Vertical: Transportation
Application: Physical security, perimeter monitoring, camera coverage, edge computing, airport operations
Ecosystem: Boldyn Networks, Ontario International Airport Authority
Private Network: Private 4G/5G
| Southern California’s fastest-growing airport deploys dedicated private wireless for security at scale. Ontario International Airport covers 1,700 acres and handles more than 7 million passengers annually, requiring enterprise-grade network autonomy for security and perimeter operations. |
Ontario International Airport (ONT) in Southern California has deployed a comprehensive private 4G and 5G mobile network designed, installed, and operated by Boldyn Networks. Announced on September 24, 2026, the network spans the airport’s entire 1,700-acre footprint, delivering dedicated spectrum, edge computing, and centralized cloud management specifically for security and perimeter monitoring operations. The deployment reflects the growing trend of transportation hubs adopting private cellular infrastructure to gain operational autonomy and support expanding IoT device ecosystems.
The airport, recently ranked second among North America’s medium-sized facilities in the JD Power 2026 satisfaction study, has experienced passenger volumes rising 75 percent since returning to local ownership in 2016. With more than 7 million travelers passing through annually, ONT required a wireless infrastructure capable of scaling alongside continued growth while maintaining enterprise-level control over critical security applications. The private network architecture combines on-premise edge computing with segmented connectivity, allowing data from connected systems to be processed locally and managed through Boldyn’s 24/7 Network Operations Center (NOC) and Security Operations Center (SOC).
| Metric | Detail |
| Network type | Private 4G and 5G |
| Coverage area | More than 1,700 acres |
| Passengers annually | Over 7 million |
| Primary vendor | Boldyn Networks |
| Announcement date | September 24, 2026 |
| Network management | 24/7 NOC and SOC |
Airport Growth and Operational Challenges
Ontario International Airport has emerged as Southern California’s fastest-growing airport over the past decade, with passenger volumes nearly doubling since 2016 when the facility transitioned back to local control. During the first eight months of 2026 alone, the airport reported passenger volumes of nearly 4.7 million travelers. This rapid expansion created pressing demands on the airport’s communication infrastructure, particularly for security monitoring across an expansive 1,700-acre campus that includes terminals, cargo facilities, airfield operations, and perimeter access points.
The airport’s second-place ranking in the JD Power 2026 North America Airport Satisfaction Study, with a score of 705 points, reflected strong performance in arrival experience and trust metrics. ONT ranked first among medium-sized airports in two key categories: arrival and from-airport experience, and level of trust. However, sustaining this performance while managing increased passenger traffic and cargo operations required modernizing the underlying technology backbone. Traditional Wi-Fi and wired infrastructure could not deliver the coverage density, reliability, or latency performance needed for real-time security camera feeds, perimeter sensors, and mobile workforce applications across such a large outdoor environment.
Private Network Architecture and Technical Deployment
The Boldyn Networks deployment combines private 4G and 5G radio access technology with on-premise edge computing nodes and centralized private cloud management. The network uses dedicated spectrum, segmented architecture, and enterprise-level access controls to isolate airport traffic from public carrier networks. This design ensures that bandwidth-intensive applications such as high-definition security cameras and perimeter monitoring sensors operate on guaranteed network resources without competing for capacity on shared infrastructure. Similar private wireless architectures have been implemented at facilities requiring large-area outdoor coverage, including the Port of Santos in Brazil for digital twin operations.
Edge computing capability integrated into the network enables data from connected devices to be processed closer to the point of generation, reducing latency for time-sensitive security applications and minimizing the volume of data that must traverse to centralized data centers. The segmented architecture allows the airport to define multiple virtual networks on the same physical infrastructure, separating security systems, operational technology, and administrative applications with independent performance and access policies. Boldyn’s 24/7 NOC and SOC provide continuous monitoring and incident response, adding redundancy to the airport’s critical security operations.
