Utilities checklist
Checklist: Deploying 5G and security for electric utility companies
5G is the ideal network technology for addressing key challenges facing utilities, from grid modernization and wildfire prevention to optimizing fleet utilization. To ensure that mobile crews, sites, stations, and devices across your agency are securely connected, monitored, and managed, IT teams must develop a clear plan for selecting and implementing a 5G solution. This checklist outlines essential steps and considerations for selecting a 5G solution that is secure, reliable, and easy for lean teams to manage.
Best practices
Planning considerations
Quick check:
Where does your agency stand regarding these key networking needs for sites, IoT, and fleets?
| Offices, sites, and stations | Seeking solution | Solution in place |
|---|---|---|
| Bandwidth augmentation | ||
| Dedicated networks or network slices for critical traffic | ||
| Hybrid WAN (public/private cellular, wired, and/or satellite) for remote sites | ||
| Out-of-band management from wired WAN link | ||
| Primary cellular networks when wired is unavailable | ||
| SD-WAN capabilities for intelligent traffic optimization |
| Remote IoT and SCADA | Seeking solution | Solution in place |
|---|---|---|
| Cellular routers and antennas able to withstand extreme conditions | ||
| Coverage for surveillance and security monitoring | ||
| Multi-WAN capabilities to ensure 24/7 uptime | ||
| Network slicing to ensure each type of data is isolated and suitably prioritized | ||
| Remote visibility for troubleshooting and updates | ||
| Support for diverse connections such as Bluetooth, USB, Serial, GPIO, Modbus, etc. | ||
| Support for edge processing | ||
| Zero trust security, including remote and third-party access |
| Mobile crews and fleets | Seeking solution | Solution in place |
|---|---|---|
| Cellular routers and antennas able to withstand extreme conditions | ||
| Dual modems for SD-WAN functionality and cellular and/or satellite failover | ||
| Network access while in transit and at service sites | ||
| Real-time connectivity for task support and man-down alerts | ||
| Reliable connectivity for AVL tracking and geolocation, even in remote areas | ||
| Zero trust network access to applications for internal users and contractors |
