Lights, Camera, Action: Why Utilities Are Rewriting the Script on Connectivity and Security 

Ever try streaming an action movie during a blackout? Crazy thought, right? Well, if your local utility’s network is running on aging infrastructure and outdated security, who needs movies?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 without realizing it.

For decades, utilities have operated behind the scenes, delivering power, gas, water, and vital services without much of a spotlight. But times have changed: the stakes are higher, the threats are faster, and the need for resilient, secure, high-performance connectivity is essential.

In this UBBA webinar, Lights, Camera, Action: Utilities Protecting People, Places, and Assets [add link to on demand webinar], you will discover how leading utilities are upgrading their networks...and what’s at risk if you don’t.

Scene One: The Grid Is Evolving...Are You?

Utilities today are no longer just power providers. They’re:

• First responders to climate-driven disruptions 
• Defenders against cyber and physical threats 
• Digital infrastructure operators 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.

Recently, we asked Coleman Parkes to survey 400 utilities professionals worldwide about their most pressing connectivity challenges. What did we learn? Network performance (68%), cost (64%) and availability (61%) are their top three concerns. Ultimately, your grid is as smart as the connectivity that keeps all that vital data flowing.

Scene Two: Threats Are Mounting

Modern utilities face a dangerous combination of risks:

• 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 energy sectors, 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 can’t support

These vulnerabilities are no longer hypothetical and can have a major impact on modern-day utilities.

Scene Three: Resilience by Design

The UBBA webinar showcases how utilities are flipping the script — from vulnerable to vigilant — using smart, scalable wireless infrastructure.

Use case highlights you will see:

• Six nuclear facilities that 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 using 60 GHz Siklu by Ceragon radios to replace degraded cable near power stations — reducing maintenance costs and downtime while improving resilience

These aren’t just tests. They’re field-proven deployments transforming how utilities are securing their perimeters, protecting their people, and modernizing operations.

Scene Four: Funding Meets Innovation

Thanks to historic federal investment in the US, utilities now have access to unprecedented 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

If your utility isn’t tapping into these — your competitors probably are.

Scene Five: From Streetlights to Smart Poles

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, cities are:

• Turning lamp posts into multi-gigabit mesh networks
• Supporting security cameras, smart metering, and even EV charging
• Eliminating trenching delays and fast-tracking smart city rollouts

It’s a prime example of how existing infrastructure can be transformed into strategic connectivity assets—with hidden radios, aesthetic integration, and support for NB-IoT and Fixed Wireless Access.

Watch the Replay: Utilities in the Spotlight

If you’re in energy, telecom, or infrastructure planning, this webinar is your backstage pass to the future of utility communications.

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.

Bonus:

Need a personalized consultation or funding roadmap? Talk to our team and we’ll help script your next act to include fewer outages, better coverage, and cameras that never miss a frame!