Example data table
Use this sample set to understand typical inputs and outputs for a mid-sized site.
| Scenario | Staff | Cameras | Sensors | Updates (Mbps) | Sync (Mbps) | Overhead % | Growth % | Safety % | Target Util % | Typical Provision (Mbps) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Medium active site | 60 | 12 @ 3 Mbps | 250 @ 12 kbps | 20 | 10 | 12 | 20 | 15 | 70 | 200–300 (often symmetric) |
| High surveillance site | 80 | 25 @ 4 Mbps | 400 @ 15 kbps | 25 | 20 | 15 | 25 | 20 | 65 | 500–1000 (uplink-driven) |
Formula used
Step 1 Compute base peak demand for each direction:
- Base Down (Mbps) = Staff × DownPerUser × Concurrency + VoIP + Updates
- Base Up (Mbps) = Staff × UpPerUser × Concurrency + VoIP + Sync + Cameras + Drones + Sensors
Step 2 Apply engineering allowances:
- Planned = Base × (1 + Overhead%) × (1 + Growth%) × (1 + Safety%) × RedundancyFactor
Step 3 Enforce a utilization target:
- Required = Planned ÷ (MaxUtilization%)
How to use this calculator
- Enter staff and per-user bandwidth based on your applications.
- Add cameras, drones, and sensors to reflect operational monitoring.
- Set allowances for updates and file sync, especially for BIM uploads.
- Choose overhead, growth, safety margin, redundancy, and utilization target.
- Press Calculate bandwidth to view results above the form.
- Use Download CSV or Download PDF to share.
Professional overview
Reliable backhaul is the hidden utility that keeps a construction site productive. Crew tablets, cloud drawings, inspections, timekeeping, and safety systems all depend on consistent connectivity. When capacity is undersized, users experience slow uploads, choppy calls, delayed BIM sync, and stalled security feeds. When it is oversized, you pay for bandwidth you never use. This calculator bridges that gap by converting real operational loads into a clear Mbps target that can be quoted by fiber, microwave, or cellular providers.
The approach is practical: first estimate directional demand at the peak hour, then apply allowances for protocol overhead, expected growth, and an engineering safety margin. Finally, the result is adjusted by a maximum utilization target so the link has headroom for bursts and transient congestion. On active projects, uplink often becomes the limiting factor due to CCTV streams, drone feeds, and frequent photo/video reporting. Planning for both directions prevents surprises after deployment.
Use the device sections to represent what is actually installed. Staff traffic is modeled with a concurrency percentage to reflect that not every user is active simultaneously. Cameras and drones are treated as continuous uplink streams, while sensors are small but numerous and should not be ignored. Software updates and backups are added as allowances because they are real, recurring loads that can collide with peak usage if left unplanned.
Example data: A medium site with 60 staff, 65% concurrency, 12 cameras at 3 Mbps, 250 sensors at 12 kbps, 10 VoIP calls at 90 kbps, plus 20 Mbps updates and 10 Mbps sync, with 12% overhead, 20% growth, 15% safety, and a 70% utilization target, typically lands in the 200–300 Mbps provisioning range. The calculator will show required downlink and uplink, and it also suggests a rounded service tier that aligns with common provider packages.
Treat the output as a design starting point, not a contract guarantee. Validate camera bitrates, confirm whether video is local or cloud-backed, and review how backups are scheduled. If the link is wireless and variable, increase safety margin and reduce target utilization for resilience. When your inputs match site reality, the result becomes a strong basis for procurement and commissioning.
FAQs
1) Should I choose symmetric or asymmetric service?
Choose symmetric when uplink is critical: CCTV, drone video, frequent file uploads, and backups. Asymmetric may work for office-heavy browsing, but confirm uplink demand first.
2) What does “peak concurrency” mean?
It is the percentage of users active during the busiest hour. It prevents overestimating by assuming every staff device is transmitting at once.
3) How do I estimate camera bitrate?
Use the configured stream settings: resolution, frame rate, and compression. If unsure, start with 2–6 Mbps for HD and increase for higher quality or low-latency settings.
4) Why include protocol overhead?
Overhead covers headers, encryption, retransmissions, VPN tunnels, and management traffic. Ignoring it can understate required capacity, especially on wireless links.
5) What utilization target should I use?
Many sites aim for 60–75% to keep latency and jitter stable. Use lower targets for real-time voice/video and higher targets for noncritical, bursty traffic.
6) How does redundancy factor affect sizing?
It increases planned capacity to reflect resilience needs, such as dual paths or failover. Use higher values when outages are unacceptable or when backhaul variability is high.
7) Can I use this for multiple site phases?
Yes. Run separate scenarios for mobilization, peak construction, and commissioning. Compare outputs to select a plan that scales or can be upgraded without rework.