The construction industry is experiencing a digital transformation, yet reliable connectivity remains one of the most persistent challenges facing IT leaders in the sector. From sprawling building sites spanning acres of remote terrain to temporary project offices that operate for mere months, the need for robust, secure network connectivity has never been more critical. Yet traditional infrastructure solutions simply don’t align with the unique demands of construction operations.

 

Digital Carbon’s VeloCloud SD-WAN solution with pay-as-you-go 5G wireless backup represents a paradigm shift in how construction firms approach connectivity. This innovative service delivers enterprise-grade network performance without the prohibitive costs and lengthy deployment timescales associated with permanent infrastructure, making it an ideal solution for both temporary locations and backup scenarios.

 

The Connectivity Conundrum Facing Construction IT Leaders

Modern construction projects depend on digital tools and cloud-based systems to operate efficiently. Project management platforms, Building Information Modelling (BIM) software, IoT sensors monitoring equipment and materials, CCTV security systems, and communication tools connecting field teams with headquarters all require stable, high-performance internet connectivity. When connectivity fails or performs poorly, the consequences ripple throughout the entire operation.

 

Consider the typical challenges confronting construction IT leaders. Sites are often located in remote or developing areas where traditional broadband infrastructure simply doesn’t exist. Even when coverage is available, the temporary nature of construction projects means that investing in permanent connectivity solutions makes little financial sense. A project lasting 18 months doesn’t justify the expense of installing dedicated fibre connections that may cost tens of thousands of pounds in installation fees alone, particularly when the infrastructure will be abandoned once the project concludes.

 

The vast geographic footprint of construction sites presents additional complications. Maintaining consistent Wi-Fi coverage across dozens of acres, through concrete structures and around heavy machinery, requires sophisticated networking solutions. Meanwhile, the mobile workforce constantly moving between office trailers, active construction zones, and off-site locations demands connectivity that can follow them wherever they work.

 

Traditional approaches force IT leaders into an impossible choice: accept unreliable connectivity that hampers productivity and threatens project timescales, or invest substantial capital in permanent infrastructure that delivers poor return on investment for temporary operations. Digital Carbon’s Arista VeloCloud SD-WAN with pay-as-you-go 5G backup eliminates this false dichotomy entirely.

 

Understanding VeloCloud SD-WAN: Intelligence That Transforms Wireless Connectivity

At its core, SD-WAN (Software-Defined Wide Area Network) technology revolutionises how networks operate by adding an intelligent software layer that orchestrates traffic across multiple connection types. Rather than relying on a single broadband line that becomes a single point of failure, VeloCloud SD-WAN can simultaneously leverage fibre connections, broadband circuits, and wireless links including 4G, 5G, and even satellite connectivity.

 

What distinguishes VeloCloud from basic multi-connection setups is its sophisticated Dynamic Multipath Optimization (DMPO) technology. DMPO continuously monitors the quality of every available connection, measuring crucial metrics including packet loss, latency, and jitter in real-time. When the system detects degradation on one path, it instantly steers traffic to higher-performing connections without any disruption to applications or user sessions.

 

This capability proves transformative for wireless connections, which historically suffered from inconsistent performance that made them unsuitable for business-critical applications. Research demonstrates that DMPO can improve usable link quality by up to 90% on 5G Fixed Wireless Access connections by actively addressing common wireless challenges such as packet loss and jitter. For voice applications, link quality improvements of 61% have been documented, whilst video applications see improvements of up to 90%.

 

VeloCloud’s application-aware intelligence represents another crucial advantage. The system can identify and classify more than 4,300 applications, automatically prioritising business-critical traffic whilst throttling or blocking non-essential applications. For construction sites where bandwidth may be limited and expensive, this ensures that project management systems, BIM software, and security cameras receive the network resources they require, whilst personal streaming or social media consumption doesn’t compromise operational systems.

