Site office internet: 4G and 5G broadband for cabins and welfare units

A site office needs internet from the first week of the project: drawings, emails, video calls, cloud project software, CCTV and the time and attendance system. A fixed line can take months and rarely makes sense for a temporary building. 4G and 5G broadband can have the cabin online within days and leave with it at the end of the job.

Get site office internet Call 0300 124 6181

What a site office set-up looks like

• The connection: a 5G outdoor unit on the cabin roof or a pole, or a 4G or 5G router with an external antenna.
• The SIM: an unlimited data SIM, so a busy site never runs out mid-month.
• Inside the cabin: Wi-Fi for laptops and tablets, and Ethernet for printers, plotters and the CCTV recorder.
• Extras: a separate guest Wi-Fi network for visitors and contractors, and remote management so problems are fixed without a site visit.

Why metal cabins need an outdoor unit

Steel site cabins and welfare units block mobile signal. A router on the desk inside can struggle even when phones work outside. An outdoor unit or roof antenna picks up the signal outside the metal box and brings it in over a cable, which is usually the single biggest improvement you can make.

One simple solution: a 5G outdoor unit and an unlimited SIM

For a lot of sites the answer is two products. The Milesight UF51 outdoor 5G CPE is an IP67 unit with its antennas built in. It mounts outside, on a wall, pole or cabin roof where the signal is best, and feeds the building over one Ethernet cable that also powers it. Pair it with an EE unlimited data SIM and plug the cable into a switch or Wi-Fi access point inside. No aerials to cable up, no coax losses, and no data allowance to watch.

Need something different? We also supply indoor 5G routers with external antennas, bonded connections for sites that cannot go down, and rental kits for short jobs. Tell us about the site and we will recommend the right set-up.

Buy or hire?

For projects running a year or more, or companies that move cabins from site to site, buying the equipment usually works out cheaper: it moves with the cabin to the next job. For short projects, hire is simpler. We can do either, and we will tell you which makes more sense for your timescale. For short-term jobs see temporary internet, and for the bigger picture our 5G FWA and temporary internet page.

No usable 4G or 5G? Satellite broadband

Some sites have no usable mobile signal at all: remote farms, quarries, wind and solar sites, rural construction, moorland events. For these we supply low Earth orbit satellite broadband, including Starlink and OneWeb business services, with hardware leasing, installation and short-term rental through our partner network. Satellite can also run alongside 4G or 5G, with automatic failover between them, for sites that cannot afford to drop. See satellite broadband for business.

Frequently asked questions

How fast is site office internet over 5G?

On a good 5G signal it is comparable with fibre broadband for most site office use. We check coverage at your site postcode before you commit.

Will it work in a steel cabin?

Yes, with an outdoor unit or external antenna. The steel blocks signal to anything inside, so the radio part goes outside.

Can the CCTV use the same connection?

Yes. The recorder plugs into the router or switch, and remote viewing works through the same connection. For several cameras we will check the upload speed at your site.

Can we move it to the next site?

Yes. If you buy the equipment, it goes with the cabin. The SIM moves with it.