The City of Irving strengthens communication for first responders with Verizon Frontline
It was the Fourth of July, 2025, and tens of thousands of people crowded into the Levy Event Plaza for the City of Irving's annual Sparks & Stripes celebration. A record-breaking drone show lit up the Texas sky while first responders monitored the event from a temporary command center, relying on real-time video feeds and rapid coordination to keep the crowd safe.
The previous year, the same event exposed a significant communications gap. A different network provider's hardware failed under the strain of civilian traffic, leaving the command staff without the connectivity they needed. This time, Irving was piloting Verizon Frontline's 5G Network Slice, a dedicated bandwidth lane that ensured first responders' mission-critical coordination wouldn't be disrupted by the tens of thousands of phones streaming live video around them.
The successful pilot marked a milestone in a partnership built on trust, a shared vision and a commitment to keeping Irving's residents safe, spearheaded by John Chaney, Irving IT Infrastructure and Communications Officer, and Chad Powell, Irving Chief Technology Officer.
Chaney had spent more than 20 years at Harris County, building one of the largest land mobile radio networks in the country, before bringing that expertise to Irving. He arrived with a mission to prepare the city's communications infrastructure for the future.
Chaney found an executive champion in Powell, an Irving native, who has spent his career advancing the city's technology.
"Our mission is to deliver exceptional services to our residents, visitors and businesses. And our technology needs to have a purpose, to deliver things that make sense," said Powell.
Chaney and Powell were determined to modernize Irving's communications technology. But that vision ran headlong into some hard realities.
Connectivity gaps put public safety at risk
Irving's first responders had lacked guaranteed connectivity during congested public events like Sparks & Stripes, which draws more than 30,000 attendees each year. After the 2024 network failure, the city knew it couldn't afford another lapse, especially with the 2026 World Cup, for which Irving is a host city. Chaney needed a solution that would not only address its existing public safety requirements but also scale to support far more complex scenarios, requiring real-time coordination with multiple municipalities and government agencies.
"You never know when something bad is going to happen. Having a network with a dedicated pathway for public safety is crucial. And that connectivity is everything," said Chaney. "We need a network that's very resilient and has the capacity to handle what we need, especially when the public overloads that network," he added.
In addition to network constraints, the city faced budget constraints. Traditional Land Mobile Radio (LMR) devices cost $5,000 to $6,000 each, and many departments lacked funding to support that level of investment. The result was a patchwork of communication systems that hampered citywide coordination. Irving also faced a digital divide, with underserved residents lacking internet access for essential tasks like paying bills, applying for benefits and completing schoolwork.
We can use Verizon Frontline, which gives us a guaranteed call setup time. It's equal to, if not even better than, land mobile radio.
John Chaney, IT Infrastructure and Communications Officer, City of Irving
A bold technology vision sparks a unified connectivity solution
Solving these connectivity challenges required more than a vendor. It required a strategic partner. Chaney and Powell found that partnership in Verizon.
Irving and Verizon have built a long-standing relationship of mutual trust through a commitment to collaboration that goes beyond traditional telecommunications. Verizon works alongside city leadership to solve complex problems, pilot emerging technologies and ensure that Irving's infrastructure can meet tomorrow's demands—not as a vendor, but as part of the team. This collaborative partnership goes beyond the core relationship to support smaller neighboring agencies that lack their own IT resources.
As part of this collaboration, Chaney and Verizon worked together to deploy a suite of 5G network solutions spanning network connectivity, mission-critical public safety coordination and digital access.
Verizon Frontline 5G Network Slice
Irving became one of the first cities in North Texas to pilot Verizon Frontline Network Slice, which reserves guaranteed network capacity exclusively for first responders.
"Priority and preemption just get us on the road faster," Powell explained. "But if the road's still congested, it doesn't do us any good. Network slicing is like a High-Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane or a toll lane, where we can go about our business without it becoming congested. That’s very important for public safety."
Verizon delivers this network slice via Ericsson R980 routers deployed in police trailers and squad cars, transforming vehicles into mobile command centers with broadband connectivity for cameras, license plate readers and data terminals.