 

The Pay-As-You-Go Advantage: Aligning Costs with Actual Usage

The financial model underpinning Digital Carbon’s 5G wireless backup service addresses one of the construction industry’s most persistent frustrations: paying for resources that remain unused most of the time. Traditional backup circuits require fixed monthly fees regardless of whether they’re actively carrying traffic. For construction firms operating dozens of sites simultaneously, these costs accumulate rapidly whilst delivering value only during the occasional outage.

 

Digital Carbon’s pay-as-you-go model fundamentally changes this equation. Construction firms deploy 5G-capable VeloCloud edge devices at their sites, with the 5G connection remaining dormant during normal operations. The primary broadband connection handles all traffic, with firms paying their usual broadband costs. However, when that primary connection experiences an outage—whether due to a severed cable, equipment failure, or provider issues—the VeloCloud system instantly detects the problem and fails over to the 5G backup connection.

 

During this failover period, firms pay only for the 5G data they actually consume. When the primary connection restores, VeloCloud automatically switches back, and the 5G costs cease. This approach delivers several compelling advantages for construction operations.

 

Firstly, it dramatically improves return on investment for backup connectivity. Rather than paying hundreds of pounds monthly for a backup circuit that may activate only a few times yearly, construction firms pay only for actual usage. Industry analysis indicates that pay-as-you-go models can deliver cost savings of 80-90% compared to permanent connections for projects lasting six months or less.

 

Secondly, the model aligns perfectly with the variable nature of construction projects. Some sites may experience frequent primary connection issues due to their remote locations or challenging environments, whilst others enjoy stable primary connectivity. With pay-as-you-go pricing, each site’s backup costs reflect its actual usage patterns rather than forcing all sites to bear identical fixed costs.

 

Thirdly, the absence of long-term contracts provides flexibility that construction timelines demand. When a project completes, firms can simply return or redeploy the VeloCloud hardware without being locked into lengthy contract commitments for circuits they no longer require.

 

Transforming Temporary Sites: Connectivity from Day One

Temporary construction sites present unique connectivity challenges that traditional solutions handle poorly. Consider a new housing development in a previously undeveloped area, or a major infrastructure project in a rural location. These sites require full operational connectivity from day one—project managers need access to digital plans, site foremen require communication tools, and increasingly, IoT sensors and security systems demand network access.

 

Traditional approaches require weeks or months to establish connectivity. Providers must survey the site, plan infrastructure installation, potentially dig trenches and lay cables, install equipment, and complete testing before the site goes live. For remote locations, the process often stretches to several months, delaying project commencement and frustrating stakeholders.

 

VeloCloud SD-WAN with 5G connectivity transforms this timeline. Digital Carbon pre-configures VeloCloud edge devices before shipping them to site. These devices include integrated 5G radios with pre-activated eSIMs, eliminating the need for manual SIM card acquisition and activation. Through zero-touch provisioning, the devices automatically connect to Digital Carbon’s cloud-based orchestrator upon power-up, downloading their configuration and establishing secure connectivity.

 

In practical terms, this means a construction site can achieve full operational connectivity within 24-48 hours of requesting service. A non-technical worker simply plugs in the pre-configured device, and within minutes, the site enjoys high-speed internet access sufficient for project management systems, communication tools, and all other operational requirements. For construction firms operating on tight timescales where every day of delay costs thousands of pounds, this rapid deployment capability delivers substantial value.

 

Moreover, the wireless nature of 5G connectivity provides flexibility that wired solutions cannot match. As construction progresses and site offices relocate, the VeloCloud device simply moves with them—no need to request circuit relocations or wait for engineers to reconfigure infrastructure. When the project completes, the device can be redeployed to the next site, maximising the return on hardware investment.

 

Enterprise-Grade Security for Construction Operations

Security concerns loom large for construction IT leaders. Sites handle sensitive project data, financial information, and increasingly, personal data relating to workers and subcontractors. The distributed nature of construction operations, with dozens or hundreds of workers accessing systems from various locations, creates a substantial attack surface that cyber criminals actively target.

