This post first appeared on the AT&T blog.
By Scott Agnew, President – FirstNet, AT&T
As the Bay Area prepares to host professional football’s most anticipated event, FirstNet®, Built with AT&Tis dedicated to supporting the first responders and public safety officials on the ground. After more than a year of close coordination with the City of San Jose, San Jose Police Department, San Jose Fire Department and numerous other federal, state and local agencies, FirstNet is powering a resilient connectivity plan to keep first responders mission ready throughout every moment of the Big Game.
“San Jose was the first city in the country to fully adopt FirstNet because we believe in equipping our first responders with the best technology to keep our community safe,” said San Jose Mayor Matt Mahan. “Reliable communication from AT&T is helping thousands of fans have a safe experience at the Big Game in the Capital of Silicon Valley.”
Tackling the Game Plan
Leading up to the Big Game, our teams made sure the stadium was ready to support all public safety operations on FirstNet, the only network purpose-built from the ground up with and for America’s first responders. The Bay Area already has strong Band 14 coverage that provides dedicated public safety connectivity when needed. Unlike commercial networks, FirstNet is the only network with a mandate to never slow down public safety’s critical communications.
Additionally, our team of former first responders, theFirstNet Response Operations Group™ (ROG) is a critical member of public safety’s game plan. FirstNet ROG will be on scene at the stadium and positioned inside Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) in the Santa Clara and San Francisco areas, mitigating “what-ifs,” calling audibles, and executing key plays with public safety command.
Bringing Extra Coverage to the Field
FirstNet ROG and the AT&T Network Disaster Recovery (NDR) team, have multiple portable cell sites powered on and ready from the dedicated FirstNet fleet, such as SatCOLTs (Satellite Cells on Light Trucks), RCVs (Response Communications Vehicles,CRDs (Compact Rapid Deployables) and other solutions designed to provide additional dedicated connectivity if required. In addition, as public safety’s partner, we’ve tapped into the AT&T commercial fleet, bringing its newest addition, LCTs (LEO Cell Trailers). These assets are designed to deliver high-speed temporary cell service in the harshest environments and are at the ready to support public safety on FirstNet in the Bay Area should they be needed. It’s this type of unparalleled emergency support that puts FirstNet, Built with AT&T a cut above the rest.
Ready for Overtime, Anytime
FirstNet is the only network with a fleet of 190+ deployable assets dedicated exclusively for public safety. The fleet is available 24/7, at no additional charge, and is available to provide added connectivity support at large, planned events like the Big Game or during local events like community festivals and parades, as well as during major disasters. That’s in addition to the 750+ AT&T commercial assets nationwide. FirstNet ROG guides the deployment of these assets on behalf of public safety, leveraging AT&T’s 400+ NDR team members across the country to serve as “boots on the ground,” delivering rapid connectivity where it’s needed most to keep everything running smoothly from game-day prep to the post-game celebration!
For more information about the Big Game, click here.
