AT&T said today that it has received word from all 50 states and the District of Columbia that they will participate in a dedicated broadband network it is building for first responders.

AT&T was chosen by the Department of Commerce in March to build and manage the network, known as FirstNet. It will allow police, firefighters, and other emergency workers access to secure and reliable communications during natural disasters, terrorist attacks or other types of crises when normal wireless communications can be spotty.

States had until a deadline Thursday to decide whether to opt into the plan. Some had explored other options, but ultimately decided to go with FirstNet.

"With every state saying 'yes' to the FirstNet plan, America's first responders now have a nationwide interoperable network they can rely on 24/7/365 — like their mission," said First Responder Network Authority Chief Executive Officer Mike Poth in a news release.

AT&T has said it will spend $40 billion on the FirstNet project, which is expected to create 10,000 jobs in the U.S.

Puerto Rico, which is struggling to recover from Hurricane Maria, and the Virgin Islands also have opted into the network, AT&T said.

Decisions from American Samoa, Guam and Northern Marianas Islands are not due until March 12.