T-Mobile US announced it will be the first mobile operator in the nation to automatically prioritize data traffic for emergency services enrolled in a government initiative initially designed to put voice calls first.

The operator stated prioritizing data traffic is an element of its Connecting Heroes program launched in 2020, which included a streamlined eligibility process for the Wireless Priority Service (WPS), a voluntary government initiative that allows operators to give precedence to calls from emergency services. T-Mobile collaborated with the US Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) to offer national, state, and local emergency services top priority on its network for free.

The service works across smartphones, hotspots, and tablets, and T-Mobile pledged to maintain a minimum performance of 512Kb/s for applications in the event of a congested network or limited connectivity. T-Mobile explained it would commit network resources to emergency services and related agencies in areas of natural disasters or low coverage. Rivals Verizon and AT&T also provide dedicated emergency services networks.