Initial Focus on Security and Perimeter Monitoring
The deployment prioritizes physical security and perimeter intrusion detection as its initial use case. Ontario International Airport operates a complex security perimeter with numerous access points, cargo handling areas, and airfield boundaries that require continuous monitoring. The private network supports expanded camera coverage across previously underserved outdoor zones, delivering reliable connectivity for video feeds that can operate in the high-interference radio environment typical of airports with heavy aircraft traffic, ground support equipment, and electronic systems.
Camera connectivity represents one of the most compelling applications for private LTE and 5G networks at large outdoor facilities. At Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, which announced a private 5G network partnership with AT&T using Citizens Broadband Radio Service (CBRS) spectrum, connecting an outdoor camera near a boarding gate cost under $1,000 compared to $50,000 for traditional wired infrastructure. Ontario’s deployment follows a comparable model, leveraging wireless connectivity to eliminate trenching, conduit, and fiber installation costs while enabling rapid repositioning of cameras and sensors as operational needs evolve.
Scalability for Future Airport Innovation
While security monitoring anchors the initial rollout, the network architecture is designed to accommodate additional applications without requiring changes to the underlying infrastructure. Potential future use cases include automated baggage handling systems, digital signage networks, passenger flow analytics using sensor arrays, autonomous ground vehicles for cargo and maintenance operations, and real-time asset tracking across the campus. The combination of 4G and 5G technologies provides backward compatibility with existing industrial IoT devices while delivering the low latency and high bandwidth required for emerging applications such as augmented reality maintenance tools and high-definition video analytics.
Boldyn Networks brings experience deploying infrastructure at major transit hubs worldwide, including airports, stadiums, and ports. The company’s neutral-host model enables it to serve both the airport’s private operational network and, where required, support multiple mobile operators on shared infrastructure. In January 2026, Boldyn was selected by Seattle-Tacoma International Airport to design and manage a next-generation 5G distributed antenna system covering more than one million square feet of terminals and concourses, demonstrating the company’s growing presence in the airport vertical. The Ontario deployment extends Boldyn’s portfolio into dedicated private networks for mission-critical operations, a model also applied at agricultural sites using RedCap technology in West Sussex.
Airport Industry Trend Toward Private Wireless
Ontario International joins a growing cohort of airports adopting private cellular networks for operational technology applications. Dallas Fort Worth International Airport announced a partnership with AT&T in 2023 for a private 5G network covering approximately 27 square miles for internal operations. AT&T invested $10 million in network upgrades at DFW to support rising demand for IoT connectivity and digitization of airport operations. Regional facilities including Tulsa Airport, Purdue University Airport, and Dallas Love Field have similarly adopted CBRS-based private networks, often starting with specific applications such as badging systems and perimeter camera connectivity before expanding to broader use cases.
The airport vertical shares operational characteristics with seaports and logistics hubs, which have also embraced private 5G for outdoor industrial environments. Private 5G networks delivered a tenfold performance improvement at the Port of Liverpool, while Boldyn Networks deployed a Nokia-based private 5G system at Gran Canaria’s OPCSA container terminal for crane monitoring and logistics optimization. These deployments demonstrate the applicability of private cellular technology to large outdoor facilities requiring secure, high-performance connectivity across hundreds or thousands of acres. For organizations managing critical infrastructure, private networks offer control over spectrum allocation, quality of service policies, and data sovereignty that public carrier networks cannot guarantee.
Operational Autonomy and Network Management
Centralized private cloud management provides Ontario International Airport with visibility and control over every connected device, application, and user on the network. The segmented architecture allows the airport to enforce role-based access controls, limit device-to-device communication to authorized paths, and isolate sensitive security systems from less critical applications. This operational autonomy represents a fundamental shift from reliance on public carrier service-level agreements, which may not align with the performance and availability requirements of mission-critical airport operations. Similar approaches to network segmentation and control have been deployed in other critical infrastructure sectors, including Tampa Electric’s private LTE network for grid communications across Florida.
