From Risk to Transformation: Why Quantum Matters for the Future of Emergency Communications
Quantum computing is advancing rapidly, and its implications for emergency communications are profound. For technology companies, investors, and entrepreneurs, this is not just a technical milestone—it represents a strategic inflection point.
Why Quantum Matters
Quantum computers will process information and solve complex problems at speeds beyond the reach of today’s most advanced systems. In essence, quantum technology enables the exploration of a vast number of solutions simultaneously, well beyond the limits of classical computers. For emergency communications, this means two things:
Near‑term risk: Quantum will eventually break today’s encryption, threatening the security of critical communications.
Long‑term opportunity: Quantum, paired with AI, NG9‑1‑1, GIS, and next generations networks like 5G and 6G—bringing ultra-low latency and massive device connectivity—could unlock unprecedented improvements in the tools emergency communications centers rely on to save and protect lives.
And importantly, the timeline for practical applications is accelerating. Real‑world use cases are emerging faster than most experts predicted just a year or two ago. What was once thought of as a 2030s horizon is now being pulled forward into the late 2020s, creating urgency for innovators and investors to engage. Already, hybrid classical–quantum systems are demonstrating tangible results, signaling that the shift is underway.
Applicability to Public Safety Communications
Short Term. The most immediate impact is to the security of existing systems and networks. As quantum computing progresses, conventional encryption will become ineffective—a turning point referred to as “Q‑day.” The potential harm to sensitive information is lasting. Caller identities and location data, CAD records containing personally identifiable details, multimedia inputs from NG9‑1‑1, and medical information relayed during EMS calls will remain sensitive long after the incident itself. With bad actors already harvesting encrypted data today for future decryption, these records could expose victims and responders, reveal protected health information, and erode public trust in emergency communications. In short, ECCs, vendors, cybersecurity firms, and IT departments should act now to prepare for the post-quantum era.
Long-Term. In the future, quantum will lead to entirely new capabilities for routing, predictive dispatch, resource deployment, surge response, dynamic incident management, and resilience. Today’s cutting-edge technologies such as AI and GIS are ultimately constrained by the limits of classical computing. As the volume of data grows and the complexity of real‑time decisions increases, even the best AI models and GIS platforms run into external limitations.
Quantum computing overcomes those external limits by handling complexity at a scale classical systems cannot. Quantum will allow ECCs to move to optimal, real‑time decisions across routing, forecasting, and resource deployment as illustrated by the following examples:
Dynamic Call Routing: dynamically redistributing calls across jurisdictions in real time, factoring in staffing, call load, and network conditions simultaneously.
Surge Forecasting: processing far more variables at once—IoT sensors, traffic, social data—spotting surges earlier and with greater precision.
Responder Deployment: resolving multiple variables (availability, proximity, urgency, traffic, unit type) natively, producing faster, smarter assignments across overlapping service areas.
Route Optimization: evaluating all tradeoffs— fastest arrival, safest passage, most appropriate unit, and sustained coverage—at once, giving dispatchers ranked options in seconds.
Threat Detection & Adaptive Response: running thousands of scenarios in parallel to anticipate potential failures and respond instantly as threats begin to emerge.
GIS & IoT Integration: fusing massive geospatial and sensor datasets in real time, enabling adaptive routing that weighs speed, safety, unit readiness, and coverage together—along with predictive disaster modeling and richer situational awareness.
NG9-1-1 Transformation:
Multimedia Orchestration: processing voice, text, video, and sensor feeds in parallel, surfacing the most relevant information faster for call takers.
Regional Load Balancing: dynamically managing call flow and resource allocation across multiple ECCs in real time—factoring in staffing, call volume, and unit availability to help ensure no single center is overwhelmed.
Resilient Operations: continuously monitoring both individual ECCs and interconnected NG9‑1‑1 networks, instantly detecting overloads or cascading failures and recommending real‑time adjustments to keep services online.
In effect, when it comes to the latest technologies serving ECCs, quantum will amplify their strengths and remove the computational ceiling they face today. The result will be unlike the leaps we are already experiencing—they will be transformational, truly quantum‑scale advances.
Closing Thought
Throughout my career—whether at APCO International, the U.S. House Energy & Commerce Committee, or the FCC—I’ve seen how emerging technologies reshape public safety. Each wave of innovation has created opportunities for companies serving public safety agencies that understood both the technology and the policy landscape. But quantum will be qualitatively different—a significant inflection point.
For technology firms, investors, and entrepreneurs, the challenge is not only understanding the science but also navigating the policy and operational realities that will shape this space.
If you are exploring how quantum, AI, NG9‑1‑1, GIS, and the coming 6G era—poised to arrive in the same timeframe as quantum breakthroughs—intersect with your strategy, now is the time to act. Together, these technologies will redefine the speed, scale, and intelligence of emergency communications. At MountainPeak Strategies, I help innovators and investors position themselves early, align with policy and market dynamics, and translate breakthrough technologies into solutions built for growth and adoption. Let’s connect: Jeff@mpstrat.com.