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COLOGNE, Germany — The European critical communications industry is heading to Cologne this November as PMRExpo 2026 prepares to bring together the technologies, organisations and decision-makers shaping the next generation of secure communications.
Taking place from 24–26 November 2026 at Koelnmesse, PMRExpo enters its 25th anniversary year with a technology agenda extending well beyond traditional professional mobile radio. The event's official focus areas include critical infrastructure, authorities and organisations with security tasks (BOS), control centres, private 5G campus networks, Critical IoT, satellite communications and NTN, and artificial intelligence.
For the mission-critical communications sector, the significance of this year's event lies in the convergence of technologies.
The industry is no longer developing along a single communications path. PMR, LMR, broadband, MCX, private 5G, IoT, cloud platforms, satellite networks and AI are increasingly becoming components of a broader communications ecosystem.
PMRExpo 2026 is set to provide a physical meeting point for that transition.
Professional mobile radio remains a core technology for public safety and critical operations. However, the communications requirements of police, fire and rescue services, transport operators, utilities, industrial organisations and other critical users are expanding rapidly.
Voice communications remain essential, but modern operational environments increasingly require data, video, location, telemetry, IoT connectivity and real-time situational information alongside mission-critical voice.
This is driving greater interest in broadband technologies and Mission Critical Services (MCX), while existing PMR infrastructures continue to play an important role.
PMRExpo's 2026 agenda reflects this convergence, with the event positioning secure, resilient and networked communications at the centre of its programme. The organiser also highlights the increasing relevance of 5G, AI, satellite communications, cyber-resilience and civil-military cooperation alongside professional mobile communications.
The result is an increasingly hybrid communications environment rather than a simple replacement of one technology by another.
One of the most visible areas at PMRExpo 2026 will be the 5G Hub for Private Networks. Private 5G is increasingly being examined for environments where organisations require controlled connectivity, high availability, local data processing and operational security.
According to PMRExpo, the 5G Hub will demonstrate applications spanning industry, logistics, security and critical infrastructure, including robotics, smart warehousing, AR/VR, drone operations, IoT, AI and industrial automation.
For the critical communications sector, the significance extends beyond private cellular connectivity. Private 5G can become another network layer within a wider architecture connecting field personnel, machines, sensors, vehicles, drones and control centres.
The challenge will be integrating that connectivity with existing operational systems, security requirements and established PMR infrastructures.
The next generation of critical communications will not only connect people. It will increasingly connect machines, vehicles, sensors, robots and infrastructure assets.
PMRExpo identifies Critical IoT as a major theme, highlighting the role of 5G and LPWAN technologies in applications requiring reliable connectivity.
This evolution is particularly relevant to critical infrastructure and industrial environments, where communications networks are increasingly expected to provide both human-to-human and machine-to-machine connectivity.
From remote monitoring and predictive maintenance to autonomous systems and real-time operational control, Critical IoT is becoming closely linked with the broader mission-critical communications architecture.
Another major development entering the critical communications conversation is the convergence of terrestrial and non-terrestrial networks.
PMRExpo highlights satellite communications and NTN as an increasingly important component of critical communications infrastructure, particularly through the development of LEO constellations, Direct-to-Device services and 5G NTN integration.
For organisations operating across geographically challenging environments or requiring communications beyond conventional terrestrial coverage, satellite connectivity can provide another communications layer.
The longer-term direction is therefore toward hybrid architectures combining PMR, LTE, 5G, private networks and satellite connectivity, rather than relying exclusively on a single access technology.
Artificial intelligence is another major theme at PMRExpo 2026. The organiser identifies AI applications across BOS, control centres, critical infrastructure and industry, particularly for processing large volumes of information, identifying disruptions and supporting operational decision-making.
This has potentially significant implications for control rooms. As the number of connected devices, cameras, sensors, vehicles and communications channels increases, operators face an expanding volume of information. AI-based systems can therefore become increasingly relevant to information filtering, event detection and operational workflows.
The critical issue for the industry will be how these capabilities are integrated into operational environments while maintaining security, reliability and appropriate human oversight.
The evolution of networks ultimately leads back to the control centre. PMRExpo describes control centres as central to the mission-critical communications spectrum, with their importance increasing as technological, economic, political and environmental conditions become more complex.
This makes the control centre one of the most important areas to watch at PMRExpo 2026.
The future control room is increasingly expected to bring together information from radio networks, broadband services, private 5G, IoT sensors, video systems, location services, databases and potentially satellite networks.
In this environment, interoperability and orchestration become as important as the underlying connectivity itself.
Despite the rapid emergence of new technologies, the fundamental requirements have not changed. Police, fire services, emergency medical services, civil protection organisations and critical infrastructure operators continue to require communications that are secure, available and operationally dependable.
PMRExpo therefore maintains dedicated focus areas for BOS and critical infrastructure, alongside control centres and emerging technologies.
The technology transition is consequently taking place around established operational requirements rather than replacing them.
PMRExpo 2026 also marks the event's 25th anniversary. According to the organiser, more than 200 exhibitors had already registered five months ahead of the 2026 event, representing more than 96% of the previous year's exhibition space at that stage. PMRExpo and its conceptual sponsor PMeV were expecting further growth for the 2026 edition.
The exhibitor landscape reflects the breadth of today's critical communications market, with companies including Airbus, DAMM, Frequentis, Hytera, Motorola Solutions, Tait, TASSTA and T-Systems among those listed for PMRExpo 2026.
Beyond the exhibition floor, the programme includes the PMRExpo Summit, Connecting Area, 5G Hub for Private Networks, Hackathon@PMRExpo and PMRExpo Symposium. The Summit focuses on developments, challenges and solutions in next-generation critical communications, while the Symposium addresses resilient operational communications in a civil-military context.
