BAPCO 2026: Rethinking Frontline Mobile IT Operations for Emergency Services

My annual trip to BAPCO highlighted that the shift towards resilient, lifecycle‑driven mobile strategies for emergency services – and the importance of reliable connectivity, and flexible deployment models – are more critical than ever before.

written by: Will Holmes, Business Manager (Public Sector), Panasonic TOUGHBOOK

Continuous Innovation in Emergency Services

I’ve always enjoyed attending BAPCO; it connects you directly with a community of frontline professionals, procurement and IT decision-makers, and operational experts across the entire blue-light community. The best discussions are always held in more intimate settings; we therefore decided to host an informal or casual dinner for 50 customers and partners on the first evening of the event.

We gave existing customers a preview of our upcoming roadmap and two significant launches coming later in the year (stay tuned for this announcement in H2)), and how TOUGHBOOK is always evolving to meet their specific requirements.

The feedback from those in the room was fantastic; they really view Panasonic TOUGHBOOK as a partner, rather than a supplier. Giving them foresight of how we’re innovating between now and the end of the decade enables them to better plan their budgets for the next few years. It’s this understanding of exactly what economic and operational hurdles our customers face that sets us apart in the market.

Flexible Device Design, Deployment, and Servicing

Beyond hardware, our Mobile-IT As‑a‑Service (MaaS) solution proved extremely popular at BAPCO. Giving organisations a flexible approach to device design, deployment, and long‑term servicing, it helps them to manage costs more effectively, refresh technology more frequently, and maintain predictable budgets without compromising operational capabilities.

This lifecycle‑based approach reflects a shift away from traditional one‑off procurement models, supporting public sector organisations as they balance financial constraints with the need for resilient, future‑ready technology.

In the face of budget limitations , we can tailor our MaaS offering to give customers and prospects maximum flexibility, without compromising deployment efficacy. For example, many emergency services bodies are currently modernising command and control centres as part of wider digitisation initiatives. As a result, device refresh cycles may be extended – even if frontline technology is not fit-for-purpose. Decision-makers therefore need a trusted partner to end-to-end manage their mobile IT deployments; this is where we come in.

Meeting Real World Emergency Services Challenges

Drawing on close collaboration with UK emergency services and partners, we emphasised how our solutions are shaped by real‑world operational challenges. These include sustaining battery performance during long shifts, maintaining connectivity in hard‑to‑reach areas, ensuring device longevity over many years of service, and meeting strict security and compliance requirements in increasingly complex threat environments.

We’re continuing to see an increase in demand for a second, demountable device in fast-response vehicles, dual-crewed ambulances, and fire service vehicles. As demonstrated in our work with Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service, these secondary units enable emergency services teams to efficiently access information from the incident location, especially when connected to quick and reliable 4G/5G networks.

Having the ability to quickly share this information for other blue-light and emergency stakeholders from the ground streamlines the overall reporting and data capture process, whilst saving valuable seconds. A good example of this is our work with the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and its partner network, to digitise patient records using the rugged G2 tablet.

Speaking of ultra-fast and reliable connectivity, the latest updates to the Emergency Services Network (ESN), and the increase in 5G uptake were a never far from everyone’s lips in Coventry. The latter has now undoubtedly moved from an aspirational feature, to fully operational for many frontline emergency services.

Modern Mobile Technology Supporting Frontline Operations

Seeing is believing at BAPCO. It’s unrivalled as an industry event for blue-light decision makers. There’s no better place to demonstrate how our portfolio of rugged notebooks and tablets, combined with vehicle integration solutions and integrated connectivity, can keep officers and responders reliably connected and operational in demanding environments.

Learn how Mobility-IT As-a-Service can revolutionise end-to-end device deployment and management for emergency services.

BAPCO 2026: Rethinking Frontline Mobile IT Operations for Emergency Services

Continuous Innovation in Emergency Services

Flexible Device Design, Deployment, and Servicing

Meeting Real World Emergency Services Challenges

Modern Mobile Technology Supporting Frontline Operations

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