Verizon Unveils Public Safety LTE Core Including Priority Service and Preemption

This dedicated private core is a centerpiece of expanded products and services designed to enhance Verizon’s industry-leading 4G LTE network for public safety. Additionally, Verizon offers public safety customers preemption and mobile broadband priority service at no additional charge.

The Verizon public safety private core provides several key features to public safety customers including traffic segmentation, priority and preemption, improved security, and enhanced service management and control. It is connected to Verizon’s Radio Access Network (RAN) which utilizes spectrum in various bands including the 700 MHz, 800 MHz Cellular, 1.9 GHz PCS, and 1.7/2.1 GHz AWS bands. The public safety core separates data traffic of public safety mobile users from commercial users across Verizon’s 4G LTE network. Public safety users will have their data immediately recognized as public safety with priority access at the tower and through the network. The private core leverages leading edge networking technology to provide security, flexibility and reliability.

“Public safety answers the call when we need them most,” said John Stratton, Verizon executive vice president and president of global operations. “We remain committed to providing them innovative communications solutions that help them help us, and we are honored by the trust they put in Verizon every day.”

Mobile Broadband Priority and Preemption Services

In addition to the availability of the public safety private core, Verizon public safety customers will also have access to several new and enhanced services, including:

• Mobile Broadband Priority Service (MBP) – MBP provides public safety users priority service for data transmissions. During times of heavy commercial network congestion, MBP users will receive priority over commercial users. MBP enables priority service for public safety officials using applications on smartphones or tablets, transmitting data from first responder vehicles or video from surveillance cameras. MBP, Wireless Priority Service (WPS) and private network traffic management combine to transmit the voice, data and Internet of Things (IoT) communications public safety and government agencies rely on to protect and serve.
• Preemption – Verizon will provide preemption services to public safety customers to maintain communications when they need it most. Preemption will allow Verizon to automatically reallocate network resources from commercial data/Internet users to first responders in the unlikely event network capacity is reached.

Both MBP and preemption service will be offered at no additional charge for public safety customers.

“We continue to make the investments necessary to give public safety access to the best possible network coverage, reliability and capability, whenever they need it,” said Michael Maiorana, senior vice president, public sector for Verizon. “Our public safety network will provide a comprehensive and cost-effective solution for public safety, and we’ll continue working to ensure first responders get the network reliability and access to innovative services they need to keep our communities safe.”