SERVICIUL DE TELECOMUNICATII SPECIALE

Their core work

Romania's Special Telecommunications Service (STS) is a government agency responsible for providing secure telecommunications and IT infrastructure for public authorities, emergency services, and national security operations. In H2020, they contributed real-world operational expertise in emergency communications, public safety networks, and disaster response coordination. Their role across projects reflects an end-user perspective — they bring the requirements and field experience of a national-level operator of critical communication systems, helping researchers and industry partners validate solutions against actual operational needs.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

STS entered H2020 in 2015 with a broad portfolio spanning emergency communications (EMYNOS), citizen policing (CITYCoP), and disaster management (CARISMAND). Over time, their focus narrowed and deepened toward dedicated public safety broadband infrastructure, with BROADMAP mapping PPDR interoperability needs and BroadWay pursuing 5G mission-critical solutions. This trajectory shows a clear shift from general security topics toward specialized mobile broadband for first responders — aligning with the EU's push for a pan-European PPDR communication standard.

STS is moving toward 5G mission-critical broadband for public protection, positioning them as a key end-user validator for next-generation first responder communication systems across Europe.

How they like to work

STS participates exclusively as a partner, never coordinating — consistent with their role as an end-user agency that provides operational requirements and testing environments rather than leading research. With 69 unique partners across 25 countries, they connect broadly rather than deeply, suggesting they are sought after as a credible governmental end-user for validation purposes. Their value to consortia lies in providing real operational context and access to national-level public safety infrastructure.

STS has collaborated with 69 distinct partners across 25 countries, giving them a wide European network in the security and public safety domain. Their connections span research institutions, telecom companies, and fellow PPDR agencies — a valuable network for anyone building a security-focused consortium.

What sets them apart

STS is one of few national-level secure telecommunications operators actively participating in EU research. Unlike academic or commercial partners, they bring the perspective of an organization that actually runs critical communication infrastructure for a national government. For consortium builders, STS offers something rare: a government end-user that can validate public safety technologies against real operational requirements and regulatory constraints in a major EU member state.

Highlights from their portfolio

• BroadWay
  Their largest project (EUR 246,958) and most recent, targeting pan-European 5G interoperable broadband for public protection — a flagship EU initiative running until 2023.
• EMYNOS
  Focused on next-generation emergency communication systems (NG112), directly aligned with STS's core mandate of providing emergency telecommunications services.
• BROADMAP
  A strategic mapping exercise for interoperable PPDR broadband across Europe — a coordination action that shaped the direction of later projects like BroadWay.