Customer Success Stories

The Challenge: Communication Breakdown in Crisis

The 2025 Los Angeles wildfires presented an unprecedented challenge, not only threatening lives and property but also crippling essential communication lines. As the fires spread, key challenges emerged:

• Infrastructure Damage: Wildfires destroyed or damaged public cellular towers, fiber optic cables, and power lines, creating vast communication blackouts.
• Network Congestion: Remaining public networks in adjacent areas faced extreme congestion from emergency traffic and public use, rendering them unreliable for mission-critical coordination.
• Need for Speed: Establishing reliable communication hubs quickly was paramount for coordinating rescue operations, resource allocation, medical support, and volunteer efforts.
• Operational Complexity: Field teams needed communication solutions that were easy to set up and operate with minimal technical expertise in high-stress environments.

The Solution: Pente Network in a Box for Rapid Response

HelpNGO partnered with Pente Networks to utilize the 'Network in a Box' – a pre-configured, all-in-one Private LTE/5G solution designed for exactly these types of rapid deployment scenarios.

• Pre-Configured Kits: Complete packages containing Pente HyperCore EdgeMini, LTE/5G radios, and pre-provisioned SIMs.
• Self-Contained Operation: Independent private cellular networks requiring only power and optional backhaul.
• IT-Centric Management: Remote monitoring and management via the HyperCore Cloud Control Center once backhaul was established.
• Rapid Setup: Field-deployable within hours by non-technical personnel.
• Flexible Connectivity: Support for local and wide-area communication with satellite backhaul options.

The Deployment: Hours, Not Days

• Transport: Compact kits easily transported to strategic locations like incident command posts and evacuation shelters.
• Rapid Setup: Field teams could deploy basic systems in under an hour without specialized training.
• Instant Network Activation: Immediate local Private LTE/5G network establishment upon power-up.
• Flexible Backhaul: Connection to available satellite terminals or surviving infrastructure for extended reach.

Results & Benefits: Restoring Critical Communications

• Reliable Command & Control: Stable voice and data connectivity for coordination centers.
• Enhanced Field Operations: Reliable data access for mapping and situational awareness applications.
• Connectivity for Responders & Evacuees: Essential communication for first responders and limited access for evacuees.
• Ease of Use: Pre-configured nature allowed focus on primary mission without technical complexity.
• Security: Ensured sensitive operational communications remained on secure, private networks.
• Scalability: Additional kits deployed as needed to expand coverage.

The Challenge: Bridging the IT and Telecom Security Divide

Enterprises rely heavily on established IT security practices: Active Directory for user access, VLANs for network segmentation, and firewalls for policy enforcement based on IP addresses and applications. However, introducing 4G/5G devices via private cellular networks introduces complexities:

• Identity Misalignment: Cellular networks identify devices primarily by SIM (IMSI) and hardware (IMEI), which don't directly map to enterprise user identities (Active Directory) or IP-based network segments.
• Visibility Gaps: Standard IT tools often lack visibility into cellular-specific attributes, making it difficult to apply consistent security policies to mobile devices.
• Segmentation Risks: Mobile devices authenticated solely by the cellular core might gain unintended access to sensitive network segments, potentially bypassing existing IT segmentation rules.
• Increased Attack Surface: Adding mobile devices without a cohesive security strategy expands the potential attack surface and can inadvertently degrade overall security posture.
• Operational Complexity: Managing security policies across separate IT and cellular domains increases cost and complexity.

The Solution: Unified Zero Trust with Pente HyperCore & Palo Alto Networks NGFW

Pente Networks and Palo Alto Networks have collaborated to deliver an integrated solution that bridges the gap between IT and private cellular security:

• Pente HyperCore Platform: Provides the private mobile core (EPC/5GC) and orchestration layer, designed 'with IT in mind.' It manages cellular connectivity, SIM/device identities (IMSI/IMEI), and maps mobile 'things' to specific enterprise network segments (VLANs).
• Palo Alto Networks Next-Generation Firewall (NGFW): Delivers ML-powered threat prevention, inspecting all traffic (including applications, threats, content) and tying it to the user and device. Crucially, it integrates with Pente to understand and incorporate 5G-native identities (IMSI/IMEI) into security policies.
• Palo Alto Networks IoT Security: Provides discovery, assessment, segmentation, and threat protection specifically for IoT and OT devices connecting via the private cellular network.
• Unified Visibility & Control: The NGFW gains visibility into traffic and its associated identities – not just IP address, but also IMSI, IMEI, user identity, application (App-ID), and device type.
• Granular Policy Application: Administrators can create comprehensive Zero Trust security policies leveraging all identity layers.

