PMRExpo 2026 Programme Puts Resilient Communication Centre Stage

PMRExpo 2026, the leading European trade fair for secure communications, will take place from 24 to 26 November 2026 at Koelnmesse in Cologne. This year’s specialised programme is built around a central question for the sector: how secure communications can be guaranteed during mains failures, blackouts and crisis situations. The event will bring together participants from Germany and abroad, representing authorities and organisations with security tasks (BOS), Critical Infrastructures (KRITIS), control centres, industry, research, politics and associations.

The programme combines a three-day Summit, a dedicated Symposium and a range of practice-oriented formats in the Connecting Area, linking strategic perspectives with concrete applications and opportunities for personal exchange.

PMRExpo Summit: Resiliently Connected

The PMRExpo Summit will run across all three days under the theme “Resiliently connected. Challenges and solutions in the critical communications of the next generation”. Sessions will address technological developments, strategic direction and practical solutions for reliable communication.

The opening day, Tuesday 24 November, will begin with an address by Dr Daniela Lesmeister, State Secretary of the Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia. It will be followed by a panel on resilience, digital sovereignty and the protection of critical infrastructures, featuring representatives from politics, authorities, user organisations and industry. A practice dialogue will then examine the requirements of power suppliers, local public transport and traffic operators.

On Wednesday 25 November, Dr Christoph Hübner, President of the Federal Agency for Public Safety Digital Radio (BDBOS), will open proceedings. BDBOS will then join European partners to discuss European paths towards mission-critical broadband communication. A further panel will consider how BOS, control centres and municipal crisis teams can remain capable of joint action during major incidents and hybrid threats without communication disruption.

The final day, Thursday 26 November, will turn to artificial intelligence. Prof. Tobias Daniel Gantner, Chief Operating Officer of HealthCare Futurists GmbH, will deliver a keynote on moving AI from vision to practice. A panel will then weigh the benefits of AI in control centres against the reservations it raises. Mario Müller, Head of IT Strategy and Information Security at the Integrated Regional Control Centre Lusatia, part of the Technical Control Centre Network in Brandenburg, will present on failure concepts, continuity, error tolerance and resilience strategies for control centres.

PMRExpo Symposium: Civil-Military Cooperation

On 25 November, the PMRExpo Symposium, supported by CPM Verlag, will focus on resilient mission communication in the context of civil-military cooperation. The Symposium will gather experts from BOS, the Bundeswehr, KRITIS, industry, public administration, politics and research to explore how secure and interoperable communication across organisations can be achieved in crisis situations.

Police Director Corinna Koch will present the police perspective on civil-military communication. A simulated briefing will connect the themes of civil-military cooperation and mission communication, while a closing panel will look ahead to the future of critical mission communication.

Connecting Area: Networking and Anniversary Celebrations

The Connecting Area will serve as the central meeting point for lectures, discussions and networking. The official opening of the trade fair will also mark the 25th anniversary of PMRExpo. Further highlights include the PMeV Indoor Radio Forum, the “Ladies@SecureCommunication” panel, and the pitches and award ceremony of the Hackathon@PMRExpo.

5G Hub for Private Networks

A dedicated 5G Hub for Private Networks will demonstrate how private 5G campus networks can be deployed across industry and Critical Infrastructures. Using concrete examples from real-world operations, the special exhibition area will give visitors insight into relevant mission scenarios and the opportunity to discuss solutions and requirements directly with exhibitors. A dedicated 5G theme day in the Connecting Area will provide an additional technical focus.

Hackathon@PMRExpo

The Hackathon@PMRExpo will bring together developers, students, start-ups, emergency services and companies in interdisciplinary teams to tackle real challenges in public safety, Critical Infrastructures and communication. Participants will work collaboratively to develop new approaches to critical communication, with total prize money of €4,500 to be awarded.

International Accessibility

All lectures at PMRExpo 2026 will be simultaneously translated into English, so the full programme is accessible to an international professional audience.