Ryan Nicol
As fans ready to flood South Florida for the upcoming Super Bowl, AT&T says it is investing $85 million to help boost the network’s coverage in response to the sharp increase in demand.
Super Bowl LIV will feature a matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Francisco 49ers. That game will be played at Hard Rock Stadium, which normally plays host to Miami Dolphins home games.
The network enhancements will not just be located at the stadium in anticipation of the Feb. 2 contest. AT&T is also touting upgrades throughout the Miami-Dade area, as Super Bowl week is ripe with parties and events in the week leading up to the game.
“When fans head to Miami to cheer on their team, we want to keep them connected to share and engage with their favorite experiences,” said Chris Sambar, EVP of Technology Operations for AT&T.
“The investment we’ve made in our network will help them connect faster and easier than before.”
The company will upgrade the in-stadium Distributed Antenna System (DAS) and the stadium parking lot DAS with an aim of increasing capacity at the stadium by 300% from the start of the NFL season.
Elsewhere in the area, AT&T is upgrading or installing a new DAS at 29 different locations, “including hotels, airports, convention centers, arenas and more,” according to a release from the company.
Sambar says those upgrades will persist even after the event.
“Many of our network enhancements deployed for the Big Game are permanent and will continue to benefit customers and first responders in the city long after the champion is crowned,” Sambar said.
A half dozen Cell on Wheels (COWs) will also be deployed to help handle increase demand. AT&T is also partnering with public safety agencies to ensure first responders will be able to serve those in need.
The game between the Chiefs and 49ers is set to kick off at 6:30 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 2.
