Half of the world’s population lacks reliable internet access, with the vast majority concentrated in developing countries. As communities around the globe work to close the digital divide, there are countless nonprofits and nongovernmental organizations that need to fill critical gaps in connectivity now in order to operate safely and

As wildfires grow increasingly severe, we need to rethink the technology and equipment our firefighters rely on to stay safe, connected, and aware. This session from the 2020 Colorado Wildland Firefighter Conference  will provide an overview of the new and innovative communications technologies that are enhancing resilience and accountability on

Going off the grid takes a combination of courage, planning, and training. Even in the best of situations with the most prepared teams, things can often go from adventure to danger. Fortunately, there are organizations that are prepared to respond to crises in the last mile at a moment’s notice.

Fix it in post! That’s often heard in the film industry. But industry professionals know that any work done after the fact is far more expensive than good planning and preparedness. When it comes to disaster readiness, professionals likely know the same is true. Well-informed training, solid planning with local

Last week’s IWCE 2020 conference featured 48 breakout sessions on everything from broadband to deployable networks, and even featured keynote speakers such as former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. In his keynote address, Fugate addressed hundreds of virtual attendees on an often overlooked area of critical communications — interoperability with disaster

The IWCE 2020 conference featured 48 breakout sessions on everything from broadband to deployable networks, and even featured keynote speakers such as former FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate. In his keynote address, Fugate addressed hundreds of virtual attendees on an area of critical communications emergency management agencies often overlook: interoperability with

When disasters damage or destroy terrestrial communications networks, first responders need rapidly deployable equipment to maintain situational awareness and communications. This was one of the central discussions during the 2020 International Wireless Communications Expo (IWCE 2020), a virtual event that brought together critical communications technology providers, practitioners, and other industry

Whether it’s the current global COVID pandemic, wildfires, hurricanes, or other crises, national emergencies show us who the heroes are.  The Last Mile Podcast recently sat down with two heroes, Source One MRO’s Brad Bihun and Keith Cowell, who are providing solutions to help first responders stay safe within the

Mobile mesh networks provide device-to-device connectivity when centralized infrastructure is either unreliable or unavailable. Whether each network “node” is mobile or not, the defining features of mesh networks — decentralized, infrastructure-less, routing over multiple “hops” — have manifested themselves over the last several decades in different forms, for different applications,

The Last Mile Podcast features in-depth interviews with operators on the front lines of remote and austere missions around the world. Rafael Bobe, owner of LCG Holdings in Puerto Rico, knows the value of reliable and resilient communications networks. He was on the ground during Hurricanes Irma and Maria in