New York City bets on T-Mobile for faster 5G and better public safety, AT&T responds

New York City has chosen T-Mobile as its municipal entity single carrier to support critical operations across the city, including public safety and employee communications. The partnership, announced today, aims to enhance connectivity for first responders and provide cost-saving benefits for city employees.

This collaboration is part of the city’s broader mission to improve safety and affordability for residents. As part of the agreement, T-Mobile will power New York’s public safety communications using its 5G standalone (SA) network, which the company claims offers increased security, lower latency, and advanced features like network slicing.

What this means is NYC’s first responders, including police, firefighters, and emergency medical teams, will gain access to T-Mobile’s T-Priority network. City Chief Technology Officer Matthew Fraser emphasized the deal’s importance, stating that it will help equip first responders with state-of-the-art tools to improve public safety operations.

T-Mobile is also working with tech companies like Samsung, Skydio, and Getac to equip first responders with advanced tools. These include rugged devices, drones, and AI-powered applications, all designed to improve situational awareness and response times. Additionally, T-Mobile plans to launch T-Mobile Starlink later this year, a satellite-based network that will provide connectivity in remote areas not covered by traditional cell towers. This service will be included at no extra cost for first responder agencies using T-Priority plans.

While T-Mobile is touting its first responder benefits, AT&T, which operates FirstNet — a network built for public safety — was quick to take aim at the announcement. Scott Agnew, President of FirstNet at AT&T, dismissed T-Mobile’s offering as a commercial product rather than a truly dedicated first responder network, stating:

“An entire communications network built exclusively for public safety, FirstNet is not a commercial offering — or even a slice of one. While other network solutions might say they are devoted to public safety, they hide the truth in fine print: throttled speeds during an emergency and a network build based on the bottom line, not the needs of public safety. Instead of working alongside America’s first responders to give them the network they asked for and deserve, they are using public safety as a marketing gimmick without much to offer in return. No connection is more important than one that can help save a life, and as public safety’s partner, FirstNet is in a league of its own. As the only carrier to answer public safety’s call for their own network, we are honored to provide the connectivity more first responders trust to complete their mission.”

Benefits for NYC employees and first responders

Beyond public safety improvements, the T-Mobile deal brings benefits to NYC city employees and first responders. T-Mobile is offering city workers and their families discounted mobile plans with perks such as free in-flight Wi-Fi, entertainment streaming bundles, and international high-speed data.

For first responders, T-Mobile is rolling out free access to the T-Priority network slice for those on its Go5G First Responder plan. This means volunteer firefighters and other emergency personnel can receive the same priority network access as agency-backed responders.

Additionally, the carrier has pledged a $2 million donation to the Tunnel to Towers Foundation, supporting scholarships for children of fallen first responders and other aid initiatives.

A high-stakes connectivity play

For T-Mobile, this deal is not just about supporting emergency services; it also cements its role as a major player in government and enterprise connectivity. The company has long positioned itself as a leader in 5G deployment, and securing a contract with a city as large and complex as New York is a significant achievement.

Callie Field, President of T-Mobile Business Group, described the agreement as a “tremendous honor” and praised the city’s commitment to innovation in public safety. However, the pressure will now be on T-Mobile to deliver reliable performance in one of the busiest and most challenging network environments in the country.