Coal Mine in Central QLD: ProConnect 4G & 5G

About The Client

A major coal mining operation in Central Queensland required a communications platform capable of supporting operational technology, workforce mobility, telemetry, monitoring systems and future digital transformation initiatives across a large, active mining environment.

The Business Challenge

The mine required a solution that extended well beyond conventional mobile coverage.

The objective was to establish a dedicated communications platform capable of supporting operational systems, workforce communications, telemetry, field devices and future industrial applications – while providing greater control over security, traffic segregation, user management and network performance than could be achieved through public carrier services.

The Business Solution

MarchNet designed, deployed and commissioned a dedicated ProConnect 4G and 5G network during June 2026, creating a private, carrier-grade mobile network tailored specifically for mining operations. The deployment included:

• Dedicated 4G LTE and 5G radio infrastructure
• Three-sector mobile coverage architecture
• Dedicated licensed spectrum
• Private SIM lifecycle management
• High-speed IP backhaul connectivity
• Site-controlled mobile services
• Centralised network monitoring and management
• Future-ready architecture for operational technology and industrial IoT applications

Advanced Network Architecture

Unlike a traditional private LTE deployment, the solution was designed around a fully private mobile architecture. The network supports:

• Dedicated APNs for different operational use cases
• Network segmentation between business and operational systems
• Secure separation of telemetry, monitoring and operational traffic
• SIM-based policy enforcement
• Application-specific traffic management
• Future integration of mobile-enabled operational technologies

This approach allows multiple services and user groups to operate on a common network infrastructure while maintaining strong logical separation and control.

On-Site Core Network

MarchNet implemented an on-site mobile core architecture, giving the operation greater control, resilience and flexibility than solutions reliant on external carrier infrastructure. The result is a communications platform designed specifically for the operational requirements of a modern mining environment, rather than a simplified extension of a public mobile network. Benefits of the localised architecture include:

Building on the commissioning work, MarchNet’s engineers reviewed how the network was performing in the field, giving the operation a clear picture of coverage today and where it could grow next. The assessment included:

The assessment covered both the 4G and 5G layers and found that measured field performance aligned closely with design expectations, with good correlation between predicted and measured results across the operational area.

The Business Outcome

The deployment provided the customer with substantially more than mobile coverage. Benefits delivered include:

• Private 4G & 5G: Dedicated private network services across both layers.
• Network Segmentation: Separation for operational applications, with secure APN-based service separation.
• Simplified Management: Easier device and SIM management, controlled on site.
• OT-Ready Platform: Ready for operational technology integration.
• High-Speed Mobility: High-speed mobile data services supporting workforce mobility.
• Future-Ready: Architecture ready for industrial IoT and monitoring applications.
• Validated Performance: Network performance confirmed against measured field data.

The result is a scalable communications platform capable of supporting both current mining operations and future digitalisation initiatives across the site.