AT&T Boosts Tampa Bay Mobile Coverage for College Football Playoff National Championship

Upgrades Provide Greater Wireless Capacity and Coverage for Customers

Football fans heading to Tampa Bay for the highly anticipated College Football Playoff National Championship in early January, can expect an enhanced AT&T* mobile experience.

We’ve been working for over a year to expand our mobile internet coverage. This is part of an ongoing investment to support growing demand for wireless devices and services.

Enhanced experience at the game

Permanent and temporary upgrades throughout Tampa Bay will keep our customers connected from the moment they arrive. They can share moments during the weekend-long pre-game festivities, back at their hotels and during the national championship game at Raymond James Stadium.

We’ve deployed 2 Cell on Wheels (COWs) to keep fans connected throughout Tampa Bay. The COWs will help improve reliability and data speeds as the event runs through Jan. 9. 

At Raymond James Stadium, we’ve upgraded our Distributed Antenna System (DAS). DAS consists of multiple strategically-placed antennas that distribute the AT&T wireless network coverage throughout a large venue. These antennas manage the wireless capacity in heavily-trafficked areas.

The 400% boost in LTE capacity will improve speeds for posting selfies and photos. In total, we’re investing more than $9 million. These investments will let fans share experiences on social media from the stadium faster and easier than ever.

Enhanced experience beyond the game

And the upgrades go beyond the stadium. We’ve also upgraded or installed 8 new DAS throughout the Tampa Bay area ahead of the game. Fans can enjoy better coverage in hotels, arenas, airports and convention centers, among other venues.  We’ve upgraded the DAS at the Playoff Fan Central at the convention center in Tampa. This will handle expected increased wireless network demands inside the convention center during the 3-day event.

“Those cheering on their favorite team need better, more consistent coverage. We want customers to have a great network experience no matter what they’re doing – making a call, checking email or sharing their favorite moments on social media,” said Joe York, president, AT&T Florida. “Many of our network enhancements in Tampa Bay for the College Football Playoff National Championship are permanent and will continue to benefit customers after. It’s just one way we’re continuing to invest in our Tampa Bay area wireless network.”

We expect crowds of more than 72,000 people, but we’re ready with 20 new or enhanced nearby cell sites. Tampa Bay residents and visitors celebrate the national championship game over the AT&T network, at home, at work and on the go.

We have invested nearly $120 million in Tampa Bay AT&T wireless and wired networks during 2013-2015.

For more about AT&T’s coverage in Tampa Bay or anywhere in the U.S., visit the AT&T Coverage Viewer.  For updates on the AT&T wireless network, visit the AT&T network news page.

*AT&T products and services are provided or offered by subsidiaries and affiliates of AT&T Inc. under the AT&T brand and not by AT&T Inc.