PUBLISHER: SNS Telecom & IT | PRODUCT CODE: 1923677
PUBLISHER: SNS Telecom & IT | PRODUCT CODE: 1923677
With the commercial availability of 3GPP standards-compliant MCX (Mission-Critical PTT, Video & Data), QPP (QoS, Priority & Preemption), HPUE (High-Power User Equipment), IOPS (Isolated Operation for Public Safety), and other critical communications features, LTE and 5G NR (New Radio) networks have gained recognition as an all-inclusive public safety communications platform for the delivery of real-time video, high-resolution imagery, multimedia messaging, mobile office/field data applications, location services and mapping, situational awareness, unmanned asset control, and other broadband capabilities, as well as MCPTT (Mission-Critical PTT) voice and narrowband data services provided by traditional LMR (Land Mobile Radio) systems. 3GPP networks are nearing the point where they can fully replace legacy LMR systems with a future-proof transition path, supplemented by additional 5G features, such as 5G MBS/5MBS (5G Multicast-Broadcast Services) for MCX services in high-density environments, 5G NR sidelink for off-network communications, VMRs (Vehicle-Mounted Relays), MWAB (Mobile gNB With Wireless Access Backhauling), NTN (Non-Terrestrial Network) integration, and support for lower 5G NR bandwidths in PPDR (Public Protection & Disaster Relief) frequency bands.
Western and Northern European countries, including the United Kingdom, France, Finland, and Sweden, are already moving ahead with plans to migrate all PPDR users from TETRA and Tetrapol systems to nationwide mission-critical 3GPP networks between 2028 and 2031. South Korea is an outlier, having carried out its transition much earlier due to the previous lack of a national-scale digital LMR network. The narrowband-to-broadband transition timeline is expected to be longer in some national markets. For example, Romania's TETRA network will continue to operate in parallel with the country's new 3GPP-based PPDR broadband network until 2035. In the United States, many APCO P25 systems are not expected to be decommissioned until the late 2030s, although some agencies - particularly those whose LMR networks are reaching end-of-life or have poor coverage - are beginning to fully transition to MCPTT services over broadband networks. Authorities in New Zealand have chosen to deploy a new digital LMR network, which is complemented by priority access over public cellular networks.
Transitions aside, a myriad of fully dedicated, hybrid government-commercial, and secure MVNO/MOCN-based public safety LTE and 5G networks are operational or in the process of being rolled out throughout the globe. One of the largest projects that emerged from secrecy in 2025 is Saudi Arabia's $8.7 billion mission-critical broadband network for the Kingdom's defense, law enforcement, and intelligence agencies. Other national-level public safety broadband network programs extend from high-profile national initiatives such as the United States' FirstNet (First Responder Network), South Korea's Safe-Net (National Disaster Safety Communications Network), Great Britain's ESN (Emergency Services Network), France's RRF (Radio Network of the Future), SWEN (Swedish Emergency Network), and Finland's VIRVE 2 broadband service for PPDR users to New Zealand's PSN (Public Safety Network), Royal Thai Police's Band 26/n26 (800 MHz) LTE network, Japan's PSMS (Public Safety Mobile System), Ireland's new mission-critical communications system, Italian Ministry of Interior's public safety LTE/5G service, Spain's SIRDEE (State Emergency Digital Radiocommunications System) mission-critical broadband network, Hungary's EDR 2.0/3.0 5G-ready PPDR broadband network, Turkish National Police's KETUM (Encrypted Critical Communications System), Romania's hybrid PPDR broadband network, Qatar MOI's (Ministry of Interior) LTE network, Oman's Band 20/n20 (800 MHz) public safety broadband network, Jordan's hybrid TETRA-LTE communications system, Egypt's NAS (Unified National Emergency & Public Safety Network), and Brazilian Federal Government's private network project.
The Hong Kong Police Force's $250 million 5G-based NGCS (Next-Generation Communications System) project, which follows a very different approach from mainland China, is comparable to national programs in smaller countries. Nationwide initiatives in the pre-operational stage include Norway's Nytt Nodnett, Germany's BOS broadband network, Belgium's NextGenCom (Next-Generation Mobile Communication), Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security's VMX (Mission-Critical Communications Renewal), Switzerland's MSK (Secure Mobile Broadband Communications) system, India's BB-PPDR (Broadband PPDR) network, Sri Lanka Police's new crime and emergency services communications system, Nigerian federal government's NPSCS (National Public Security Communication System), Australia's PSMB (Public Safety Mobile Broadband) program, and Canada's national PSBN (Public Safety Broadband Network) initiative.
3GPP-compliant MCX services are a foundational component of nationwide public safety broadband networks, and multiple procurement contracts have recently been awarded for both gateway-enabled interoperability solutions and 3GPP standards-based IWF (Interworking Function) technology, which enables system-level interworking between LMR and MCX systems during concurrent operation. The integration of NG911 (Next-Generation 911) systems, live video feeds from body-worn cameras, drones, and vehicles, 3D geolocation services, AI (Artificial Intelligence) analytics, and situational awareness platforms is increasingly gaining significance in national public safety broadband programs, as is the inclusion of rapidly deployable network assets, direct-to-device connectivity from satellites, and in-building coverage for emergency communications. FirstNet's macro coverage layer is complemented by a growing number of indoor small cells - currently at 14,000 units - supporting operation in Band 14/n14 (700 MHz) spectrum. Britain's ESN, Sweden's SWEN, and Finland's VIRVE 2 programs will also involve large-scale rollouts of in-building coverage solutions.
