Contrivian broadens Horizon for first response connectivity

Military, healthcare, law enforcement and government services users need mission-critical connectivity that is accessible, predictable, transparent and resilient across even the most remote environments. Looking to deliver field connectivity to these out-of-the-way areas, technology company Contrivian has expanded its product line with the launch of Horizon Plus.

The expansion of the portfolio builds on Contrivian’s stated strategy to provide mission-critical connectivity that’s accessible, predictable, transparent and resilient across global remote environments. The company said that ultimately it could enable firms to modernise connectivity for emergency and disaster response, mobile teams, remote sites and critical infrastructures without adding operational complexity or disruption.

It said Horizon Plus allows for always-on connection, remote video monitoring, real-time tracking and telemetry for remote operations across multi-user field teams. The offering is designed to allow emergency responders to arrive on foot, deploy in minutes and bring platform intelligence to the field.

Positioned as a “user-friendly, field-ready system for additional functionality, accessibility and efficiency”, the Horizon Plus combines connectivity services from Starlink and other leading low-Earth-orbit (LEO) satellite operators with multi-carrier 5G/LTE routers, software-defined wide-area network (SD-WAN) capability for remote site operations, disaster response, military deployments and mobile healthcare environments. 

The product line also includes the Contrivian Horizon Go system, available as a hard case or backpack for walk-in deployment where vehicles cannot reach. The Horizon Go is essentially a portable rapid deployment kit for solo responders and small teams, combining a Starlink Mini terminal with all-day battery power in a carry-on case, managing connectivity without infrastructure.

The Horizon field-deployable case is ruggedised for vehicle-mount and fixed-site deployment, using the NorthStar and Lighthouse intelligent path for 24/7 monitoring in multi-user field teams.

Lighthouse is described as comprising an intelligent edge software package, or, in Contrivian’s words, “a ‘network engineer in a box’ that thinks right on site”, so first responders stay focused on their mission, not troubleshooting connectivity. With multiple paths active at once, the company is confident that it can deliver intelligence designed for optimised performance and fleet-wide visibility.

Contrivian believes the line forms a “clear capability ladder”. Horizon Go provides portable connectivity for solo responders and small teams as a hard case or backpack, while platform intelligence is powered by Lighthouse and NorthStar, beginning at Horizon and scaling through Horizon Plus for multi-user field operations and Horizon Pro for the most demanding deployments. 

As a way of describing its utility, the company noted that during the Palisades fires in Los Angeles, Contrivian used these kits for immediate restoration of command-to-field communications, real-time weather and thermal imaging, supporting existing handsets without a change needed. 

“Horizon Plus is a huge step for emergency services connectivity. Allowing critical teams from construction, remote operations, healthcare, law enforcement, military and governments to connect to satellites for real-time tracking and telemetry, even in the most remote locations,” commented Contrivian CEO Grant Kirkwood.

“The mix of hardware, software and global connectivity creates a resilient ecosystem that ensures uninterrupted communication when it matters most, empowering responders to operate with greater precision, coordination and confidence in the field.”