FirstNet Powers Mission-Critical Connectivity and Critical Communications for Public Safety at the Big Game in the Bay Area

As the Bay Area prepares to host professional football’s most anticipated event, FirstNet®, Built with AT&T, has activated a comprehensive connectivity plan to support first responders and public safety officials through secure, resilient critical communications. Following more than a year of coordination with the City of San Jose, the San Jose Police Department, the San Jose Fire Department, and numerous federal, state, and local agencies, FirstNet is delivering mission-critical connectivity to ensure public safety operations and critical communications remain uninterrupted before, during, and after the Big Game.

San Jose, the first city in the United States to fully adopt FirstNet, is leveraging the network’s purpose-built public safety capabilities to support large-scale operations requiring dependable critical communications. The Bay Area already benefits from strong Band 14 coverage, providing dedicated public safety connectivity when needed. Unlike commercial networks, FirstNet is mandated to prioritize public safety traffic and never slow down critical communications during peak demand or emergency situations.

A central component of the game-day strategy is the FirstNet Response Operations Group™ (ROG), a team of former first responders embedded directly with public safety command to support operational decision-making and critical communications. ROG personnel are on site at the stadium and positioned within Emergency Operations Centers in Santa Clara and San Francisco, enabling rapid coordination, scenario planning, and real-time response.

To further reinforce coverage, FirstNet ROG and AT&T’s Network Disaster Recovery (NDR) team have deployed multiple portable cell sites from the dedicated FirstNet fleet to strengthen critical communications capacity. These include Satellite Cells on Light Trucks (SatCOLTs), Response Communications Vehicles (RCVs), Compact Rapid Deployables (CRDs), and LEO Cell Trailers (LCTs), all designed to deliver high-speed, temporary connectivity in demanding environments. Additional AT&T commercial assets are also on standby to supplement critical communications if required.

FirstNet is supported by a nationwide fleet of more than 190 deployable assets dedicated exclusively to public safety and available 24/7 at no additional charge. Guided by FirstNet ROG and supported by more than 400 AT&T NDR team members, these resources ensure resilient critical communications for large planned events, community gatherings, and major disasters—helping first responders stay connected and mission ready throughout every phase of the Big Game.