Overview
As utility providers move forward with their digital transformations, the demand for fast, reliable and secure connectivity is greater than ever. HCLTech's 5G solutions deliver a future-ready network platform that meets the evolving needs of electric, gas and water utilities including enhanced grid reliability, workforce mobility, customer service and operational efficiency.
Secure, Scalable and Always-On Connectivity for Utilities
We design, deploy and manage private 5G networks built specifically for utility environments. These networks ensure ultra-low latency, high bandwidth and resilient operations across substations, field assets and customer endpoints.
Advanced distribution automation (ADA)
Real-time control and monitoring of reclosers, capacitor banks, voltage regulators and DER integration.
AMI backhaul
High-speed, secure communication backbone for smart meters in rural and dense urban areas.
Field crew enablement
Live streaming of video, GIS updates and work order management from ruggedized devices.
Remote pressure monitoring
Secure telemetry from critical pressure regulation and valve points.
Emergency response and leak detection
Fast coordination and communication in high-risk situations.
Pipeline asset monitoring
High-definition video and sensor feeds from long-distance transmission assets.
Water quality and leak detection sensors
Real-time alerts from distributed monitoring devices.
SCADA over LTE
Redundant, high-performance path for operational technology traffic.
Smart hydrant and valve networks
On-demand control and diagnostics across the distribution grid.
Technical Implementation and Delivery Roadmap
Our scalable private 5G networks are delivered via a four-phase approach. This roadmap spans spectrum strategy, core design, edge compute, and 24x7 operations, integrated with your OT systems to deliver a production-ready solution.
ROI and Business Impact
Real-world Experience: Private Wireless Data Driving Value for Utilities
Grid Automation – West Coast IOU
Challenge: Limited visibility in fire-prone areas due to poor cellular coverage
Solution: Deployed private CBRS network integrated with SCADA & FLISR
Outcome: 40% faster fault isolation, enhanced situational awareness, wildfire compliance
Mobile Workforce Enablement
Challenge: Field crews lacked real-time GIS/OMS access
Solution: Private mesh network + rugged tablets linked to SAP WFM
Outcome: 60% faster work order completion, 25% drop in overtime
AMI Backhaul – Municipal Utility
Challenge: Fiber deployment was too costly in rural zones
Solution: Hybrid private + fixed wireless network for smart meter data
Outcome: 99.99% meter read rate, rollout accelerated by 18 months
Pipeline Monitoring – Transmission Operator
Challenge: Needed real-time visibility at remote compressor stations
Solution: Private wireless towers with edge compute, integrated with SCADA
Outcome: Instant alerts, remote control, enhanced safety & compliance
Emergency Response – Urban Gas Utility
Challenge: Communication gaps during gas leaks or damage
Solution: Mobile “cell-on-wheels” for secure field-to-command connectivity
Outcome: 45% faster response coordination, enhanced public safety
Remote Cathodic Protection
Challenge: Manual corrosion checks were inefficient
Solution: Wireless-enabled sensors with real-time cloud alerts
Outcome: 30% lower inspection costs, better PHMSA compliance
Smart Water Network – Regional Utility
Challenge: Delayed leak and pressure loss detection
Solution: Deployed flow/leak sensors over private wireless
Outcome: 90% of leaks fixed within 2 hours; 20% drop in NRW
Remote Plant Monitoring – Water Treatment
Challenge: Inconsistent pump and dosing telemetry
Solution: Private LTE connected SCADA to real-time analytics
Outcome: Better chemical efficiency and compliance tracking
Industrial Water Management – Beverage Manufacturer
Challenge: Poor monitoring of discharge and reuse systems
Solution: Always-on private wireless for IoT sensors
Outcome: 25% boost in water reuse, supporting sustainability
Why HCLTech?
Our Partners
We move fast. By teaming up with top tech partners and tapping into our innovation ecosystem, we help you bring the right digital solutions to life, faster and with less risk.
Future-proof your utility operations with HCLTech 5G solutions
Contact us to schedule a connectivity maturity assessment and/or a live pilot demonstration.
Find what inspires and drives you
Frequently Asked Questions about 5G Networks for Utilities
Our private 5G network for utilities delivers 10 ms latency—purpose-built for mission-critical automation and real-time grid control. That's the performance level needed to support advanced distribution automation, SCADA communications and DER integration without the unpredictability of shared commercial cellular networks.
We follow a structured four-phase implementation roadmap: assess and design, pilot and integrate, scale and validate, then operate and support. This approach covers spectrum strategy, core design, edge compute and 24x7 operations—fully integrated with your existing OT systems for a production-ready solution.
Our 5G solutions for the utility sector deliver 30–50% improvement in outage restoration time. Real-time grid telemetry, combined with SCADA and FLISR integration, enables faster fault isolation—as demonstrated by a West Coast IOU client that achieved 40% faster fault isolation in fire-prone areas.
Field crews using our private mesh network and rugged tablets integrated with SAP WFM completed work orders 60% faster—while overtime dropped 25%. Real-time GIS and OMS access in the field eliminates the back-and-forth that slows crews down and drives unnecessary operational costs.
A regional water utility we supported resolved 90% of detected leaks within two hours and reduced non-revenue water by 20%—using flow and leak sensors deployed over a private 5G network. Another client achieved a 25% increase in water reuse by connecting IoT sensors to an always-on private wireless network.
We design our private 5G networks to support NERC CIP, TSA and NIST cybersecurity frameworks. Segmented, encrypted network architecture reduces cyberattack vectors from the ground up—giving utility clients the regulatory compliance posture and operational confidence their environments demand.
Utilities working with us have achieved up to 25% reduction in O&M costs. Those savings come from fewer truck rolls, enhanced remote diagnostics and condition-based maintenance enabled by predictive monitoring—replacing reactive, schedule-driven fieldwork with smarter, data-driven operational decisions.
Yes—and for many utilities, it's the smarter long-term choice. A municipal utility client achieved a 99.99% meter read rate and accelerated their AMI rollout by 18 months using our hybrid private and fixed wireless approach, eliminating costly fiber deployment in rural zones and ongoing commercial cellular leasing fees.
Absolutely. We deploy mobile cell-on-wheels solutions that provide secure, reliable field-to-command connectivity during gas leak events and infrastructure damage scenarios. An urban gas utility client achieved 45% faster emergency response coordination using this approach—directly improving public safety outcomes.
Our 5G solutions for the utility sector are backed by an ecosystem of industry-leading partners, including Nokia, Red Hat, Dell Technologies, IBM and Druid. Combined with our 35+ years supporting global utility networks, these partnerships help us deliver proven, integrated solutions faster and with significantly less client-side risk.
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