For first responders in all emergency services, off‑grid resilience is no longer a nice‑to‑have; it’s essential. To address the critical needs of this constituency, HMD Secure, Qualcomm Technologies and StreamWIDE are collaborating to bring NR Sidelink-powered device-to-device (D2D) communications to first responders and critical infrastructure teams operating beyond network coverage.
First proposed in 2022 by standards body the 3GPP, NR Sidelink’s primary function is to support direct communication between mobile devices without the need for base stations, supporting use cases in the automotive industry, as well as for critical communications and in direct commercial applications between smartphones.
From its intrinsic technological basis, it supports the low-latency communication necessary for critical safety functions such as collision avoidance in connected vehicles and can maintain mobile communications between users even when network conditions are sub-optimal. It can also support offloaded augmented reality (AR) experiences through smart glasses for internet of things (IoT) applications and remote robotics.
As they look to support off‑grid device‑to‑device communications, the partners claim their system combines three proven technologies for the first time: Qualcomm’s 3GPP NR Sidelink chipset technology, HMD Secure’s hardened Ivalo XE smartphone and tactical module, and StreamWIDE’s mission-critical app layer with push-to-talk (PTT), messaging and file sharing (D2D). Built for mission‑critical use, the partners claime the solution will allow both secure and robust indoor and outdoor device-to-device communication.
Indeed, they say the result of their technology combination is that that at two devices can connect directly. Three or more can form a resilient mesh network enabling PTT, off‑grid messaging and calls. In addition, it can extend the communication range across several kilometres with no cell tower, no Wi-Fi, and no infrastructure required.
Intended benefits include extended direct communications, direct D2D communications without network dependency, multi-hop communications relay and multiple 3GPP spectrum options. Mission-critical interoperability features encompass priority and preemption for emergency traffic and so-called “seamless” interoperability across agencies and devices. Crucially, it can enable resilient operations during network outages.
After an initial unveiling on 16 June, the roadmap for the combined solution will see ongoing early access with select enterprise and mission‑critical customers. Hardware options include HMD Secure tactical module for HMD Ivalo, and support is planned across future HMD Secure devices. As regards its technology ecosystem, compatibility work with additional mission-critical services (MCX) partners is underway.
HMD Secure is said to be already engaging multiple enterprise customers across two to three test platforms. The company’s general manager of product portfolio, Naufel Dekli, said: “By combining NR Sidelink on Qualcomm Technologies with hardened HMD hardware terminals and proven mission‑critical apps, we’re giving teams a simple way to keep talking, sharing and coordinating when it matters most.”
Dino Flore, vice-president of technology at Qualcomm Europe, added: “We are pleased to demonstrate how NR Sidelink can redefine off-network communications in the most demanding, mission-critical environments. By enabling direct, resilient device-to-device communications, we can empower emergency responders and disaster recovery agencies in their most critical moments.”
StreamWIDE CEO Pascal Béglin said: “Together, Qualcomm Technologies, HMD and StreamWIDE are demonstrating how complementary technologies can deliver a new level of operational resilience. This collaboration enables organisations to maintain trusted communications and operational continuity in environments where traditional network coverage is unavailable or compromised.”