Use Cases & Benefits

• True Zero Trust for Private Wireless: Achieve granular, enterprise-level administrative control and visibility with security policies based on cellular subscription (IMSI) and device hardware (IMEI).
• Enhanced IoT/OT Visibility and Security: Gain deep visibility into IoT/OT devices connecting via private cellular, with device identification, risk assessment, and behavioral anomaly detection.
• Unified Security Posture: Apply consistent security policies across both wired and private wireless networks from a single platform.
• Complete Traffic Visibility: Gain insight into application usage and user activity for all devices on the private mobile network.

Key Benefits

• Unified Security Posture: Apply consistent security policies across both wired and private wireless networks.
• Simplified Management: Manage mobile connectivity like other IT resources using Pente's IT-centric approach.
• Secure Segmentation: Reliably enforce existing enterprise network segmentation for mobile devices.
• Complete Traffic Visibility: Gain insight into application usage and user activity for all devices.
• Reduced Risk: Minimize security risks associated with integrating mobile and IoT/OT devices.

The Challenge: Unpredictable Connectivity for Mission-Critical Broadcasts

Live news gathering and event broadcasting demand stable, high-throughput connectivity. However, crews often operate in locations where network conditions are unpredictable:

• Public Network Congestion: Large crowds at conventions, sporting events, or breaking news scenes overwhelm public cellular towers, leading to packet loss, buffering, and degraded video quality.
• Lack of Prioritization: Critical live feeds compete with general public data traffic, with no guarantee of bandwidth or low latency.
• Coverage Limitations: Remote locations or specific venues might have poor or non-existent public cellular coverage.
• Operational Complexity: Managing multiple SIMs from various public carriers for bonding units can be complex and costly, without ensuring performance.

The Solution: Pente Private Wireless Networks Integrated with LiveU

Pente Networks provides rapidly deployable, dedicated Private LTE/5G networks, creating a reliable 'connectivity bubble' specifically for broadcasting operations.

• Pente HyperCore Platform: The core of the solution, utilizing the SaaS-based HyperCore Cloud Control Center for management and often deploying the compact HyperCore EdgeMini on-location for local core processing and resilience.
• Dedicated Radio Access Network (RAN): Utilizing suitable indoor/outdoor radios to create the private cellular coverage zone.
• Seamless LiveU Integration: Pente private network SIM cards are added to LiveU's cellular bonding units (like the LU800 series).
• HyperCore Control Center: Enables remote monitoring, device provisioning (SIMs/eSIMs), and crucial network slicing capabilities.

The Deployment: Proven Success at High-Profile Events

• Major Political Conventions (DNC & RNC): Provided stable, dedicated connectivity for live coverage amidst enormous crowds and intense RF congestion.
• Presidential Inaugurations: Delivered reliable uplinks for broadcasters covering the event from various locations around the capital.
• High-Profile Sporting Events: Enabled robust connectivity for sideline reporting, remote camera feeds, and enhanced fan engagement applications.

Results & Benefits

• Uninterrupted High-Quality Transmissions: Eliminated issues caused by public network congestion.
• Guaranteed Bandwidth: Network slicing allowed critical video feeds to be prioritized.
• Ultra-Low Latency: Facilitated real-time remote production workflows.
• Operational Simplicity: Rapid deployment and IT-friendly management.
• Enhanced Reliability: Added a robust, dedicated connectivity layer to LiveU's bonding capabilities.
• Flexibility: Supported multiple broadcasters simultaneously on the same temporary network infrastructure.