Interoperable gateway solution connects multiple public safety networks and expands push-to-talk calling area by thousands of miles.

ATLANTA, March 17, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Southern Linc, a subsidiary of Southern Company (NYSE: SO), has partnered with the Blount County, Alabama Communications District (BCCD) to integrate the county's existing VHF, P25 and other networks with the CriticalLinc™ LTE network.

Blount County was faced with the challenge of achieving dependable handheld radio coverage without exceeding budget constraints. While the County's P25 system adequately supported mobile units, it did not consistently provide reliable communications for personnel operating on foot, particularly in more difficult environments. To compensate, the County relied on legacy VHF radios that were beyond their intended lifespan. Continuing to depend on the aging equipment posed an operational risk, as failures could result in the loss of critical communications.

Recognizing that these stopgap measures were not sustainable, Blount County leaders sought a long‑term solution to strengthen handheld coverage while remaining fiscally responsible. The goal was to improve reliability and continuity without placing additional strain on taxpayer funding.

Southern Linc's interoperable communications solution was selected to address these challenges by leveraging the County's existing VHF and P25 infrastructure and seamlessly integrating them with Southern Linc's secure, mission‑critical LTE network. Southern Linc installed a Catalyst Communications Technologies gateway and dispatch console solution that created a single local, regional and nationwide radio network delivering LMR and LTE communications for BCCD employees and countywide First Responders. Through this approach, Blount County gained expanded radio coverage, interoperability and enhanced handheld performance without the cost and complexity of building a new standalone system

"The Catalyst solution provides the BCCD with better coverage, better MCPTT performance and thousands of miles of incremental calling capability at a fraction of the cost of a private network buildout," stated Blount County 911 Director Derrick Walker.

The County's new layered communications architecture provides built‑in redundancy, ensuring continuity if any single channel becomes unavailable.

"Think of it like building a safety net with three strands: Southern Linc's LTE network serves as the primary layer, with the P25 network and satellite service providing additional layers of redundancy to ensure continuity during critical situations," Walker stated.

Southern Linc President and CEO Bentina Terry said, "We are proud to bring interoperability and increased reliability to Blount County. We believe Southern Linc's interoperable network solution will greatly enhance their communication capabilities, and we know it will enable better coordination and efficiency in their operations."

With full encryption across law enforcement channels, compliance is built into the system—an essential requirement for public safety. End‑to‑end encryption ensures that sensitive communications remain protected and meet federal standards.

Designed to serve as a native MCPTT application, Southern Linc's gateway solution provides a "command and control" communications environment optimized for the mission-critical requirements of the County's thirty-two law enforcement and fire agencies as well as the cities for which BCCD provides dispatch services. In addition to the gateway, BCCD deployed Sonim XP5plus devices to enable interoperable MCPTT communications across the County and with State agencies using Southern Linc including Alabama Highway Patrol, Alabama State Bureau of Investigation, Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Parole, Alabama Department of Transportation, Alabama Emergency Management Agency and Alabama Emergency EMS.

Now, Blount County is focused on validating that every layer of its communications architecture—from primary networks to failover systems—performs reliably during real‑world incidents. This emphasis on technical resilience transforms the integration from a short‑term fix into a strategic investment, representing a forward‑looking shift toward secure, robust communications that can withstand critical demands.

About Southern Linc

Southern Linc is a wireless communications company wholly owned by Southern Company. Southern Company (NYSE: SO) is a leading energy provider serving 9 million customers across the Southeast and beyond through its family of companies. The company has electric operating companies in three states, natural gas distribution companies in four states, a competitive generation company, a leading distributed energy solutions provider with national capabilities, a fiber optics network, and telecommunications services. Southern Linc provides highly reliable, highly secure wireless voice and data services via their CriticalLinc™ LTE network to Southern Company subsidiaries, including its electric and gas utilities, as well as to a wide range of businesses and public sector agencies across Alabama, Georgia, and southeastern Mississippi. The CriticalLinc network provides over-the-air encryption from devices to towers and supports encryption from towers to the network's core data centers. This mission-critical network conveys a highly reliable suite of services that can support the most critical business processes. To learn more, visit www.southernlinc.com.

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SOURCE Southern Linc