Boldyn’s 24/7 NOC and SOC provide additional layers of operational support, monitoring network performance, detecting anomalies, and responding to security incidents in real time. This managed-service model allows the airport to leverage specialized expertise in private network operations without building internal capabilities from scratch. As the airport’s passenger volumes continue climbing and operational complexity increases, the managed network can scale capacity and coverage through software updates and incremental radio infrastructure additions, avoiding the need for wholesale technology replacements typical of legacy wired systems.
| “Investing in a private wireless network gives Ontario International Airport the operational autonomy necessary to manage and secure our more than 1,700-acre footprint with precision.” Chuck Miwa, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Ontario International Airport Authority |
| “Modernizing our communication infrastructure ensures that as our passenger volumes continue to climb, our ability to monitor, respond, and manage airfield security remains ahead of the curve, providing a seamless and secure environment for our passengers and tenants.” Chuck Miwa, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Ontario International Airport Authority |
| “We’re applying our experience from supporting passenger journeys at some of the world’s largest transit hubs to design a network that can handle the complex, high-interference environment of a major U.S. cargo hub.” Jason Caliento, Chief Commercial Officer, US, Boldyn Networks |
| “By managing this network through our dedicated NOC and SOC, we are delivering a scalable platform that supports immediate security requirements while providing the bandwidth and low latency required for the airport’s long-term innovation roadmap.” Jason Caliento, Chief Commercial Officer, US, Boldyn Networks |
| “Being ranked No. 2 among North America’s medium-sized airports for the second consecutive year is a tremendous achievement, but what I’m most proud of is what sits behind that ranking.” Atif Elkadi, Chief Executive Officer, Ontario International Airport Authority |
| KEY INSIGHT Ontario International Airport’s private 4G/5G deployment demonstrates how transportation hubs are prioritizing network autonomy and edge computing to support expanding IoT security applications across large outdoor campuses. The managed-service model enables airports to adopt enterprise-grade private cellular without building internal wireless engineering teams. |
Related Reading
- Private 5G Network at Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport: Ericsson, Insight Enterprises Deploy System
- Port of Santos Private 5G Network Integrates VTMIS, Digital Twin for Smart Port Operations in Brazil
- Tampa Electric Private LTE Network Deployment with Ericsson, OneLayer, and Burns & McDonnell Secures Mission-Critical Grid Communications Across 2,000 Square Miles of Florida Territory
- Private 5G Network for Livestock Monitoring: Boldyn Deploys RedCap at West Sussex Farms
- Private 5G Network for Rail: Queensland Rail and Ericsson Build ETCS Infrastructure
- Private 5G Network for European Athletics: Neutral Wireless Powers Live Broadcasting at Birmingham 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: What area does Ontario International Airport’s private network cover?
The private 4G and 5G network deployed by Boldyn Networks covers the airport’s entire 1,700-acre campus, including terminals, airfield operations, cargo facilities, and perimeter access points across Southern California’s fastest-growing airport.
Q2: What is the primary use case for Ontario Airport’s private wireless network?
The initial deployment focuses on physical security and perimeter intrusion detection, supporting expanded camera coverage across the airport. The network delivers reliable connectivity for video feeds and sensors in high-interference outdoor environments.
Q3: How does the private network architecture provide operational autonomy?
The network uses dedicated spectrum, segmented architecture, and enterprise-level controls, allowing the airport to manage bandwidth allocation, enforce access policies, and isolate security systems independently of public carrier networks.
Q4: What role does edge computing play in the deployment?
On-premise edge computing nodes process data from connected devices closer to the point of generation, reducing latency for time-sensitive security applications and minimizing backhaul traffic to centralized data centers.
Q5: Who manages the network operations and security monitoring?
Boldyn Networks operates the network through a 24/7 Network Operations Center and Security Operations Center, providing continuous performance monitoring, anomaly detection, and incident response for the airport’s critical security operations.
Q6: How many passengers does Ontario International Airport handle annually?
Ontario International Airport serves more than 7 million passengers annually. Passenger volumes have risen 75 percent since the facility returned to local ownership in 2016, making it Southern California’s fastest-growing airport.
