A method for rapid peer-to-peer link establishment among a set of mobile devices, the method comprising: operating a first device, wherein the first device utilizes a first wireless wide area network, WAN, technology to access a first WAN; detecting, by the first device, a lack of network connectivity with the first WAN, and responsively: monitoring for and receiving, at the first device, advertised system attributes in a plurality of wireless beacons from respective second devices (12B, 12C) using a third wireless technology, the system attributes setting forth attributes of the respective second device (12B, 12C) with respect to second device operation using a second wireless WAN technology to access a second WAN, the system attributes including at least one of a talkgroup affiliation of the second device in the second WAN and a priority of the second device in the second WAN; comparing, by the first device, the advertised system attributes to attributes needed by the first device, including comparing the talkgroup affiliation of the second device in the second WAN with a talkgroup affiliation needed by the first device or comparing the priority of the second device in the second WAN with a priority needed by the first device; determining that a particular second device is compatible based on the comparing; and establishing a wireless link by the first device to the particular second device using the third wireless technology when the devices are determined to be compatible; wherein the step of determining that the particular second device is compatible comprises the step of determining, from the advertised system attributes, that the talkgroup affiliation of the particular second device in the second WAN matches the talkgroup affiliation needed by the first device or that the priority of the particular second device in the second WAN matches the priority needed by the first device. operating a first device, wherein the first device utilizes a first wireless wide area network, WAN, technology to access a first WAN; detecting, by the first device, a lack of network connectivity with the first WAN, and responsively: monitoring for and receiving, at the first device, advertised system attributes in a plurality of wireless beacons from respective second devices (12B, 12C) using a third wireless technology, the system attributes setting forth attributes of the respective second device (12B, 12C) with respect to second device operation using a second wireless WAN technology to access a second WAN, the system attributes including at least one of a talkgroup affiliation of the second device in the second WAN and a priority of the second device in the second WAN; comparing, by the first device, the advertised system attributes to attributes needed by the first device, including comparing the talkgroup affiliation of the second device in the second WAN with a talkgroup affiliation needed by the first device or comparing the priority of the second device in the second WAN with a priority needed by the first device; determining that a particular second device is compatible based on the comparing; and establishing a wireless link by the first device to the particular second device using the third wireless technology when the devices are determined to be compatible; wherein the step of determining that the particular second device is compatible comprises the step of determining, from the advertised system attributes, that the talkgroup affiliation of the particular second device in the second WAN matches the talkgroup affiliation needed by the first device or that the priority of the particular second device in the second WAN matches the priority needed by the first device. monitoring for and receiving, at the first device, advertised system attributes in a plurality of wireless beacons from respective second devices (12B, 12C) using a third wireless technology, the system attributes setting forth attributes of the respective second device (12B, 12C) with respect to second device operation using a second wireless WAN technology to access a second WAN, the system attributes including at least one of a talkgroup affiliation of the second device in the second WAN and a priority of the second device in the second WAN; comparing, by the first device, the advertised system attributes to attributes needed by the first device, including comparing the talkgroup affiliation of the second device in the second WAN with a talkgroup affiliation needed by the first device or comparing the priority of the second device in the second WAN with a priority needed by the first device; determining that a particular second device is compatible based on the comparing; and establishing a wireless link by the first device to the particular second device using the third wireless technology when the devices are determined to be compatible; wherein the step of determining that the particular second device is compatible comprises the step of determining, from the advertised system attributes, that the talkgroup affiliation of the particular second device in the second WAN matches the talkgroup affiliation needed by the first device or that the priority of the particular second device in the second WAN matches the priority needed by the first device.