Last month, goTenna and EVERYWHERE Communications announced a partnership that would integrate their solutions to enable assured access to situational awareness data from mobile mesh networks and the Iridium Satellite network to any location on Earth. 

The combined EVERYWHERE and goTenna solution will leverage two best-in-class technologies to connect tactical operators in even the world’s most austere environments with senior leaders and command and control (C2) personnel. This will ensure that an operator’s location and status are always known, that they can receive support and assistance when needed, and that they can communicate and collaborate even in places where terrestrial networks are unavailable or degraded. To learn more about EVERYWHERE Communications’ solutions and how this exciting partnership will benefit military, law enforcement, and other government operators, we sat down with Patrick Shay, the Founder and CEO of EVERYWHERE Communications.

The Last Mile (TLM): Can you tell your readers about EVERYWHERE Communications? What are some of your core products, and what kind of challenges do they solve for operators at the tactical edge?

Patrick Shay: EVERYWHERE’s technology provides secure, low-profile Commercial Off the Shelf (COTS) Garmin inReach devices supported by Iridium Satellite (EMSS) government and commercial gateways and wireless team communication solutions that integrate with all Team Awareness Kits (TAK) for primary and redundant inter-team situational awareness, mapping, and targeting. We enhance remote operators’ PACE plans with a multi-network solution. 

These solutions enable global coverage for blue force tracking, personnel recovery, and beyond line of sight (BLOS) capabilities for operators and provide off-grid communications capability for redundant, low-signature communications in challenging environments.

The EVERYWHERE Secure inReach Mini2 by Garmin is a COTS MILSPEC AES-256 encrypted satellite handheld communicator that, paired with EVERYWHERE Mission Connect and the EVERYWHERE ATAK plugin, combines an Iridium Short Burst Data (SBD) modem for enhanced global two-way communications, GPS, 24/7 SOS, and enhanced reliable C2 at the warfighter edge. 

“THE EVERYWHERE PLATFORM BENEFITS TACTICAL OPERATORS BY IMPROVING THE DIRECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF OPERATIONS. IT MAKES COMMUNICATING WITHIN TEAMS DURING OPERATIONS EASIER AND MORE EFFECTIVE.” –PATRICK SHAY

Additional security features exclusive to EVERYWHERE Communications include encryption key management, pin code locking screen, and user remote data wipe capability. EVERYWHERE’s platform is purpose-built for interoperability and mission compatibility, with an extensive list of technology integrations such as FT-MMC, TAK, and other third-party Department of Defense (DoD) common operating platforms (COPs).

TLM: Why are EVERYWHERE Communications solutions important for tactical operators, like military, wildland firefighters, and emergency and disaster response teams? What about these missions and operations make EVERYWHERE’s solutions essential?

Patrick Shay: Many of these operators are deployed in regions and locations where terrestrial networks don’t exist or are denied or degraded. These are also austere environments where operators could quickly require assistance or support. This makes situational awareness and global communications capabilities essential.

The EVERYWHERE platform benefits tactical operators by improving the direction and management of operations. It makes communicating within teams during operations easier and more effective.

“WE SAW THAT OUR JOINT SOLUTION COULD PROVIDE AN IMMEDIATE TECHNICAL IMPACT ON COMMUNICATIONS AT THE EDGE.” –PATRICK SHAY

EVERYWHERE’s interoperable software enables government command and support staff to direct, manage easily, and support operators in the field. EVERYWHERE’s COTs hardware improves communications amongst operators in geographies where there is no available way to communicate or update location data via issued radio or cell phone.

Custom Team SOS allows users to configure SOS response procedures based on an organization’s unique needs. EVERYWHERE provides Garmin inReach, SMS, Email, and automated voice notifications when a team member declares SOS to ensure all appropriate stakeholders, including nearby teammates in the field, are notified as soon as possible.

TLM: You recently announced a partnership with goTenna. How did the partnership come about?

Patrick Shay: Initial interactions with the goTenna staff demonstrated that the two companies shared similar corporate cultures and priorities as mission-driven companies. 

We immediately recognized that we have complementary technologies that could advance the state of connectivity for global operators. We saw that our joint solution could provide an immediate technical impact on communications at the edge. 

TLM: Tell us a little bit more about the solution. What value does the goTenna and EVERYWHERE partnership bring to the government end user?

Patrick Shay: This solution was driven by end users. We have heard from operators that there is a need for resilient mobile networks for interoperable communications and situational awareness in developing effective PACE plans. This is universal, whether those operators are responding to a hurricane, deploying to a wildland fire, or deploying to areas of degraded or non-existent cellular connectivity.

EVERYWHERE and goTenna unify users that are operating ATAK and their TAK server by backhauling position and location data, chat, and other information from forward deployed goTenna mesh networks via the Iridium Satellite Network with the EVERYWHERE Secure inReach Mini2 by Garmin. 

“WE FIND THAT, WHILE SPECIFIC PROBLEMS OUR TECHNOLOGY SOLVES FOR CUSTOMERS MAY DIFFER, THE COMMON THEME SURROUNDS A LACK OF CONNECTIVITY, ESPECIALLY FOR PERSONNEL THAT OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY IN REMOTE AREAS.” –PATRICK SHAY 

This Iridium backhaul of the goTenna mesh network immediately enhances an organization’s PACE plan – providing assured situational awareness data from mobile mesh networks from any location on Earth.

TLM: EVERYWHERE has some really exciting case studies. Can you share some of these stories with our readers?

Patrick Shay: We find that, while the specific problems our technology solves for customers may differ, the common theme surrounds a lack of connectivity, especially for personnel that operate independently in remote areas. One example is the limited connectivity that Park Rangers face. 

Park Rangers use the Garmin inReach Mini2 satellite communicator. The EVERYWHERE HUB and Mobile App provides a complete solution for communication and tracking. The app enables them to see the real-time location of rangers, track their movements, and communicate with them using two-way messaging. 

With this solution, park headquarters can more quickly respond to any issues or emergencies in the park.

To learn more about the goTenna and EVERYWHERE Communications partnership, click HERE.