The First Responder Network Authority Board has earmarked $190 million for the government’s 2023 fiscal year to update the nationwide wireless emergency communications network that contractor AT&T (NYSE: T) helped build.
FirstNet said Wednesday the allocated funds for network modernization are part of a $358 million annual spending package that received unanimous board approval.
The remaining $168 million will go to agency operations and operating reserves.
AT&T and the agency signed a $6.5 billion public-private partnership deal for the buildout project in March 2017.
The network currently supports 21,800 public safety agencies with approximately 3.7 million connections, according to the agency.
In 2021, the partnership made investments to expand its fleet of deployable assets that are available to subscribers and give them access to 5G services.
