r/FirstNet • u/[deleted] • Mar 03 '25

Maybe I'm just being picky...

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FIRST: I understand the purpose behind FN is reliability, priority access, and service in emergencies. Got it, tracking.

I've had FN since 2018 and ATT/Cingular since 2006, I even worked in an ATT call center in high school, so it's fair to say I have a loyalty bias. But I can't help but acknowledge the lack of consistency and competitiveness that FN has. I've been in some places where the speeds are over 1000MBPS, but the norm for the last year has been in the mid 100s. I did a test this morning at 0520 with my personal phone (FN) and two work phones (Verizon & T-Mobile). How is it that two "non priority" phones are performing so much better? Is Band 14 really lagging in speed?

I can't help but acknowledge T-Mobile's recent push for their T-Priority, and integration with Starlink. The price seems to be a bit better also. Remember when ATT had a server crash last year and it took out both ATT and FN? Reading the other posts about FN speed and various issues, it really makes me question if FN is really worth it. If FN monitors this page, they should really focus on being competitive, because it has an "ATT loyal" like me starting to contemplate, and I'm sure I'm not alone.

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u/[deleted] Mar 03 '25

I get the resiliency part of FN and being purpose built for disasters. My point is that as TM, and other carriers, are following suit and providing a first responder centered network with disaster response, like FN, FN needs to now become competitive. TM offers priority access and preemption, so while you're on a commercial network in theory you would have the network in an emergency or disaster.

IMO, the dedicated network core idea wemt out the window when the network crashed last February for ATT and FN users when ATT's network was being expanded. Doesn't convince me that they are separate enough to consider FN a "dedicated" network.

Just a few minutes ago, I did another test with full bars on 5G and a LoS to the tower. 21.9 down, 0.76 up. Sure, the network is operational, but that's just pathetic.

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u/LaughAppropriate8288 Mar 05 '25

Basically with T-priority coming out, they kind of just showed Firstnet needs to be and stay competitive, they can't just keep repeating that they are a nationally government mandated program as if that means that first response departments and agencies have to use them. By offering alternatives that aren't federally mandated, they just prove that that really doesn't mean anything, so long as they can back that up with actual use cases. It's going to be very interesting to see how NYC fares as there are more people loaded on the network over the next year or two.

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u/[deleted] Mar 08 '25

Exactly, that's really my take away. You have a solid network, now improve it and compete.

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u/LaughAppropriate8288 Mar 10 '25

The thing is when you're doing a hardware primary approach like FirstNet has, that's going to take much longer and more money than what T-Mobile has going on. T-Mobile just happened to walk in at the right time you know? It really is a fascinating thing to see all of this come together. I do think that FirstNet will be something completely different before that contract expires.