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Western Sydney Airport construction

5G brings Day 1 primary connectivity to construction sites across Australia

10 Jul 2024

OUTCOME

Site office connectivity, WiFi access for field workers, Day 1 internet connection, and agile temporary networks, are all able to be spun up in days and at a fraction of the cost of fixed network infrastructure.

Reliable internet access protects workplace safety and productivity, and is a cost effective alternative to wired lines.

The client is one of Australia's premier construction companies with a global presence shaping skylines and delivering iconic projects around the world.

Cradlepoint edge routers, Telstra 5G and the Telstra Enterprise Wireless solution provides a viable alternative to fixed line infrastructure for a range of use cases.

Sites: 37

Case Study 1. Western Sydney Airport

Day 1 Connectivity | Primary Link

 

The construction of the new Western Sydney Airport presented challenges for construction companies with the greenfield site at Badgery's Creek on the fringe of Sydney having no fixed network infrastructure.

The client required connectivity for its site office and for an adjacent paramedic clinic.

MobileCorp deployed a Cradlepoint W2005 outdoor wideband adapter with an external directional MiMo 4G/5G antenna which was mounted on the roofline of the demountable site office. 

The nearest Telstra tower delivered speeds of 292 Mbps down and 45 Mbps up. This more than met the needs of the client's operations. 

Demonstrating its agility, the Cradlepoint adapter was able to be relocated when a newly constructed airport terminal building caused a line-of-sight barrier between the tower and the device. The adapter was moved to a new position to regain optimal signal strength.

 Western Sydney airport map with tower satellite

 

Case Study 2. Hospital Multi-storey Car Park, Brisbane

Day 1 Connectivity | Primary Link

For construction businesses, a common hurdle is having to spin up instant, stable connectivity at job sites where wired infrastructure is unavailable.

Although this new multi-storey car park was being built adjacent to an existing hospital campus, the wired infrastructure did not extend to the greenfield site.

The timeline and cost of deploying NBN was prohibitive. Instead a 5G enterprise wireless solution provided  agile, secure connectivity.

We deployed a Cradlepoint W2005 wideband adapter with Panorama 4x4 MiMo antenna installed on the roofline of a demountable. This provided a primary internet link for the site office and WIFI access for the workforce.

Multiplex Prince Charles Hospital Brisbane carparkImage Credit: Metro North Health

Case Study 3. Health Campus, Perth

Business Continuity | 5G Failover

In this instance the client required guaranteed uptime for critical communications during the construction of a health campus.

MobileCorp deployed a Telstra 5G enterprise wireless solution to protect business continuity through link diversity.

A Cradlepoint W2005 external wideband adapter with Panorama 4x4 MiMo antenna was installed to manage traffic prioritisation and react to bandwidth spikes.

The Cradlepoint detected outages or congestion on the  primary fixed line and initiated a failover to 5G, with automatic fail back when the issue was resolved. 

Throughout construction, the existing hospital remained fully operational while a new mental health facility, five-level public hospital ward block, and multi-storey car park were built on the adjacent block. 

Multiplex Joondalup Health Campus 5G failover

 

Case Study 4. Data Centre Sydney

Day 1 Connectivity |  Primary Link

This site was a new high-rise, hyperscale data centre located on Sydney's Lower North Shore. 

It featured more than 26,000mof data halls across nine levels, including more than 20,000m2  of critical IT space.

During construction, MobileCorp deployed a 5G enterprise wireless solution installing a Cradlepoint 5G native adapter onsite, and connecting a Telstra 5G enterprise wireless plan.

The 5G enterprise wireless solution provided day 1 connectivity for the construction site office.

Post construction, MobileCorp also installed a CEL-FI G51 indoor 5G smart signal repeater system to bring coverage indoors in the office area.

Multiplex Next DC expansion construction site

 

Case Study 5. Office Building, Melbourne

Primary Link | Temporary Network

Even in densely populated urban areas where fibre is easily accessible, it can still make sense to utilise a 5G enterprise wireless link.

During the construction of this high rise office building in Melbourne,  it was faster and more cost-effective to deploy a 5G wireless solution, as an alternative to cabling a wired line. 

Post-construction, a wireless link can be repurposed or retired. Many companies choose to retain the line for 5G business continuity/failover or for primary wireless connectivity.  The hardware can also be reconfigured and moved to a new construction site.

Brookfield Multiplex workers

 

Which Cradlepoint 5G adapters are used on construction sites?

In most cases, a construction site will require an outdoor wideband adapter. These are usually installed on the rooftops of demountable offices or on standalone poles. For the past few years, the 'go-to device' in Australia has been the Cradlepoint W2005.

However, in September last year the Cradlepoint W1855 outdoor adapter was released. It is a significant improvement over the W2005 being

🌕 78% smaller
🌕 74% lighter
🌕 uses 30% less power
🌕 has 84% less packaging

Download the W1855 Data Sheet

W1855 v W2005 graphic

There is also an indoor Cradlepoint adapter being the W1850. These are more often used in retail and healthcare sites.

Cradlepoint adapters turn your legacy routers into 5G gateways. 

Key features include:

Enterprise-Grade Security: These adapters include advanced security features, such as VPN support, firewall capabilities, and secure device management, ensuring secure and reliable connections for enterprise environments.

Dual-SIM Support: Cradlepoint 5G wideband adapters come with dual-SIM support, allowing for carrier redundancy and failover capabilities to ensure continuous connectivity even if one network fails.

Remote Management: With Cradlepoint's NetCloud Manager, you can remotely manage, monitor, and configure the 5G wideband adapters, providing centralised control and reducing the need for on-site IT support. 

 

What is the Telstra Enterprise Wireless solution for Construction?

The Telstra Enterprise Wireless solution utilises a Cradlepoint 5G native adapter or router, combined with a Telstra 5G Enterprise Wireless Plan. 

It is an enterprise-class solution delivering a wireless broadband connection with intelligent traffic routing and cloud management.

Enterprise wireless is now a viable alternative to a wired link in many locations across Australia.  Its key benefits are speed to deployment, portability, network agility, and availability where wires don't reach.

Interested in learning more...

Enterprise Wireless Brochure cover 2024

DOWNLOAD GUIDE

 

How can MobileCorp help with your construction site connectivity issues?

MobileCorp can provide you with expert advice and practical support to improve your construction site connectivity.

We are a Cradlepoint Premier Partner and a Telstra Mobility Platinum Partner, and we have deployed many of Australia's first 5G enterprise wireless networks for construction clients, including those outlined earlier in this blog.

Our services include

  • 5G Site Assessment
  • Cradlepoint device procurement, configuration, licensing and NetCloud set-up
  • Telstra Enterprise Wireless SIM management
  • Onsite installation including optimised signal acquisition and cabling
  • Optional managed service with 24/7 monitoring, cellular health diagnostics, remote troubleshooting and technical support desk based at Mascot, Sydney.

 

To discuss Networks and Wireless WAN solutions with MobileCorpPeter Jonson 2024 blue circle colourPeter Jonson
General Manager, Sales & Managed Services
 e. peter@mobilecorp.com.au 
m. 0400 299 909

 

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