Critical communications: connected when it counts

In emergencies, every second counts. When a critical situation emerges or when safety is at stake, connectivity isn’t just a nice to have – it can be lifesaving.

Innovations in communications technology are enabling a new range of resilient, secure, and scalable solutions designed to keep critical services connected when they need it the most. From supporting first responders to restoring connectivity in the wake of a disaster, these technologies are built to perform when lives depend on it.

Supporting the emergency services

Every year, more than 280 million emergency calls¹ are made in the EU alone. The first responders to these calls are fundamental to public safety and community cohesion.

To help them work more efficiently, earlier this year Vodafone launched Europe’s most advanced mission-critical mobile communications service, Mission Critical Communications (MCx). The service aims to ensure emergency services and frontline responders stay connected when it matters most.

Using the strength of existing 4G and 5G networks, MCx gives priority to calls, messages, and video for police, fire crews, paramedics, and medical staff, so they can communicate quickly and securely, even in the middle of a crisis.

It replaces older systems like TETRA with modern, encrypted tools that work on smartphones, allowing teams to share live updates, drone footage, and vital information from the scene in real-time.

We’ve also teamed up with Airbus to take this even further.

Together, we’re combining Vodafone’s mobile networks with Airbus’s secure platform, Agnet, to help frontline workers stay in touch with control rooms and each other.

Whether it’s a utility crew in a remote area or emergency responders in a fast-moving situation, they can share live video, send alerts, and track locations in one secure system. Features like 360-degree video and automatic fall detection mean that even in dangerous environments, teams are supported with smart, responsive technology.

Revolutionising patient care

Away from the frontline, communications technology also has a huge role in driving innovation and efficiencies in lifesaving spaces, such as hospitals.

For example, at Frankfurt University Hospital, €3.3 million in EU funding has enabled the deployment of 5G in over 180 sites across 32 departments and 25 institutes.

The 5G network helps keep doctors and nurses connected during life threatening moments. For example, a heart surgeon and cardiology specialist can connect via a 5G-enabled digital consultation portal (e.g. Tele-Heart-UHF) to swiftly assess whether a patient is exhibiting symptoms that warrant medical intervention.

The installation of 5G in hospitals goes beyond patient assessment. It also powers a range of innovations, from automated drone deliveries of critical medical supplies to digital medical messengers like Famedly, which integrate biosensor data and patient records to streamline diagnostics and care.

That’s just one example. Digital solutions across hospitals in Egypt have cut waiting times by as much as 32%, helping patients get treated and back to health faster than ever before.

Restoring networks when infrastructure is disrupted

When natural disasters strike and physical infrastructure is damaged, like fibre cables cut by earthquakes or floods, the challenge shifts from supporting individual facilities to rapidly restoring communications across communities, so emergency teams can coordinate, respond, and rebuild.

Vodafone is exploring innovative ways to bring networks back online fast, even in the most challenging conditions.

In a recent pilot in Seville, Spain, we teamed up with Taara, a moonshot project from Google X, to test how drones equipped with light beam terminals could re-establish wireless links between mobile masts and data hubs. The drones successfully created a two-way connection over three kilometres.

While just a pilot for now, this Instant Fibre Link concept shows how we could help reconnect communities when underground cables are damaged in the future - something Vodafone already deals with up to 100 times a year across Europe.

From real-time emergencies to hospital wards, Vodafone’s commitment to resilient connectivity is helping frontline teams save lives and communities recover faster.

As emergencies evolve, so too does the need for smart, secure, and responsive communications and Vodafone is leading the way in getting everyone connected when it matters most.

¹ Source: EUR-Lex