Vodafone and Airbus join forces to support businesses and governments with new secure critical communications across Europe

Vodafone Business and Airbus Public Safety and Security, a business unit of Airbus Defence and Space, have joined forces to provide new secure business critical and collaborative communication services for people who work in mission critical areas across Europe.

The solution, supporting voice, instant messaging, video streaming and location services, increases worker productivity and safety in various industries, including those managing national infrastructure. The service unifies large groups of smartphone users with control rooms, bringing them together in a secure and collaborative network. This means field workers can, for example, share a 360-degree video of an incident or quickly transmit vital data to the emergency services. This improves situational awareness for users like security staff to understand their surroundings better.

Several people can also quickly speak to each other in one feed, and a lifeguard feature is included which automatically sends an alert if a user falls during a dangerous mission or in a hazardous environment.

The partnership, showcased at the Critical Communications World event in Brussels, Belgium, combines the strengths of Vodafone’s geographically scaled public and private 4G/5G mobile and fixed networks with Airbus’s secure cloud-based critical communications solution, Agnet. They will offer converged secure and robust instant collaboration and connectivity solutions for industries that require timely and efficient team communications, including governments, energy, airports, transportation, essential utilities like water and electricity, as well as major events – any organisation that requires time-sensitive group collaboration.

Marika Auramo, CEO of Vodafone Business, said: “Our role is to connect employees maintaining critical infrastructure like power stations and airports, ensuring productivity and public safety. Vodafone’s partnership with Airbus means we can help customers counter increased threats, meet demand and manage costs with mission critical digital connectivity and market-leading software solutions.”

Olivier Koczan, Head of Public Safety and Security at Airbus Defence and Space, added: “This partnership brings together the best of both worlds: Airbus’s secure critical communications platform, Agnet, and Vodafone’s expansive network capabilities.

“Our joint offering will empower teams across Europe with reliable, feature-rich tools for enhanced collaboration and security in demanding environments.”

The solution will also be made available via Vodafone’s Mission Critical (MCX) communications service being rolled out across Europe, starting with Germany. MCX automatically prioritises all forms of mobile multimedia traffic generated by an App like the one provided by Airbus, including voice, data and video, used by both blue light organisations and critical industries. Additionally, mobile broadband coverage can be extended to hard-to-reach rural areas and out at sea using new low-earth orbit direct-to-mobile satellites being pioneered by Vodafone.

Following proof of concept trials including in Ireland and the UK, customers will be able to easily purchase two variants of the Airbus Agnet cloud-based software products from Vodafone via its online digital marketplace starting in 2025. The Vodafone Business Collaborative Worker with Airbus service offers secure push-to-talk and messaging, among other applications, via smartphones. Meanwhile the Vodafone Business Collaborative and Safe Worker with Airbus service includes these and additional features such as video, emergency calls and real-time location tracking.

By offering the Airbus Agnet service as a cloud-based Software as a Service (SaaS) solution, Vodafone customers are given greater flexibility to quickly scale the service to multiple users or new sub-groups in response to unfolding incidents.

Available initially in Europe, with plans to extend it globally, Vodafone will also offer advice and dedicated support with its range of connectivity solutions. These include mobile private networks (MPNs) for greater security, and a service to remotely manage and secure mobile devices. The Vodafone Airbus solution is compatible with all standard iOS and selected Android smartphones, as well as a range of specially adapted rugged devices.

Like advanced professional radios, the Agnet service by Airbus lets units dispatched to deal with one or multiple situations keep in constant touch with each other and the command centre simultaneously. In addition, supervisors in the field can see their colleagues and points of interests on an online map, enabling them to remain focussed on their mission while communicating with their team and reporting to the operator in the control room.

Built using the latest global 3GPP industry standards, the service also promotes greater interoperability and better coordination between responders. They can share data, photos and videos, which could include aerial footage from rescue drones, as well as information gathered from people’s smartphones, all in real-time.

Notes to Editors

In addition to governments and commercial organisations, Vodafone is helping emergency services across Europe, to gain easy access to transformational digital technologies and accelerate their digital adoption. This includes around 80% of emergency organisations in the UK.

Vodafone Business Collaborative Worker and Vodafone Business Collaborative and Safe Worker are the latest in a range of SaaS applications Vodafone offers businesses and public sector organisations of all sizes to help them improve their productivity and collaboration. The SaaS Apps, available through the Vodafone Business Marketplace, provides customers with a single cloud-based platform to use and manage business applications securely.

More information around the partnership and Vodafone Business’ offerings can be found here.

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About Vodafone Group everyone.connected

Vodafone is a leading European and African telecoms company. We provide mobile and fixed services to over 340 million customers in 15 countries, partner with mobile networks in over 40 more and have one of the world’s largest IoT platforms. In Africa, our financial technology businesses serve almost 88 million customers across seven countries – managing more transactions than any other provider.

Our purpose is to connect for a better future keep everyone connected by using technology to improve lives, businesses and help progress inclusive sustainable societies. We are committed to reducing our environmental impact to reach net zero emissions by 2040.

For more information, please visit www.vodafone.com follow us on X at @VodafoneGroup or connect with us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/vodafone.

About Airbus Public Safety and Security

Public Safety and Security, an Airbus business unit, offers seamless, secure and cyber-resilient mission- and business-critical communication and collaboration tools for public safety and private organisations, as well as for users in the fields of transportation, utility and industry, healthcare, or event security. Airbus Public Safety and Security’s advanced solutions, which combine TETRA, Tetrapol, and broadband technologies, enhance situational awareness, improve user experience and safety, and optimise operational efficiency.

Airbus Public Safety and Security’s dense portfolio is field-proven and tailored to the needs of its customers. It includes infrastructures, networks, devices, accessories, applications, software and services, based on the latest technologies.

Airbus Public Safety and Security is strongly involved in multinational R&D projects and sets the standards for future technologies based on 4G and 5G. As a leading sovereign provider for European countries and a key international player, Airbus Public Safety and Security has customers in over 80 countries and more than 1,200 employees in 20 countries.

https://criticalcommunications.airbus.com/en

https://www.linkedin.com/company/airbus-public-safety-security