June 2026 – The Critical Communications Association (TCCA) has published a new white paper, Definition of Mission Critical Users, providing an updated framework for identifying the diverse range of organizations that rely on mission-critical communications technologies.

The paper highlights that mission-critical communications are no longer limited to traditional public safety agencies such as police, fire and emergency medical services. Increasingly, critical infrastructure operators, transportation networks, utilities, energy providers, border security agencies, defense organizations, industrial operators and other essential service providers depend on highly reliable, secure and resilient communications to support safety-critical operations.

According to TCCA, the evolution of 3GPP Mission Critical Services (MCX), private broadband networks, hybrid LMR-broadband systems and advanced operational applications is expanding the scope of users requiring mission-critical capabilities. The white paper aims to provide industry stakeholders, regulators, operators and technology suppliers with a common understanding of who qualifies as a mission-critical user and the operational requirements that distinguish these organizations from conventional enterprise users.

TCCA notes that while user groups may differ significantly in mission objectives and operational environments, they share common requirements including high availability, resilience, security, priority access, interoperability and reliable communications during emergencies and network congestion.

The white paper serves as a reference for governments, network operators and technology vendors as they plan future mission-critical broadband deployments and migration strategies from legacy LMR systems to standards-based 3GPP MCX services.

Read the whitepaper here