At a time when people in parts of Latvia are receiving cell broadcast alerts about potential security risks ever more frequently, 89% of residents believe it is essential for the state to identify and respond to unauthorised drone activity in good time, particularly near borders and critical infrastructure sites, according to survey data from electronic communications and ICT services provider “Bite Latvija” and research company “Norstat”. This shows that there is a high level of public understanding of the importance of timely notification, monitoring and coordinated response in a range of security situations, in which resilient communications infrastructure plays a significant role.
In the survey, a convincing majority of residents indicated that, in their view, cell broadcast alerts are most useful in civil defence emergencies – including drone or other military threats, chemical accidents or evacuation situations, cited in 77% of cases overall – and in natural and environmental emergencies, for example due to storms, floods or ice, cited in 62% of cases. Situations mentioned less often included searches for missing persons, at 29% of cases, for example a missing child, elderly person or person with health problems, and traffic or infrastructure accidents, at 21% of cases, for example major road traffic accidents or power and communications outages. In 35% of responses, other emergencies were also noted, such as public safety threats, health risks and the like.
Precise time synchronisation provided by GPS is critical to the cell broadcast system, because mobile network base stations must operate in step to within microseconds so that messages reach all users in a given area at the same time. Since the start of the full-scale war in Ukraine, GPS interference has become a frequent feature of electronic warfare, affecting not only Ukraine but also the wider European region, including Latvia. This means that such interference can also affect the synchronisation of telecommunications infrastructure and, consequently, the reliability of the cell broadcast system precisely in the situations where it matters most.
In July last year, the Ministry of the Interior introduced the cell broadcast system. Bite was actively involved in rolling out this technology on the Latvian network, providing the necessary technical infrastructure and carrying out intensive testing of the solution in close cooperation with state institutions. Today, the resilience of communications and digital infrastructure is no longer merely a technological or business matter – it has become an essential foundation of national security and civil defence. That makes the ability to identify technological risks in good time and to keep critical infrastructure running without interruption especially important. Drawing on previous experience in areas including Liepāja and the maritime waters, where GPS signal interference has been observed in individual cases, Bite has also implemented preventive technical measures – optimising the placement of GPS signal receivers and the positioning of base station equipment in order to reduce the possible impact of external interference on network operation,” emphasises Aleksandrs Beļajevs, head of the radio network department at “Bite Latvija”.
In addition, to strengthen Latvia's ability to identify and monitor possible threats in good time, “Bite Latvija” this year put forward a national initiative, “A national counter-drone sensor network based on critical infrastructure operators”. Its aim is to build closer cooperation between the state, security institutions and infrastructure operators, using existing towers, data transmission networks and power supply infrastructure to develop an effective and financially sustainable security system.
Alongside this, “Bite Latvija” has for more than 20 years invested consistently in the development of Latvia's communications infrastructure, investing more than 200 million euros in total and channelling a further roughly 20 million euros a year into network development. These investments are aimed not only at extending coverage, but also at strengthening network resilience, cybersecurity, backup capacity and the ability to keep communications running in heightened-risk and crisis situations too.
The survey was conducted from 12 to 21 May 2026 by electronic communications and ICT services provider “Bite Latvija” in cooperation with research agency “Norstat Latvija”. It involved 1001 respondents aged 18–74.
About “Bite Latvija”
“Bite Latvija” is the number one electronic communications and information and communication technology company in Latvia, with its own nationwide optical infrastructure and a next-generation 5G network for private individuals and business customers. For more than 20 years, “Bite Latvija” has been providing modern, innovative mobile communications services tailored to customer needs, voice calls, a next-generation 5G network, fibre optic internet, “Go3” television and integrated ICT solutions for business customers.
One of “Bite Latvija”'s values is caring for people, and so in 2024 the company committed to promoting the active involvement of people with disabilities in social life, the labour market, society and, in particular, professional and recreational sport. Working towards this goal, “Bite Latvija” and “TV3 Group Latvija” will be general sponsors of the Latvian Paralympic Committee until 2028, providing substantial financial and informational support worth 1,000,000 euros, thereby helping our para-athletes to achieve their goals and strengthening the Paralympic movement, while also raising the profile of para-sport and inspiring others.