Short answerFor 4G CCTV you need decent upload speed, a data plan sized for how often people watch, and a way to connect in: a fixed IP SIM, a private APN, or a camera system that uses its own cloud service. Record locally on the site and only stream when someone is watching.
CCTV over 4G is everywhere now: building sites, car parks, farms, vacant property, temporary events. It works well when it is planned around one fact. Mobile networks are built for downloads, and CCTV is all about upload.
Upload is the number that matters
When you view a camera remotely, video flows from the site up to the network. 4G upload speeds are much lower than download speeds, and they suffer most when the signal is weak. Check the upload figure, not just the download, when you test the site. Good signal quality, especially SINR, has the biggest effect on upload.
How much data CCTV uses
It depends almost entirely on how the system is set up:
- Record on site, view on demand: data is only used when someone watches or downloads a clip. This is the cheapest and most common setup.
- Motion alerts with snapshots or short clips: modest and predictable.
- Continuous upload to the cloud: by far the heaviest. Several cameras streaming around the clock can use more data than an office.
Use the camera’s sub-stream (lower resolution) for remote viewing and keep the main stream for local recording. That alone can cut data use dramatically.
Getting in to the recorder
A standard SIM sits behind carrier-grade NAT, so you cannot connect in. You have three options:
- Fixed IP SIM: the recorder is reachable at a fixed address. Lock it down with firewall rules. See fixed IP SIMs.
- Manufacturer cloud (P2P): many recorders connect out to the manufacturer’s service, which works on any SIM. Convenient, but you depend on that service.
- VPN or remote management: the router tunnels out to your server or a service such as Teltonika RMS. More in CGNAT and remote access.
Router Store has notes on fixed IP SIMs for CCTV and 4G and 5G routers for CCTV.
Router and power
- A router with PoE out can power a camera from the same box, which simplifies pole and column installs. See 4G routers with PoE.
- Use an industrial router in enclosures, where temperatures swing well beyond what a home router tolerates.
- Put the antenna outside the enclosure, or fit an external one. A metal box blocks signal. See 4G antennas explained.
- On solar or battery sites, check the router’s power draw and set a schedule if the cameras do not need to be online all night.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use an unlimited SIM for CCTV?
Check the fair use policy and that router use is allowed. Continuous uploading is exactly the kind of use some unlimited plans restrict.
Is 4G good enough for HD cameras?
For recording on site, yes, because recording does not use the mobile link. For remote viewing, a good 4G signal handles HD sub-streams well. Several full-resolution live streams at once need a strong signal or 5G.
Do I need a fixed IP for a cloud camera?
No. Cloud cameras connect out to their service, which works on a standard SIM.
Planning 4G CCTV on a site? Send us the camera count and location and we will suggest a SIM and data plan.
NANick Appleby
Nick Appleby has worked in UK telecoms since 1998, starting at BT, and has spent most of that time on cellular routers, data SIMs and the antennas that connect them for business and industrial sites. He writes 4G SIM to explain how the networks and the kit actually behave, in plain English.