Originally published on GovTech.com
In 2024, the U.S. saw 27 weather and climate disasters that caused at least $1 billion in damage. The total number of destructive disasters was just one shy of 2023’s record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Whether the destruction comes from fire, tornado, flood or hurricane, they all have one thing in common: They stress infrastructure that provides digital connectivity. T-Mobile has launched several new tools aimed at helping first responders and governments improve their responses with tech.
While T-Mobile deploys to areas hit by disaster with community support teams that stand up Wi-Fi and device-charging trucks, the team has also launched tools like a dynamic 5G slice just for first responders, an expansive drone fleet and direct-to-cell satellite texting capabilities.
“I haven’t seen more advancements in technology like I’ve seen just even in the last year that are really changing the way we show up,” said Nicole Hudnet, the national adviser and ESF 2 lead for T-Mobile Emergency Response, in an interview with Government Technology.
NEW NETWORK SLICE PRIORITIZES FIRST RESPONDERS
T-Mobile has released what it describes as “the nation’s first 5G slice that prioritizes public safety.” It’s called T-Priority, a 5G network slice dedicated to first responders.
“It is a dynamic slice on the network,” said Hudnet, explaining that in times of congestion the network is expanded to allow first responders to stay connected while remaining network capacity for other customers scales down, giving first responders priority. “It can expand across that network, giving responders reliable data connectivity, low latency and faster speeds for that data communication that they need.”
In the video above, Hudnet shared how T-Priority was used to keep fire crews connected during the Palisades and Eaton wildfires in early 2025.
Hudnet noted that when working with the Los Angeles Fire Department, T-Mobile activated more than 350 devices with T-Priority, enabling first responders and command posts access to tools like AI-enabled mapping software and to livestream the view from drone technology.
DIRECT-TO-CELL SATELLITE TEXTING ENABLES EMERGENCY ALERTS
T-Mobile has also launched T-Satellite, a cellular service that provides connectivity for smartphones with direct-to-cell satellite texting capabilities in areas without traditional cell tower service.
The service was first activated directly in response to a crisis, when the FCC granted T-Mobile and Starlink a Special Temporary Authority to use SpaceX’s direct-to-cellular satellite technology to provide emergency texting and alerts in some areas impacted by Hurricane Helene’s destruction.
In the video above, Hudnet explained the impact the early launch had during the disaster.
“This was in the very early phases, we had no guarantee of the service. But, we said, ‘If we can get one message out, one is better than none,’ and we did see over a million people connected,” Hudnet said.
Since that first use case, T-Satellite has been used in more recent disasters, like the flooding in Central Texas in July.
“T-Satellite is really that flashlight in the dark,” said Hudnet, adding that T-Satellite connected as many as 93,000 people during the event.
A NEW FOCUS ON DRONE TECHNOLOGY
The flooding in Texas also prompted T-Mobile to increase its drone fleet by 50 percent to reach places more quickly when disasters occur.
The company is investing in heavy-lift drones that can travel for miles and carry up to 100 pounds to deliver supplies and drop in portable connectivity gear. They’ve also added specialty drones to their fleet, equipped with thermal and high-resolution cameras with lidar to locate people, map damage, guide crews and provide scene lighting.
Meanwhile, tethered drones can stay in the air up to 400 feet high, creating a temporary cell-coverage bubble about two miles wide.
According to Hudnet, the company’s drone team embedded with Texas Parks and Wildlife to assist with air operations, supporting search and recovery efforts and providing mapping assistance and airspace monitoring.
“It really improves that emergency response, whether it is providing surveillance over a community, being able to transmit that live feedback from a scene so that responders, when they can’t physically get to an area, they can send a drone into the area and be able to stream that back,” she said.
AN EMERGING FOCUS ON MANAGING CYBER INCIDENTS
T-Mobile frequently partners with agencies during their most challenging moments, but much of the work happens on “blue-sky days,” when the company plans and coordinates with state, local and federal partners. Hudnet asserted that the theme for disaster response in 2025 is the power of having a PACE (Primary, Alternate, Contingency, Emergency) communications plan in place.
“These relationships, especially at the state and local level, are so important to working with other stakeholders, whether that’s utilities and power helping us coordinate together to restore these communities together. They’re also helping us mitigate access issues, roadblocks, getting escorts into areas and getting us into areas where there are access concerns so we can restore quickly for those communities,” said Hudnet. “These relationships are absolutely paramount and pivotal to response in a community.”
Those relationships also come into play during critical cybersecurity incidents. T-Mobile has supported several agencies in the wake of major cyber attacks, when they’re often asked to ship in hot spots and routers, like when St. Paul, Minn., declared a state of emergency for a cyber attack this summer.
“While we did get them there quickly, that response is not immediate versus having that equipment onsite,” she said.