 

Arista VeloCloud SD-WAN addresses these concerns through multiple integrated security capabilities. All traffic between sites and to cloud applications travels through encrypted tunnels, ensuring that sensitive data remains protected even when traversing public internet connections. The built-in enhanced firewall service, based on VMware’s proven NSX security technology, provides robust protection against external threats.

 

Intrusion Detection and Prevention Systems (IDS/IPS) actively monitor network traffic, analysing it for suspicious activity and potential attacks. With over 12,000 threat signatures updated every four hours, the system maintains current protection against emerging threats. URL filtering blocks access to known malicious websites and can enforce acceptable use policies by restricting access to categories such as gambling or adult content.

 

Malicious IP filtering leverages reputation databases to automatically block traffic from IP addresses associated with botnets, malware distribution, and other malicious activities. This proactive defence mechanism prevents many attacks before they can even reach construction networks.

 

For construction firms operating under compliance requirements such as GDPR, the centralised management and comprehensive logging capabilities prove invaluable. The system maintains detailed records of all network activity, providing the audit trails necessary to demonstrate compliance with data protection regulations.

 

Cost Savings: The Business Case for VeloCloud SD-WAN

Financial justification represents a critical consideration for any technology investment in the cost-conscious construction industry. VeloCloud SD-WAN with pay-as-you-go 5G backup delivers compelling returns across multiple dimensions.

 

Industry research indicates that organisations typically achieve 3X cost improvements when migrating from traditional MPLS networks to SD-WAN solutions. For construction firms still relying on expensive leased lines to connect site offices to headquarters, this represents substantial savings. By leveraging readily available broadband connections enhanced with VeloCloud’s intelligent traffic management, firms achieve equivalent or superior performance at a fraction of the cost.

 

Real-world implementations demonstrate these savings. One Digital Carbon customer, SBHPP, achieved a 60% reduction in monthly data line costs—translating to £72,000 in annual savings. The new SD-WAN setup delivered faster performance than their previous MPLS connections whilst providing greater flexibility in choosing connectivity providers.

 

For temporary site deployments, the savings prove even more dramatic. Establishing permanent connectivity infrastructure for remote construction sites can cost £10,000 to £50,000 or more, depending on the distance from existing infrastructure. These costs never recoup their investment for projects lasting less than several years. By contrast, 5G wireless connectivity through VeloCloud eliminates these upfront infrastructure costs entirely. Analysis indicates that for projects lasting six months or less, wireless solutions with pay-as-you-go pricing deliver cost savings of 80-90% compared to permanent wired connections.

 

Beyond direct connectivity costs, improved network reliability delivers productivity benefits that cascade throughout construction operations. When project managers can reliably access BIM systems to review design changes, when site foremen can communicate instantly with headquarters to resolve issues, and when IoT sensors provide real-time visibility into equipment status and material inventory, projects progress more efficiently. Industry studies document labour cost savings of 30% through improved digital connectivity and collaboration tools.

 

The elimination of costly downtime represents another source of savings. When primary internet connections fail on construction sites lacking backup connectivity, operations grind to a halt. Project managers cannot access digital plans, communication tools cease functioning, and security systems go offline. Each hour of downtime costs hundreds or thousands of pounds in lost productivity. By ensuring that 5G backup automatically activates when primary connections fail, VeloCloud eliminates these costly disruptions.

 

Professional Services: Digital Carbon’s End-to-End Support

Technology solutions deliver value only when properly designed, deployed, and managed. Digital Carbon’s professional services ensure that construction firms realise the full potential of Arista VeloCloud SD-WAN from the outset.

 

The engagement begins with a comprehensive workshop where Digital Carbon’s specialists take time to understand your construction operation’s unique requirements. Which sites require connectivity? What applications must the network support? How many concurrent users will access the system? What security and compliance requirements apply? This discovery process ensures that the subsequent solution design aligns precisely with your operational needs.

