, the SON would automatically re-provision the slice on that site. That’s one of the beauties of SON.”

Jeff Holzinger, Senior Director with T-Mobile’s Access Network Development Team.

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And if a rare network issue were to arise, it’s resolved fast. Our artificial intelligence (AI) models can sniff out abnormalities in the network and address them automatically. If necessary, incidents are escalated to an even higher support tier for dedicated handling. This helps ensure rapid resolution—so rapid that some issues may be imperceptible to users.

Putting your devices to the test.

First responders use a growing range of 5G-capable devices. And we want to ensure that the devices you use every day work—every day.

In collaboration with our Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) partners, we’ve tested more than 70 smartphone models and other devices—prioritized based on the devices that are most used by first responders today. And the list of T-Priority-certified devices keeps growing.

“We’re very diligent about making sure that these products work properly, especially for something as critical as first responder devices.”

Scott Coffelt, Senior Product Manager, T-Mobile

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To get certification on T-Priority, devices undergo rigorous lab and field testing. Dozens of tests are run on each and every device, including different models and operating systems (OS), and the tests are duplicated both in the lab and in the field. And then, they’re retested on each radio network.

We sought out real-world congestion to push the testing to the limits, with field tests during the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City and college football games in Michigan and Alabama.

Better performance and wider coverage.

T-Priority stands out thanks to the technical prowess of America’s largest, fastest, and most advanced 5G network. Here’s how that translates into sheer performance:

  • Combined 4G/5G all-network speeds are 2.5x faster on average than other providers for data-intensive communications.
  • More first responders can stay connected, with 40% more 5G capacity than other providers.
  • More 5G coverage than AT&T and Verizon, with T-Mobile covering 98% of Americans, including expanded coverage in rural America.
  • Enhanced security via T-Mobile SASE helps defend against cyber threats.

Our customers get more consistent, higher-quality data transmission for critical communications. We deliver a target baseline level of service, or minimum bit rate (MBR), for T-Priority customers. T-Priority gives first responders two times the standard WPS baseline (for downlinks only).

Priority access and preemption.

You won’t have to wait in line to access T-Priority in emergencies. T-Priority customers are recognized and your traffic is prioritized over that of others.

This distinguishing capability is called priority access and preemption. Priority access, as the name implies, gives priority access to users who are signed on to Wireless Priority Service (WPS), a federal emergency telecommunications program under the management of the Department of Homeland Security. T-Mobile proactively enrolls eligible agencies in WPS free of charge.

Preemption kicks in if the network gets overly congested, as can happen when a major event causes a sharp spike in user activity. If the network reaches capacity, T-Priority recognizes emergency-response customers and preempts others, helping ensure emergency personnel gain much-needed access to the network. With 5G’s outstanding capacity, such situations are rare, but it’s reassuring to know preemption is there if it's needed.

Our commitment to your commitment.

T-Priority demonstrates our dedication to public safety and operational best practices, built on a foundation of 25 years of frontline emergency response experience. At the heart of this is our Emergency Response Team (ERT), whose engineers and emergency-response managers have supported first responders through hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes, earthquakes, and winter storms.

The ERT's capabilities extend beyond expertise to include:

  • Hundreds of deployable assets including Satellite Cells on Light Trucks (SatCOLTs) and Satellites on Wheels (COWs)
  • Portable generators for sustained operations
  • Remote antenna adjustment capabilities to maintain coverage in extreme conditions
  • Rapid deployment within hours of an emergency

This operational excellence drives our continuous innovation. T-Priority will evolve as a first-of-its-kind 5G network slice, with planned developments in inter-agency communications and other innovative solutions. In fact, T-Priority represents just the beginning of our network slicing capabilities.

Every innovation, from our ERT's rapid response capabilities to our advancing network technology, serves one purpose: ensuring that when emergency responders need to act, they have fast, reliable communications to support their mission.

For qualifying organizations on eligible rate plans. 

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