Motorola Solutions Inc. (NYSE: MSI) is kick-starting its next-generation public-safety plans with a deal to use Verizon Wireless 's Long Term Evolution (LTE) network in the U.S. for such applications.

Motorola and Verizon said Wednesday that the deal will enable public-safety customers to combine "a private public safety-controlled broadband network tailored for mission critical operations" with Verizon's commercial network.

The pair say that the deal will enable them to offer a cost-effective way to deploy public-safety networks nationwide. Layering in LTE will also enable public-safety customers to add rich media services, like video, to the mix.

Why this matters
Verizon has so far deployed LTE in 39 American cities. Even during this rollout phase, however, the operator has been looking for applications beyond metropolitan wireless-broadband services for the 4G network. The carrier has already started to ink deals with rural carriers for LTE deployments in the sticks. The public-safety deal further opens up the applications Verizon can support with its new network.

Motorola, meanwhile, has been talking about incorporating LTE into its public-safety portfolio since 2010. Before the vendor split into two companies this year, it was awarded US$50 million by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) to deploy an LTE-based public-safety network in the Bay Area. The Verizon deal gives Motorola a ready-built LTE network to use.

For more
Read more about LTE and public-safety applications: