Vertical: Agriculture
Application: IoT Sensors, environmental monitoring
Ecosystem: Trilogy Networks, Celona, ClearBlade, Pluribus Networks
Private Network: LTE, CBRS
Hurst Greenery in Westboro, Missouri has successfully implemented a private LTE network that’s revolutionizing their farming operations. This family-owned 600-acre farm with 18 greenhouses chose CBRS spectrum over traditional options due to poor rural cellular coverage and the impracticality of Wi-Fi’s limited range.
The deployment, orchestrated by Trilogy Networks and the Rural Cloud Initiative, delivers real-time IoT services through Trilogy’s LinX Network and ConEx edge cloud platform. Owner Blake Hurst reports this first phase “will result in a 10 percent increase in efficiency and profit” through improved yields and cost savings.
IoT sensors throughout the greenhouses monitor temperature, humidity, and soil moisture, transmitting data via LoRA network into the LTE radio access network. This enables automated management of environmental equipment with immediate alerts for any issues.
This Edge-as-a-Service model allows rural operations to deploy advanced technology without massive infrastructure investments. Future plans include farm-wide communications, predictive analysis, drone surveillance, connected machinery, and livestock monitoring.
The technical implementation features Celona’s private LTE network components, ClearBlade’s IoT Edge Platform, and Pluribus Networks’ fabric connecting distributed cloud locations. This successful deployment demonstrates how private wireless networks can increase productivity and sustainability in rural America.
