Verizon Frontline Public Safety Communications Survey

Commissioned by Verizon Frontline, Lexipol recently surveyed 1,896 public safety professionals, including first responders from fire and police departments, emergency medical services and emergency management agencies, as well as representatives from public safety answering points and emergency call centers. The survey covered public safety communications technology, emergency preparedness and anticipated technology adoption, both now and five years from now.

As with last year’s survey, network reliability is the primary concern of public safety agencies and first responders in the field and is expected to remain so for the foreseeable future.

Another insight gleaned from the survey is the changing nature of mobility. Even as daily smartphone usage for professional communications continues, first responders are looking to take advantage of other technologies, including tablets, internet-connected vehicles and robots, in carrying out their daily responsibilities. 5G connectivity is only expected to accelerate the adoption of new technologies and applications.

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Network reliability remains the chief priority for first responders. More than half of survey respondents (51%) cited a reliable and resilient network as the most important factor in their day-to-day professional communications. Almost half of first responders (48%) said reliability and speed were the most important factors when considering a public safety communications provider.

Network reliability was the most important factor last year and will likely continue to be the most important factor for the foreseeable future. When asked what they expected the most important consideration to be when choosing a network provider in the next five years, 39% of respondents cited network reliability and speed – the most common response. 

Perhaps most telling about the importance of reliability is how large the specter of unreliability looms. A majority of first responders (67%) said that an unreliable network was among their top three concerns with regard to public safety communications technology. 

Reliability as a priority is even more pronounced within the areas of emergency preparedness and response. Almost three-quarters of respondents (72%) stated that a reliable and resilient network was one of the most crucial considerations during emergencies. 

The survey revealed that the devices most used on a daily basis today won’t be the same devices being used on a daily basis in five years. For example, smartphones still top the survey, but their dominance is waning. This year, 88% of respondents said they used smartphones on a daily basis, which is down from 92% last year. And only 84% believed they would use smartphones on a daily basis five years from now.

The same is true of land mobile radios (LMRs). In last year’s survey, 89% of first responders said they used LMRs daily. This year, 80% did, with only 69% saying they expected to use LMRs daily in five years’ time.

Some of the least used devices today seem poised for a dramatic rise in use over the next five years. Only 5% use AR/VR on a daily basis today, but almost a quarter of respondents (23%) said they anticipated using AR/VR daily in five years. Only 13% use robots or drones daily today, but 43% expect to in five years.

Forty-three percent use internet-connected vehicles on a daily basis, but 62% believe they will use them daily in five years.