FirstNet is AT&T’s dedicated public safety network, with its own plans priced from roughly $27 to $100 a line depending on tier and how many lines are on the account.
FirstNet was built by AT&T with the First Responder Network Authority, a federal authority created specifically to give public safety its own wireless network rather than share capacity with everyone else during an emergency. It runs on AT&T’s infrastructure but is sold and managed separately from AT&T’s regular retail plans.
How To Get FirstNet
Sign up directly through firstnet.com, not through a regular AT&T store or att.com. FirstNet prices four plan tiers per line, and the per-line price drops as more lines join the account. FirstNet’s own site lists (with eligible autopay and paperless billing, taxes and fees extra):
- Value 2.0: $45/mo (1 line), $40.50/mo (2 lines), $31.50/mo (3 lines), $27/mo (4+ lines), per line
- Extra 2.0: $59.50/mo (1 line), $51/mo (2 lines), $42.50/mo (3 lines), $34/mo (4+ lines), per line
- Premium 2.0: $72/mo (1 line), $64/mo (2 lines), $52/mo (3 lines), $40/mo (4+ lines), per line
- Elite 2.0: $100/mo (1 line), $90/mo (2 lines), $75/mo (3 lines), $65/mo (4+ lines), per line
Who Qualifies for FirstNet?
FirstNet’s own site describes eligibility broadly: “Millions of public safety roles are eligible,” spanning healthcare, public works, the justice system and the National Guard, not just police, fire and EMS. Rather than list every job title, FirstNet directs applicants to its own online eligibility check.
What do FirstNet subscribers actually get for the price?
Priority and preemption on the network during congestion or a disaster, meaning a FirstNet line is designed to keep working when a regular AT&T line might slow down or drop in the same emergency. That’s the core product FirstNet sells, on top of standard unlimited talk, text and data.
What about my family’s regular AT&T plan?
Once you’re a verified FirstNet subscriber, your family members can get a separate discount on their own regular AT&T retail lines through FirstNet & Family: 20% off Premium 2.0, 15% off Extra 2.0, or 10% off Value 2.0 plans. See the full AT&T post for how FirstNet & Family works and how to enroll a family line.
Q&A
Q: Is FirstNet the same as the regular AT&T first responder discount?
A: No. FirstNet is its own network and plan line with its own pricing, sold through firstnet.com. It isn’t a percentage taken off a standard AT&T plan.
Q: Do I have to switch away from my current carrier?
A: FirstNet runs on AT&T, so signing up does mean moving your service to AT&T’s network if you’re not already there.
Q: Why does the per-line price drop with more lines?
A: FirstNet prices scale down as more lines share an account, the same shape as most family wireless plans, so an agency or a household with several first responders pays less per line.
More Information:
Terms, pricing and eligibility can change. Confirm current details directly with FirstNet before relying on them.
