Show notes
In this special end-of-year wrap-up episode of the Crit Comms Circle, we look back at 2025 and reflect on the key developments that shaped the critical communications industry over the past 12 months.
Joined by Alfonso, Donny, and Erin, the team revisits the announcements, trends, and market shifts that moved the industry from discussion to action. From ESN milestones and MCX momentum to AI adoption, satellite connectivity, defense investments, and major M&A activity, this episode captures the themes that defined the year—and why they matter.
If 2025 felt like a year where long-promised technologies finally became real, this episode explains why.
Key Topics Discussed
🔹 ESN Progress & Interoperability
👉 Tune back in January for our “2026 Year Ahead” episode, where we break down expectations for the year to come.
👋 Get Involved:
Have questions or want to join the podcast? Email us at [email protected]
Joined by Alfonso, Donny, and Erin, the team revisits the announcements, trends, and market shifts that moved the industry from discussion to action. From ESN milestones and MCX momentum to AI adoption, satellite connectivity, defense investments, and major M&A activity, this episode captures the themes that defined the year—and why they matter.
If 2025 felt like a year where long-promised technologies finally became real, this episode explains why.
Key Topics Discussed
🔹 ESN Progress & Interoperability
- IBM selected as the ESN User Services Supplier at the start of 2025
- Growing confidence in LMR–Broadband coexistence
- Etherstack selected for interoperability in both UK ESN (TETRA) and AT&T FirstNet (P25)
- What these decisions signal for long-term ESN delivery and industry confidence
- MCX contracts and partnerships accelerating globally
- France’s RRF moving into commercial operations
- Streamwide’s expanding footprint in Europe and North America
- Samsung, Airbus, Leonardo, Nokia, Ericsson, and L3Harris reshaping the MCX ecosystem
- Legacy LMR vendors positioning themselves for broadband futures
- Motorola Solutions’ acquisitions of RapidDeploy and Silvus Technologies
- Axon’s acquisitions of Prepared and Carbyne
- Over $6B spent on acquisitions by two vendors alone in 2025
- Why Silvus signals the growing importance of defense and non-public-safety verticals
- NATO’s increased defense spending targets
- Communications modernization beyond weapon systems
- Tactical, infrastructure-less comms and resilience in contested environments
- How defense innovation historically feeds back into public safety
- AI’s role in handling non-emergency calls
- Real-world progress on ESInet-to-ESInet interoperability
- Maryland’s blueprint for seamless inter-jurisdiction call and data transfers
- Reducing re-keying errors and dispatcher workload
- Findings from the Emerging Critical Tech Survey
- 61% of organizations piloting or evaluating AI in 2025
- 81% expect AI to play a moderate or major role in the next 3–5 years
- Early AI use cases: translation, triage support, automation of routine tasks
- AI as an enabler—not a replacement—for emergency professionals
- T-Mobile’s T-Priority launch in the US
- AST SpaceMobile tests on FirstNet spectrum
- European sovereign satellite initiatives involving Airbus, Thales, and Leonardo
- LEO, MEO, and GEO satellites as complementary—not competing—solutions
- Why satellite + terrestrial integration is no longer theoretical
👉 Tune back in January for our “2026 Year Ahead” episode, where we break down expectations for the year to come.
👋 Get Involved:
Have questions or want to join the podcast? Email us at [email protected]