SA Power Networks Improves Service-Level Guarantees for Customers with Cradlepoint 5G and Satellite Connectivity

Cradlepoint, part of Ericsson, the global leader in cloud-delivered 5G and LTE wireless network and security solutions, today announced that it is enabling in-vehicle 5G and satellite connectivity for SA Power Networks. The solution, which provides time-saving live status updates to improve customer service, includes Cradlepoint NetCloud, running on Cradlepoint R1900 and R920 ruggedised routers. Using Starlink LEO satellite as the primary connection due to the remote locations where maintenance work takes place, SA Power Networks service vehicles can failover to cellular connectivity where satellite connections are poor.

SA Power Networks is South Australia’s sole electricity distributor, employing over 2,000 people and supplying power to around 1.7 million customers. The regulated essential service provider operates a 24-hour faults and emergencies hotline for its network which covers approximately 178,000 sqm. 

To meet SLAs, the business required a reliable, managed connectivity solution that incorporated satellite and 5G. SA Power Networks’ Head of Powerline & Electrical Services, Paul Salter said,

“Our field crews are working in regional and remote parts of the state, some of which have next to no cellular coverage. Without reliable service, crews could arrive at site to carry out works, but then need to travel to the nearest location with a cellular tower to communicate or access critical information related to the job.” 

Salter continued, “If there were further works required, crews would need to travel back and forth to the site until power was restored safely. This connectivity solution with Cradlepoint and Starlink is about improving restoration times and getting better outcomes for our customers.” 

SA Power networks is utilising both active cellular and Starlink connectivity when the trucks are in cellular coverage, with the Cradlepoint prioritising the best performing link. NetCloud Manager is a key resource for SA Power Networks, providing centralised visibility and management over the organisation’s entire fleet of devices, along with clear visibility of uptime and data usage across cellular and Starlink WAN interfaces. The Cradlepoint R1900 routers also provide Wi-Fi 6 access for users. 

“The connectivity solutions we now have with Cradlepoint 5G and Starlink LEO Satellite are saving our field workers significant time on travel and administration effort. For unplanned interruptions in regional areas, continuous connection is saving us an estimated 1,845 hours a year by enabling and improving Digital Field Switching, 1,844 hours a year by making it easier for crews to close out and approve jobs, and 1,230 hours a year in time previously spent travelling to find a connection,” said Salter. 

After a competitive testing process and proof of concept, Cradlepoint was selected to manage connectivity, standing out from the competition by offering local support, enterprise-grade management, and secure hosting across SA Power Networks’ fleet of cellular and Starlink connected devices. Another winning factor was the robust build of Cradlepoint devices. SA Power Networks chose the Cradlepoint R1900 routers for the ruggedness of the device and ability to withstand harsh environments. The security behind NetCloud Manager hosting, data, and privacy management, as well as the ability to export information including SIM number for asset management from NetCloud Manager, have met key requirements for SA Power Networks’ daily operations. 

Cradlepoint also offers limited lifetime warranty with NetCloud subscription and onshore cloud hosting, which was a regulatory requirement for SA Power Networks.

Looking ahead, the organisation is now planning to leverage the R1900 extensibility capabilities using SDKs or Docker containers for automation in future projects.