DSB Tests Emergency Communication Resilience as Nødnett Coverage Gaps Highlight Need for Backup Solutions

Norwegian Department for Emergency and Preparedness Communications states that the loss of network coverage is consistently identified as a critical issue by emergency responders.

Norway's Directorate for Civil Protection (DSB) has been conducting live operational testing of backup communication solutions for Nødnett, the country's national emergency communications network, amid growing concerns over network resilience in the face of increasingly severe weather conditions.

During a large-scale rescue exercise held in Jotunheimen National Park in the first week of June 2026, DSB deployed a DMO Gateway to extend effective communication coverage into areas where permanent base station infrastructure is absent. The exercise, which involved police, the Norwegian Armed Forces, Norwegian People's Aid and air ambulance services, centred on the simulated location and extraction of ten missing military parachutists, providing a realistic operational scenario in which communication continuity was critical.

The deployment of the DMO Gateway allowed exercise participants operating in areas beyond normal Nødnett coverage to remain connected with other agencies by bridging standard Nødnett talkgroups with Direct Mode Operation talkgroups. The solution addresses a known limitation in remote and protected natural areas such as national parks, where the installation of permanent base station infrastructure is not permitted.

Ronny Solli, Senior Engineer in DSB's Department for Emergency and Preparedness Communications, noted that the loss of network coverage is consistently identified as a critical issue by emergency responders. He emphasised that while backup solutions exist and are technically capable of maintaining interoperability, their effectiveness is entirely dependent on end-user familiarity and regular training.

DSB has identified a broader trend in which more frequent and severe weather events are placing greater stress on the Nødnett infrastructure, with power outages and physical damage caused by wind, water, lightning and avalanches cited as the primary causes of coverage disruption.
The exercise took place alongside SAR61°N, an annual gathering of rescue service stakeholders organised by the Norwegian Air Ambulance Foundation, held this year in Lom in Gudbrandsdalen. The event brings together emergency services to train, test emerging technologies and exchange operational knowledge.

DSB has made a user guide on alternative Nødnett solutions available to operational users and is actively encouraging all emergency and preparedness personnel to familiarise themselves with backup procedures and designated DMO talkgroups before they are needed in a live incident.