Beyond state-funded national programs, public mobile operators in some countries are pitching network slicing over their recently launched standalone 5G cores as an alternative to dedicated networks. Independent small-to-medium scale private 5G networks are also being deployed to address specific operational needs. For instance, Mexico City Police is using a standalone private 5G network to enable low-latency streaming of visual content to wireless VR headsets as part of an immersive training system, while Abu Dhabi Police has recently procured a private 5G solution, with an initial focus on high-definition video surveillance. The police force's broader video surveillance systems are supplemented by over 150 AI models for real-time detection of traffic violations, suspect identification, and predictive analytics for crime prevention. In Spain, Madrid City Council and UME (Emergency Military Unit) have adopted tactical bubble solutions - based on transportable private 5G cell sites and network slicing over commercial 5G networks - for enhanced emergency preparedness and forest firefighting operations. Among other examples, the southern French city of Istres has deployed a private 5G network to reduce video surveillance camera installation costs by up to 80% by eliminating infrastructure-related overheads typically associated with fiber-based connections.
In the United States, both Verizon and T-Mobile have launched first responder network slices to rival the AT&T-operated FirstNet national public safety broadband network. In addition to other Band 48/n48 (3.5 GHz) CBRS spectrum-enabled private 5G networks for smart city applications, GDC (Georgia Department of Corrections) is deploying a private 5G network to provide indoor and outdoor coverage for physically isolated and secure communications at a new state prison campus. There has also been an uptick in both procurement efforts and field trials of private 5G network equipment operating in Band n79 (4.4-5 GHz) federal spectrum and Globalstar's Band 53/n53 (2.4 GHz) spectrum. In addition, 50 MHz of public safety spectrum in the 4,940-4,990 MHz frequency range is being standardized as Band n114 (4.9 GHz) in 3GPP Release 20 specifications.
Other operational deployments range from the Halton-Peel region PSBN in Canada's Ontario province, Polkomtel's Band 87/n87 (410 MHz) MCX network in Poland, China's city and district-wide Band 45 (1.4 GHz) LTE networks for police forces, portable 5G systems and sliced virtual private 5G networks in both China and Taiwan, provincial-level Band 26/n26 (800 MHz) safe city networks in Pakistan, Nedaa's mission-critical broadband network in Dubai, Kenyan Police Service's custom-built LTE network, Zambia's 400 MHz broadband trunking system, Mauritania's public safety LTE network for urban security in Nouakchott, Madagascar's private LTE network for safe city applications in Antananarivo, Uruguayan Ministry of Interior's private LTE for border surveillance reinforcement in the Rivera Department, Brazil's state-wide LTE networks for public security secretariats, penitentiary administrations, and military police forces, and the Guyanese government's 3GPP-based critical communications network to local and regional-level public safety broadband networks in markets as diverse as Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Laos, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Lebanon, Ghana, Cote D'Ivoire, Cameroon, Mali, Mauritius, Canary Islands, Trinidad & Tobago, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, Bolivia, Argentina, Serbia, Ukraine, and Russia, as well as multi-domain critical communications broadband networks such as Southern Linc's mission-critical LTE network for first responders and utilities in the southeastern United States, and secure MVNO platforms in Mexico and several European countries.
SNS Telecom & IT estimates that annual investments in public safety LTE/5G infrastructure and devices reached $5 billion in 2025, driven by both new projects and the expansion of existing dedicated, hybrid government-commercial, and secure MVNO/MOCN networks. Complemented by an expanding ecosystem of public safety-grade LTE/5G devices, the market will further grow at a CAGR of approximately 8% over the next three years, eventually accounting for more than $6.3 billion by the end of 2028. The positive outlook of the market coincides with meaningful progress in addressing the remaining challenge of direct mode or D2D (Device-to-Device) communications, which is often cited as the last major hurdle in the transition from LMR systems to 3GPP broadband technology. 5G NR sidelink-equipped prototype terminals for D2D communications and multi-hop relay networking are being made available for field trials by defense and public safety agencies between 2026 and 2027, with the commercial availability of chipsets expected before the end of the decade. In parallel, some national program administrators are adopting interim solutions, including LMR-based RSMs (Remote Speaker Microphones) and hybrid LMR-broadband devices.
The "Public Safety LTE & 5G Market: 2025 - 2030 - Opportunities, Challenges, Strategies & Forecasts" report presents an in-depth assessment of the public safety LTE and 5G market, including the value chain, market drivers, barriers to uptake, enabling technologies, operational models, application scenarios, key trends, future roadmap, standardization, spectrum availability/allocation, regulatory landscape, case studies, ecosystem player profiles and strategies. The report also presents global and regional market size forecasts from 2025 to 2030, covering public safety LTE/5G infrastructure, terminal equipment, applications, systems integration and management solutions, as well as subscriptions and service revenue.
The report comes with an associated Excel datasheet suite covering quantitative data from all numeric forecasts presented in the report, as well as a list and associated details of over 1,900 global public safety LTE/5G engagements - as of Q1 2026.