ETSI creates new committee to develop future critical communications standards

European Telecommunications Standards Institute has established a new Technical Committee on Critical Communications Systems (TC CCS), bringing together public authorities, industry representatives, emergency services, and infrastructure operators working on secure communications technologies.

The new committee will take over part of the work previously handled by ETSI’s TCCE committee while expanding activities linked to the future European Critical Communication System (EUCCS).

One of the committee’s central tasks will be maintaining and developing the TETRA standard, which is widely used by emergency services, public safety agencies, transport operators, utilities, and critical infrastructure sectors worldwide.

TETRA is a specialised radio communications standard designed for mission-critical environments where resilience, interoperability, and secure communications are essential. Unlike ordinary commercial mobile networks, TETRA systems are built to continue operating during emergencies, disasters, or infrastructure failures.

The committee will also work on standards for mission-critical broadband systems intended to support next-generation emergency and public safety communications.

According to ETSI, the work includes collecting technical and operational requirements from governments, regulators, emergency responders, military organisations, transport operators, and industrial sectors.

Another focus is interoperability between systems and coordination with other international standards organisations to avoid overlapping technical frameworks.

The committee elected Ari Toivonen from Suomen Erillisverkot as chair, alongside vice chairs representing the French Ministry of Interior and communications company Sepura.

The initiative is closely connected to European plans for deploying EUCCS by 2030. The project aims to create more integrated critical communications infrastructure across Europe, combining narrowband systems such as TETRA with newer broadband technologies for emergency and security services.