Verizon has announced a new strategic partnership with Mutualink , making Mutualink’s interoperability-as-a-service solutions available directly through Verizon. Together, Verizon and Mutualink are helping improve crisis response by enabling interoperable agency communications and information sharing for devices across different networks, ensuring first responders, public safety agencies, and private security personnel can share critical information when they need it most, the companies said.

Mutualink is a leader in secure, interoperable communications and information-sharing services for public safety. The Mutualink solution improves collaboration across audio, video and data during emergency response using highly secure encryption and identity management.

“Without interoperable systems, first responders can struggle to get access to the latest information in emergency situations,” said Nick Nilan, director of Public Sector Product Development for Verizon. “When lives are on the line, we believe interoperability in public safety is critical. This new partnership with Mutualink will expand our range of interoperable solutions for public safety, helping to keep first responders and public safety agencies connected when the stakes are high.”

Verizon and Mutualink, in an effort to simplify complex communication, will join forces to enable all community partners involved in incident response to easily create secure group communications for improved collaboration and data sharing in near real time, the companies said. This improved collaboration gives agencies greater control and choice when cross-agency communications are mission critical. For first responders and state and local agencies, this partnership also simplifies the public sector procurement process by making Mutualink’s interoperability solutions available directly from Verizon.

“Separate systems, technology disparities and lack of coordination can compromise emergency response,” said Mark Hatten, Mutualink’s CEO. “However, interoperability is more than just interconnecting different networks. It requires real-time video sharing, geospatial information and data sharing to work effectively across all networks during the most critical moments. Verizon is a perfect partner for Mutualink thanks to our mutual commitment to ensuring public safety applications are accessible by all first responders, regardless of the network they use.”

This partnership reinforces Verizon’s commitment to interoperability between networks, devices, and applications for first responders to help enable mission-critical communications when it matters most. Verizon continues to invest in advanced communications, networks and solutions built for public safety and is committed to working with the public safety community, other network operators and the entire wireless industry to promote an open and fully interoperable ecosystem that serves first responders.

About Verizon

Verizon Communications Inc. was formed on June 30, 2000 and is celebrating its twentieth year as one of the world’s leading providers of communications, information and entertainment products and services. Headquartered in New York City and with a presence around the world, Verizon generated revenues of $130.9 billion in 2018. The company offers voice, data and video services and solutions on its award-winning networks and platforms, delivering on customers’ demand for mobility, reliable network connectivity, security and control.

About Mutualink

Mutualink, Inc. provides an interoperable communications platform that enables community-wide multimedia sharing of radio, voice, text, video, data files and telephone communications in a secure environment. Mutualink’s system is deployed by thousands of public and private entities, including homeland security, police and fire departments, schools and universities, transit authorities, hospitals, shopping malls, casinos, and more. Mutualink is a privately held company headquartered in Wallingford, CT. For more information go to www.mutualink.net .