 

Following the workshop, Digital Carbon provides a demonstration of the VeloCloud platform in action. This hands-on session allows your IT team to explore how the system manages traffic across multiple connections, how the centralised orchestrator provides visibility and control, and how quickly the system responds to connection failures by activating backup paths. This demonstration builds confidence and ensures alignment between expectations and capabilities before any commitment.

 

With requirements understood and the solution demonstrated, Digital Carbon delivers a detailed budgetary proposal with transparent pricing scoped to your specific needs. Unlike providers who obscure costs through complex pricing structures, Digital Carbon ensures you understand exactly what you’re paying for and what value you’ll receive.

 

For organisations that wish to validate the solution in their own environment before full deployment, Digital Carbon offers proof-of-concept programmes typically spanning three to six months. This hands-on evaluation period allows your team to experience VeloCloud’s performance with your actual applications, in your real-world conditions, before making a broader commitment.

 

When you’re ready to proceed, Digital Carbon’s professional services team handles the complete deployment. Pre-configured edge devices arrive ready for immediate installation through zero-touch provisioning. The cloud-based orchestrator allows Digital Carbon’s engineers to configure policies, establish security settings, and optimise traffic management remotely, minimising the need for on-site technical expertise at each construction location.

 

Post-deployment, Digital Carbon’s co-managed service model provides ongoing support whilst keeping you in control. Unlike traditional managed service providers who lock customers out of their own networks, Digital Carbon provides full visibility and policy access through the VeloCloud orchestrator. Your IT team can monitor performance, adjust policies, and make changes as needed. Simultaneously, Digital Carbon’s 24/7 operations centre proactively monitors the entire network, identifying and often resolving issues before they impact your operations.

 

When problems do arise, you have a single point of contact rather than being bounced between multiple vendors and providers. Whether the issue stems from the SD-WAN platform, the underlying connectivity, or application performance, Digital Carbon’s team coordinates the response and drives resolution.

 

Ideal Applications for VeloCloud 5G Backup in Construction

The VeloCloud SD-WAN solution with pay-as-you-go 5G backup excels across numerous construction scenarios.

 

Temporary Site Offices: Project offices established for the duration of construction—whether in portacabins or temporary structures—require full network connectivity but don’t justify permanent infrastructure investment. VeloCloud with 5G provides immediate operational connectivity that can be relocated as the site evolves and redeployed when the project completes.

 

Remote Construction Projects: Sites in rural or isolated locations often lack access to reliable wired broadband. 5G coverage now extends across most of the UK, enabling construction firms to establish connectivity even in areas where traditional providers cannot economically justify infrastructure deployment.

 

Backup for Mission-Critical Operations: For sites with established primary connectivity but where downtime would be particularly costly—such as projects with strict completion deadlines or significant penalty clauses—the 5G backup provides essential business continuity. The pay-as-you-go model means you’re only paying for this insurance when you actually need it.

 

Phased Developments: Large-scale developments that progress through multiple phases over several years benefit from VeloCloud’s flexibility. As new phases commence in different areas of the development, connectivity can be rapidly established and integrated into the existing network fabric without complex reconfigurations.

 

Infrastructure Projects: Road construction, rail projects, bridge building, and similar infrastructure work often span long distances through areas lacking existing connectivity. Mobile 5G connectivity enables project offices and field teams to maintain communication and access to digital resources regardless of location.

 

Renovation and Refurbishment: Projects to renovate or refurbish existing structures may find that existing connectivity is unavailable during construction or inadequate for modern requirements. VeloCloud provides immediate high-performance connectivity without the delays associated with ordering new permanent circuits.

 

Emergency and Rapid Response: When urgent projects require immediate commencement—such as emergency repairs to critical infrastructure—the ability to deploy operational connectivity within 24-48 hours can prove invaluable.

 

Integration with Broader Construction IT Ecosystems

Arista VeloCloud SD-WAN doesn’t operate in isolation but rather integrates seamlessly with the broader technology ecosystem that modern construction operations depend upon.

