The headlines from Ukraine tell a story every critical communications leader needs to hear: Starlink satellites limiting Ukraine’s ability to operate ground robots on the frontline, with individual terminals making do with as little as 10 megabits per second, resulting in poor quality video feeds. When ground robots need up to two hours to cross 12 miles due to bandwidth constraints, we’re not witnessing a technology failure—we’re seeing the inherent limitations of single-network architecture exposed under real-world pressure.
But you don’t need to look at Eastern Europe to see this crisis unfolding. It’s happening right here in North America.
In Utah earlier this year, a deputy responding to a 911 call found themselves unable to use their radio during a dangerous situation involving an individual in drug-induced psychosis with a knife, forced to ask citizens to call dispatch. This wasn’t a one-off failure—it was part of a pattern following Utah’s rollout of a new statewide P25 system.
The numbers tell an alarming story. In emergencies such as fires or active shooter scenarios, communication breakdowns have led to inefficient coordination, delays in rescue operations, and, in the worst cases, loss of life. Despite all 50 states, five U.S. territories, and the District of Columbia opting into a priority network service, and the North American public safety wireless communication market projected to reach $11.24 billion by 2033, we’re still failing at the most basic requirement: keeping first responders connected when it matters most.
When natural disasters expose our vulnerabilities
In Nova Scotia, four cellular towers in evacuated areas were affected during critical wildfire operations, with some communities experiencing cellular congestion and sites not safely accessible due to fiber and power-related issues. When traditional infrastructure burns or becomes inaccessible, single-network dependence becomes a death trap.
Hurricane Ida provided another stark reminder: In New Orleans, the entire 911 call center crashed and remained offline for 13 hours, preventing emergency calls. Thirteen hours. In a major American city. In 2021.
Priority networks. 5G. Satellite constellations. Each promised to be the final answer.
The truth our customers have been telling us—from federal policing detachments in the Arctic to security teams at the border—is that no single network, no matter how revolutionary, can meet the demands of mission-critical operations.
We heard you: The real-world challenges
Over the past year, public safety leaders have shared remarkably similar frustrations: officers losing connectivity in warehouses with concrete walls and metal structures; the inability for emergency responders to communicate across agencies or even within their own departments; and systems that work perfectly until critical incidents when repeaters and towers fail.
At Dejero, we’ve spent the last decade perfecting what Ukraine is now desperately improvising: true network diversity through intelligent aggregation. Our Smart Blending Technology™ doesn’t choose between networks—it leverages all of them simultaneously.
As we approach our 2026 product launches, we’re not just releasing new hardware. We’re delivering the culmination of thousands of hours in the field with you, our partners in public safety and federal operations.
What’s coming:
Ultra-portable mission kits: Weighing less than two pounds, providing the connectivity of a mobile command center in a form factor that fits in a cargo pocket. Because we heard you say weight matters when every officer is already carrying 30+ pounds of gear.
AI-Powered network orchestration: Machine learning that doesn’t just react to network conditions—it predicts and prevents failures before they occur.
Sovereign network options: Complete control over your connectivity paths, allowing agencies to exclude specific carriers or countries from their data routes. Because we understand that network sovereignty is national sovereignty.
Tactical edge computing: Process critical data at the edge, reducing latency from seconds to milliseconds. When you need 30 frames per second to control mission-critical equipment, every millisecond matters.
Building operational excellence
Nineteen major public safety organizations—including the International Association of Chiefs of Police, International Association of Fire Chiefs, and National Association of Counties—have called network resilience an imperative. They understand what’s at stake.
When the next wildfire threatens communities, when the next hurricane makes landfall, when the next critical incident unfolds—your communications can’t depend on a single point of failure. Not when we’ve seen communication failures during events from Hurricane Sandy to mass shootings where first responders were extremely hindered in their ability to communicate.
The question for 2026 isn’t whether satellites will get faster, or if 5G will reach everywhere, or when the next network technology will arrive. The question is whether your agency will be ready with the hybrid infrastructure to leverage every network, every innovation, every connection path available.
At Dejero, we’re not betting on any single network winning. We’re betting on you needing them all.
