Report: investment in mission critical infrastructure set to increase

Annual investment in 3GPP-based critical communications broadband infrastructure will account for more than $5.5 billion globally by the end of 2026, according to research organisation SNS Telecom and IT.

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The research states that $3.4 billion was spent in 2023, driven in particular by public safety broadband, as well as smart grid modernisation, Future Railway Mobile Communication System readiness and Industry 4.0 initiatives. The market is further expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate of approximately 17 per cent over the next three years.

Discussing the findings, a spokesperson for the organisation said: “The critical communications industry has relied on narrowband LMR networks for mission-critical voice and low-speed data services. Over time, these systems have evolved from relatively basic analogue radios to digital communications technologies, such as P25 and TETRA.”

However, the statement continued, due to “inherent bandwidth and design limitations” this technology is unable to support mobile broadband and Industrial IoT applications. These have become “vital” for a range of mission critical sectors, including public safety and utilities, it said.

The organisation goes onto highlight the plethora of “fully-dedicated, hybrid commercial-private and secure MVNO-based 3GPP” networks that have been deployed in the space over the last decade. Giving specific examples from the field of public safety, it mentions FirstNet in the US, South Korea’s Safe-Net and Finland’s burgeoning VIRVE 2 network.