 

Cloud-based project management platforms such as Procore, Autodesk Construction Cloud, and PlanGrid all perform optimally across VeloCloud’s optimised connectivity. The application-aware traffic management ensures these business-critical systems receive priority, whilst the reliable backup prevents costly disruptions when project teams need access to plans, schedules, and documentation.

 

Building Information Modelling (BIM) systems that handle large, complex 3D models require substantial bandwidth and consistent connectivity. VeloCloud’s ability to aggregate multiple connections—combining broadband with 5G when additional capacity is needed—ensures that project teams can work with BIM systems without frustrating delays. Moreover, when multiple sites need to collaborate on shared BIM models, VeloCloud’s secure site-to-site connectivity enables efficient data sharing.

 

IoT devices and sensors increasingly populate construction sites, monitoring everything from equipment fuel levels and maintenance requirements to environmental conditions and worker safety. These devices typically communicate with cloud-based management platforms, generating continuous streams of data that demand reliable connectivity. VeloCloud’s resilient architecture ensures this data flows reliably, enabling the real-time visibility that modern construction operations require.

 

Security and CCTV systems protect valuable equipment and materials whilst monitoring site safety. VeloCloud’s quality-of-service capabilities ensure that video streams from security cameras maintain quality even during periods of high network demand, whilst the automatic failover to 5G backup keeps security systems operational during primary connection outages.

 

Voice over IP (VoIP) telephone systems and unified communications platforms enable efficient coordination between field teams, site offices, and headquarters. VeloCloud’s DMPO technology significantly improves voice and video quality over wireless connections, whilst the traffic prioritisation ensures that calls maintain quality even when other applications compete for bandwidth.

 

Looking Ahead: Future-Proofing Construction Connectivity

The construction industry’s digital transformation continues to accelerate. Autonomous construction equipment, augmented reality systems for on-site visualisation, artificial intelligence for project optimisation, and advanced robotics all demand robust, high-performance network infrastructure. Arista VeloCloud SD-WAN positions construction firms to embrace these emerging technologies as they mature.

 

The platform’s cloud-based architecture means that new capabilities and enhancements deploy automatically without requiring hardware replacements or lengthy upgrade processes. As 5G networks continue their rollout and performance improvements, construction firms benefit immediately without additional investment.

 

Digital Carbon’s partnership with leading technology providers ensures access to cutting-edge capabilities. Recent enhancements include AI-driven network optimisation that uses machine learning to predict and prevent issues before they impact operations, and deeper integration with leading cloud platforms to enable optimised connectivity for applications hosted in AWS, Microsoft Azure, or Google Cloud.

 

Taking the Next Step

For IT leaders in the construction industry facing the persistent challenges of reliable, cost-effective connectivity for temporary locations and backup scenarios, Digital Carbon’s VeloCloud SD-WAN with pay-as-you-go 5G wireless backup represents a proven solution.

 

The combination of enterprise-grade performance, intelligent traffic management, integrated security, and a flexible pricing model that aligns costs with actual usage addresses the unique demands of construction operations. Whether you’re establishing connectivity for a new development, seeking backup protection for critical sites, or looking to modernise your approach to construction networking, VeloCloud delivers.

 

Digital Carbon’s comprehensive professional services—from initial consultation through design, deployment, and ongoing co-managed support—ensure successful implementation and continued optimisation. The proof-of-concept programme provides a risk-free opportunity to validate the solution in your own environment before broader deployment.

 

Don’t allow connectivity challenges to constrain your construction operations. Discover how VeloCloud SD-WAN with pay-as-you-go 5G backup can transform your network infrastructure whilst reducing costs and improving reliability.

 

Contact Digital Carbon today to schedule your discovery workshop and take the first step towards construction connectivity that works as hard as your teams do. Visit digitalcarbon.io or reach out to our specialist team to begin your journey towards smarter, more resilient connectivity.