Temporary internet for construction sites: online in a day
Applying for a fixed line often takes longer than the project itself. Here is how to get a construction site, temporary office or event venue online within a day, with Wi-Fi for the whole team.
A construction site, temporary office or event ground needs internet from day one. Yet installing a fixed business line regularly takes six to twelve weeks — longer than many projects last. This article explains how temporary internet works, what you need and where it often goes wrong.
Why a fixed line arrives too late for temporary locations
Network operators plan new connections in batches, and construction sites are rarely in the existing route. The application, the permit for digging and the actual connection follow one after the other. Meanwhile, your team already needs access to the planning tool, camera feeds and telephony.
On top of that, a fixed line at a temporary location is rarely economically attractive: you pay for installation you no longer use after handover.
What a temporary location needs as a minimum
- Speed matched to use: planning systems, video calls and camera feeds together quickly require 50 to 100 Mbit/s.
- Stable coverage across the site: from the site cabin to the crane and storage area.
- Fast delivery: in days, not weeks.
- Remote management: nobody on site has time to reset a router.
- A clear end date: cancel or extend without long contracts.
5G as the primary connection
Modern 5G routers with an external MIMO antenna achieve speeds comparable to cable or fibre in many locations. The equipment is delivered pre-configured: on site you only need to plug in power and point the antenna. Where 5G is weak, the connection is bonded with a second provider or with satellite internet such as Starlink, so there is always a backup.
For large sites the signal is distributed from a central point with outdoor Wi-Fi access points, so there is coverage outside and in halls too.
Temporary internet in four steps
- 1Site survey: which providers have coverage, how many users and devices will there be, where is the best place for the equipment.
- 2Pre-configuration: the router, antenna and Wi-Fi access points are fully set up and tested before they are shipped.
- 3Installation: connecting takes minutes; for larger sites a technician installs the access points.
- 4Monitoring: the connection is watched remotely and faults are often resolved before you notice them.
What temporary internet typically costs
| Situation | Typical solution | Characteristics |
|---|---|---|
| Site cabin, 5-10 users | 5G package with Wi-Fi | Online in a day, one box |
| Construction site, 10-50 users | 5G with outdoor Wi-Fi and failover | Coverage across the whole site |
| Event or pop-up | Temporary bundle of 5G providers | High capacity for short-term use |
| Location without mobile coverage | 5G combined with Starlink | Online even in remote places |
Exact costs depend on the required speed, number of users and contract length. Always request a tailored proposal; a serious supplier will first understand your situation.
Common mistakes with temporary internet
- Choosing on price instead of reliability: a consumer contract with a dongle looks cheap, but fails when it gets busy.
- No backup connection: without failover, the whole site stops during network maintenance.
- Forgetting Wi-Fi: bringing the connection in is step one; without good access points only the cabin has coverage.
- Not agreeing management: who do you call when things go wrong? With managed solutions that is the supplier, not your own team.
In summary
Temporary internet does not have to be a compromise. With a pre-configured 5G solution a construction site or temporary location is online within a day, with the same speed, coverage and reliability as a fixed line — and without the lead time. On our business internet page you can find the packages we use to deliver this, and in the Duiven wind farm case study you can read how redundant 5G works in practice.