In industries where communications are critical, deploying devices with specialized capabilities has traditionally required lengthy timelines and significant costs. One such capability is sidelink, which enables devices to communicate directly with one another without relying on cellular network infrastructure. As technologies such as sidelink move toward operational deployment, the challenge is integrating these capabilities into standardized rugged devices at scale without sacrificing the specialized functionality required by mission-critical users.
Originally standardized by the 3rd Generation Partnership Project (3GPP) to support critical communications in public safety and emergency response, sidelink has since evolved through successive releases into a broader communications capability. Release 14 expanded sidelink to support Cellular Vehicle-to-Everything (C-V2X), enabling direct communications between vehicles and surrounding infrastructure to improve transportation safety. In 2020, Release 16 introduced 5G New Radio (NR) sidelink, improving reliability, latency, and scalability while broadening support for a wider range of devices, including rugged smartphones, wearables, and IoT devices. As a result, 5G NR sidelink is becoming a key communications capability for the next generation of rugged devices.
NEXA’s recent collaboration with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) highlights efforts to integrate 5G NR sidelink into deployable solutions. By involving DHS in the development of its Sonim rugged devices, NEXA gains insight into operational requirements shaping capabilities that can be standardized across a broader mission-critical market. This approach reflects that the value of connectivity technologies lies not only in the capabilities themselves, but in how effectively they are applied. Unlike consumer-focused devices, where specialized capabilities often need to be incorporated after launch, NEXA’s collaboration with end users throughout the development process helps ensure that purpose-built mobility solutions integrate mission-critical requirements from the start.
NEXA’s initiative comes at a time when growing demand for resilient communications is converging with broader industry efforts to commercialize sidelink. In VDC’s 2024 Buyer Behavior Guide, 77.5% of public safety decision-makers agreed that the age or performance of their wireless network was limiting their ability to adopt new technologies. To help overcome these limitations, communications technologies such as sidelink are becoming increasingly relevant because they can maintain connectivity when traditional network infrastructure is unavailable. Supporting these efforts, vendors such as Qualcomm have spent the past few years implementing 5G NR sidelink in commercial chipset platforms while validating the technology through field demonstrations and collaboration with the public safety community. NEXA’s collaboration with Qualcomm builds on this work by bringing 5G NR sidelink into deployable rugged devices designed to address public safety connectivity challenges.
The need for reliable communications is not limited to government and public safety applications. Industries such as utilities, energy, and transportation depend on connectivity in environments where disruptions can impact operations and safety. In these settings, sidelink technology can help maintain communications continuity for applications such as mission-critical push-to-talk (MCPTT), enabling continued coordination among field personnel. As demand for resilient communications grows across industries, development approaches that incorporate end user requirements may become increasingly relevant for translating technologies such as sidelink into frontline solutions.
The significance of the NEXA initiative extends beyond sidelink technology. As connectivity capabilities continue to advance, their value will increasingly depend on how effectively they address real-world operational needs. Designing products with end users in mind is therefore critical, and investing in understanding user requirements throughout the development process can help ensure devices deliver meaningful value in the field.
To learn more about how end-user requirements are shaping device priorities across public safety and other industries, look for VDC’s 2026 Research Outline and upcoming 2026 Buyer Behavior Guide.
