The Next Generation Critical Communications (NGCC) has swiftly responded to a call for assistance from Emergency Management Southland and the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) by activating the Public Safety Network (PSN) Cellular Network Visibility Service to support emergency response operations across Southland.

Launched by Minister Mark Mitchell in September, the PSN Cellular Network Visibility Service—delivered by NGCC in partnership with Hourua—provides a unified, real-time digital view of cellular network performance across Spark and One NZ networks. This integrated platform enables emergency communications and operational teams to assess coverage and network resilience from a single reference point.

As severe weather disrupted up to 130 cell towers across Southland at the height of the storm, the Visibility Service proved invaluable in informing operational planning for NEMA and Emergency Management Southland, allowing teams to quickly identify areas without cellular coverage and adapt their deployment strategies accordingly.

Geoff Welch, Team Leader GIS at Environment Southland, expressed appreciation for the rapid activation:“We have been using the service to assess potential cell coverage for Welfare and Operational staff before they head out, and for flood monitoring teams to identify disruption areas where remote sites have lost telecom connections. It has been extremely useful, and we are grateful for the speed at which NGCC and Hourua provided access—critical in these response situations.”

Steve Ferguson, Director of NGCC, highlighted the collaborative effort to mobilize support:“When the call came in, our team worked with Hourua to scope requirements and deliver same-day activation. We also trained personnel in emergency management centres, enabling them to quickly integrate network visibility into their decision-making processes.”

In addition to the Visibility Service, Southland’s frontline responders—Fire, Ambulance, and Police—continue to benefit from two other Public Safety Network Cellular Services that enhance communications resilience:

• Dual-Network Roaming: PSN SIM cards allow devices to automatically switch between Spark and One NZ networks, maintaining connectivity when one network is down.

• Priority Cellular Access: Emergency responders’ traffic is prioritised on cellular networks during congestion or degradation, ensuring mission-critical communications remain operational.

Through these integrated PSN services, NGCC continues to strengthen New Zealand’s national emergency communications capability, providing the connectivity, resilience, and coordination essential for protecting communities in times of crisis.