Cellnex & Red Cross launch emergency network in Netherlands

Cellnex Netherlands and the Netherlands Red Cross are launching a nationwide emergency communications network in the Netherlands to help responders stay reachable during large-scale crises.

The system combines Cellnex sites across the country with the Red Cross's communications facilities, creating a national layer alongside existing regional systems.

The initiative addresses a long-standing problem for emergency services and relief organisations during disasters, when conventional networks can become unavailable or congested. It is intended to add resilience and improve coordination among responders working across different safety regions.

The network will not replace existing regional communications facilities. Instead, it is designed to reinforce them with broader coverage and a national framework that can support operations when incidents extend beyond local boundaries.

Large emergencies such as floods and prolonged power outages often affect multiple regions at once, making cross-border coordination essential. In those circumstances, the ability of volunteers, aid workers and other responders to stay in contact can become a central operational issue.

Cellnex is using its existing footprint in the Netherlands for the project. The company manages more than 113,000 sites across 10 European countries, with operations spanning towers and sites, broadcasting services, public safety networks, in-building coverage and transport-related communications infrastructure.

The partnership also gives the Netherlands Red Cross access to a communications structure intended for use when regular services are under strain. The charity supports professional emergency services during crises and needs systems that can be deployed across regions rather than limited to local jurisdictions.

National layer

The new setup is being positioned as an overarching communications layer linking regional facilities. It could help reduce the fragmentation that can arise when emergency operations depend on systems designed mainly around local administrative boundaries.

For telecoms operators and public sector bodies, the issue has become more prominent as extreme weather, infrastructure disruption and pressure on electricity grids expose weaknesses in standard mobile networks during emergencies. Independent, hardened communications systems have become a bigger part of resilience planning in several European markets.

Cellnex and the Red Cross also said the technology chosen for the network leaves room for broader use over time. While the immediate focus is on reliable voice communications, the system could later support text and data applications, allowing information from the field to be shared more quickly and in greater detail once those functions are in place.

Marga Buijs outlined the infrastructure role behind the project.

"In emergency situations, communication must keep working. It is precisely at those moments that reliable infrastructure is crucial. With our nationwide coverage and technical expertise, we can contribute to a network that supports responders when it truly matters. Together with the Red Cross, we are building a safer and more resilient Netherlands," said Marga Buijs, Chief Executive Officer, Cellnex Netherlands.

Harm Goossens said dependable communications were central to the partnership's operational value.

"In a disaster, every second counts. Our volunteers and emergency responders must be able to rely on communication that works, even when regular networks are under pressure. The partnership with Cellnex Netherlands helps us stay connected at all times, so we can do what we are here to do: help people," said Harm Goossens, Director-General, Netherlands Red Cross.

Wider context

The project reflects a broader trend in Europe towards using existing commercial infrastructure to support emergency preparedness. Tower operators and telecoms infrastructure companies have increasingly sought roles in public safety communications, especially where governments and aid agencies want stronger backup arrangements without building separate national systems from scratch.

That approach can be attractive because it uses existing sites with established reach while giving emergency organisations a more unified operating layer during major incidents. In the Netherlands, where regional safety structures play a prominent role in emergency management, the ability to maintain contact across those boundaries may be especially relevant during events that spread rapidly or disrupt power and communications over a wide area.

For Cellnex, the partnership also highlights how infrastructure owners are trying to deepen ties with public-service users beyond mobile network operators. Public safety networks and related services have become a notable part of the company's wider portfolio across Europe.

For the Red Cross, the agreement provides access to a communications network intended to remain available when pressure on ordinary systems rises.