Private Cellular Spectrum Powers Remote Surveillance and Emergency Response
Utah school district repurposes CBRS network to eliminate security camera dead zones and support panic response mandates.
- By Jesse Jacobs
- October 13, 2026
The adoption of private cellular wireless networks is opening new infrastructure options for school districts working to expand perimeter security and meet state-mandated emergency response requirements.
By leveraging Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS)—a 150-megahertz band of shared wireless spectrum—educational facilities are building self-managed LTE networks. These private systems bypass traditional Wi-Fi limitations, extending high-bandwidth coverage across remote campus areas without requiring costly civil works.
At Murray City School District in Utah, administrators initially deployed a private LTE network to maintain student connectivity. The district later repurposed the wireless infrastructure to resolve persistent security dead zones and strengthen on-campus physical security operations.
Using federal school safety grants, including funding aligned with Alyssa’s Law emergency notification requirements, the district connected critical monitoring equipment across hard-to-reach perimeter zones. In one instance, security cameras were deployed at an off-site driver's education range to allow live remote monitoring and incident review, eliminating the need to trench asphalt or run long fiber-optic cables.
Private cellular networks operate primarily on the General Authorized Access tier of the 3.5 GHz band, which allows public institutions to establish dedicated cellular coverage without acquiring commercial spectrum licenses. Unlike public Wi-Fi, private LTE offers longer range, better wall penetration and dedicated bandwidth that remains operational even during high-traffic emergencies when commercial public networks become congested.
However, campus security directors and wireless network planners are monitoring pending regulatory discussions at the Federal Communications Commission. Proposed changes to the CBRS framework could adjust allowable power limits for commercial users, raising concerns among technical administrators about potential signal interference on local, low-power campus safety networks.