Mission Critical Push-to-Talk (MCPTT+)
Several years ago, Irving began integrating Verizon's Mission Critical Push-to-Talk (MCPTT+) solution with its existing radio network, enabling voice communication and the instant sharing of photos, video and annotated images. That shift from voice-only radio to multimedia changed how first responders work. If a child is lost at a crowded event, officers across the city can have a photo in their hands in seconds.
The city’s pursuit of MCPTT+ was driven by a strategic mandate to leverage existing city-issued cell phones for push-to-talk functionality. This approach allowed Irving to leverage its current hardware investments, adding mission-critical features at a low cost while focusing primary efforts on integrating the solution with the LMR network for seamless operation.
"We can use Verizon Frontline, which gives us a guaranteed call setup time. It's equal to, if not even better than, land mobile radio," Chaney said.
This MCPTT+ solution also unified collaboration across city departments, from police and fire to sanitation and streets, putting everyone on the same platform while streamlining costs. Cross-carrier licensing takes this capability beyond Irving's borders. When federal, state or local agencies respond to an incident, Irving can immediately bring them into the network.
"If we have a federal partner or another local agency responding, we can send them a cross-carrier license, and they can be part of the incident and communicate with boots on the ground immediately," Chaney said.
Our mission is to deliver exceptional services to our residents, visitors and businesses. And our technology needs to have a purpose, to deliver things that make sense.
Chad Powell, Chief Technology Officer, City of Irving
Reliable and transformative connectivity when it matters most
When the 2025 Sparks & Stripes celebration began, the city’s new 5G network slice delivered on its promise. Command staff maintained continuous video feeds and near real-time communication, helping to ensure a safe and enjoyable Independence Day gathering for residents and visitors alike and laying crucial groundwork for a successful World Cup event in 2026.
Irving also realized significant savings. The shift to MCPTT+ devices drastically reduced per-unit costs compared to traditional equipment. Standardizing departments on the same platform streamlined operations and reduced overall communication costs. Irving reallocated those savings to other city needs, facilitating sustainable equipment replacement schedules and additional staffing.
Chaney has become an evangelist for MCPTT+ adoption across North Texas, working with neighboring agencies through interlocal agreements to extend Irving's technology foundation as a regional resource. Smaller agencies that lack budget for their own radio networks can now tap into Irving's system, improving coordination across the region.
"It's less about running in silos for the City of Irving," said Patty Roze, Vice President of Public Sector Sales at Verizon. "It's about bringing every community that surrounds them along on their technology journey.”
Irving recently completed single sign-on (SSO) integration with the state's Team Awareness Kit (TAK) situational awareness program, enabling near real-time drone video sharing with federal, state and local partners. The city is also working with the state's interoperability coordinator to help reduce fragmented radio network IDs across Texas, fostering greater statewide coordination.
Technology today is just as important as water. You have to have it for your job. You have to have it for your education. Everything you do revolves around it.
Rick Stopfer, Mayor, City of Irving
A partnership that connects the community
Irving Mayor Rick Stopfer sees Verizon as far more than a service provider. "They're part of the community," he said, noting that Verizon collaborates with the city on solutions rather than simply selling products and services. Solutions that extend beyond public safety.
For example, Verizon has partnered with Irving to address the digital divide in its community. Verizon has supported Irving's schools with tablets and connectivity, helped ensure parks and libraries stay connected and collaborated on infrastructure planning. A MiFi library checkout program provides internet connectivity to underserved residents and students. Verizon offered a 40% rate reduction to enable wider distribution, with a target of 100 devices per library location.
Mayor Stopfer believes his city’s diverse communities should experience all of these benefits without having to ask. "You want them to thank you for doing it," he said, "not ask for it."
Mayor Stopfer never loses sight of who this technology is really for. "Technology today is just as important as water," he said. "You have to have it for your job. You have to have it for your education. Everything you do revolves around it."
With the World Cup in 2026, Irving is ready with a modern communications infrastructure built to keep first responders connected and residents safe.
Learn more
Verizon Frontline Network Slice
Turn your emergency vehicle into a mobile command center with Verizon Frontline Network Slice. Powered by the most reliable 5G network in America.
Customer success stories
Learn how a small town's law enforcement technology is helping police officers keep the public and citizens safe with solutions like mobile device management.