Ever try streaming an action movie during a blackout? Crazy thought, right? Well, if your utility's network is running on aging infrastructure and outdated security, who needs movies? You might find yourself in the middle of a real-time disaster story — and unlike the ones on screen, this one has real consequences.
For decades, utilities have operated behind the scenes, delivering power, gas, water, and vital services without much of a spotlight. But the script has changed. The stakes are higher, the threats are faster, and utility network modernization is no longer optional — it is the only way to stay in control
In this UBBA webinar, Lights, Camera, Action: Utilities Protecting People, Places, and Assets, you will discover how leading utilities are upgrading their networks and what’s at risk if you don’t.
What You Will Learn:
Utilities are under pressure from aging infrastructure, rising cyber threats, and the growing demands of smart grid operations. This post draws on real-world deployments and a survey we conducted of 400 utilities professionals to show what resilient, future-ready connectivity looks like in practice. Here's what you'll take away:
- Why network performance, cost, and availability are the top three concerns for utilities professionals globally, according to Coleman Parkes research
- The five threat categories putting modern utility networks at risk, from aging fiber to rising cyberattacks and bandwidth-hungry applications
- Real-world deployment examples, including nuclear facilities, a Hawaiian utility, and smart pole conversions, showing how new wireless infrastructure is replacing aging legacy networks
- How federal funding programs including the $10.5B GRIP Program, BEAD, and USDA RUS Loans can help fund your next connectivity upgrade
- How smart luminaires and utility-owned light poles are being converted into multi-gigabit wireless hubs supporting surveillance, smart metering, and EV charging
Scene One: Legacy Networks Can't Keep Up with Today's Grid
Utilities today are no longer just power providers. They’re:
- A first responder to climate-driven disruptions
- A defender against cyber and physical threats
- A digital infrastructure operator powering everything from smart meters to AI-powered surveillance
But here’s the plot twist: most of this innovation is still running on fragile legacy networks.
We asked Coleman Parkes to survey 400 utilities professionals worldwide about their most pressing connectivity challenges. Network performance (68%), cost (64%), and availability (61%) are the top three concerns. Your grid is only as smart as the connectivity that keeps all that vital data flowing.
Scene Two: The Threats Already Facing Your Network
Your network faces a dangerous combination of risks right now:
- Aging fiber and copper lines prone to damage, especially near high-vibration assets like power plants
- Rising cyberattacks targeting both IT and OT environments — up 140% in the last two years in the energy sector, per IBM X-Force
- Physical security breaches at substations and remote sites, where lack of surveillance or backhaul can delay detection
- Bandwidth-heavy applications like 4K video analytics and thermal monitoring that older networks simply cannot support
These vulnerabilities are no longer hypothetical. The question is whether your network is ready for them.
Scene Three: Rewriting the Script with Resilient Wireless Infrastructure
Our UBBA webinar webinar showcases how utilities are flipping the script — from vulnerable to vigilant — using smart, scalable wireless infrastructure. Here are three field-proven deployments you will see:
Use case highlights you will see:
- Six nuclear facilities replaced failing fiber with Ceragon's 1 Gbps mmWave rings, enabling 230+ HD surveillance cameras and real-time analytics
- A fully air-gapped early warning alarm system (EWAS), approved by the U.S. NRC, combining stereoscopic and thermal sensors on a self-healing wireless backbone
- A utility in Hawaii used 60 GHz Siklu by Ceragon radios to replace degraded cable near power stations, reducing maintenance costs and downtime while improving resilience
These aren't pilot projects. They are field-proven deployments transforming how utilities secure their perimeters, protect their people, and modernize operations.
Scene Four: The Funding Already in Your Story
ThYour utility now has access to unprecedented federal funding to support this digital transformation:
- $10.5B GRIP Program from the Department of Energy (DOE) to fund grid resilience
- BEAD and Middle Mile programs supporting broadband and backhaul for underserved areas
- USDA RUS Loans for smart grid upgrades and rural connectivity
IIf your utility isn't tapping into these, your competitors probably are.
Scene Five: How Light Poles Are Stealing the Show
One of the most innovative stories in the webinar is about smart luminaires — utility-owned light poles converted into wireless broadband hubs.
With Ceragon's technology, your city can:
- Turn existing lamp posts into multi-gigabit mesh networks
- Support security cameras, smart metering, and EV charging
- Eliminate trenching delays and fast-track smart city rollouts
It's a prime example of how your existing infrastructure can become a strategic connectivity asset — with hidden radios, aesthetic integration, and support for NB-IoT and Fixed Wireless Access.
Key Takeaways:
- Network performance (68%), cost (64%), and availability (61%) are the top connectivity concerns for utilities professionals worldwide, per a Coleman Parkes survey of 400 industry professionals
- Cyberattacks targeting energy sector IT and OT environments have increased 140% in the last two years, making secure, dedicated wireless infrastructure a critical priority
- Six nuclear facilities replaced failing fiber with Ceragon mmWave rings, enabling over 230 HD surveillance cameras and real-time analytics on a resilient wireless backbone
- Wireless infrastructure is field-proven to outperform legacy fiber in speed, cost, resilience, and deployment time across utility environments
- Federal funding programs including the DOE GRIP Program ($10.5B), BEAD, Middle Mile, and USDA RUS Loans are available to support utility network modernization and smart grid upgrades
- Smart luminaire conversions are turning utility-owned light poles into multi-gigabit mesh networks supporting security cameras, smart metering, NB-IoT, and EV charging without trenching
The grid is evolving fast — and the utilities that modernize their connectivity now will be the ones writing the next chapter. The infrastructure exists, the funding is available, and the deployments prove it works. Your network doesn't have to be the weak link in the story. Watch the webinar and see what the next act looks like.
Watch the Webinar: See the Deployments in Action
If you're in energy, telecom, or infrastructure planning, this webinar is your backstage pass to the future of utility communications.
In this on-demand webinar, Ceragon and UBBA walk through real-world utility deployments across nuclear facilities, offshore environments, and smart city infrastructure — covering wireless architecture, federal funding strategy, and physical and cyber protection.
Get a front-row seat to:
- Real-world deployments
- Federal funding insights that unlock your next upgrade
- Tactical lessons in physical and cyber protection
- Wireless architectures that beat fiber in speed, cost, and resilience
Watch “Lights, Camera, Action” on demand now and see how utilities like yours are building stronger, smarter, safer networks — without waiting for the next crisis.
Frequently Asked Questions
What wireless technologies are best suited for utility networks?
The right mix depends on your environment and distances involved. Most modern utility networks use a combination of licensed microwave for long-haul backhaul, mmWave for high-capacity short links near substations and facilities, and Private LTE for mobile workforce and IoT coverage across pads and remote sites.
How much does it cost to replace aging fiber with wireless infrastructure?
Costs vary based on geography, the number of sites, and spectrum licensing requirements. Federal programs like the DOE GRIP Program and USDA RUS Loans can offset a substantial portion of infrastructure upgrade costs for qualifying utilities.
Is wireless connectivity secure enough for OT environments?
Yes, when properly designed. Military-grade encryption, dedicated spectrum, and network segmentation make modern wireless infrastructure suitable for operational technology environments. Ceragon's solutions have been deployed in NRC-approved utility environments, including air-gapped alarm systems.
What is a smart luminaire, and how does it support utility operations?
A smart luminaire is a utility-owned light pole converted into a wireless broadband hub. With integrated radios, it can support multi-gigabit mesh networking, security cameras, smart metering, NB-IoT sensors, and EV charging stations without the need for new trenching or civil work
