Success Factors
Stakeholder Collaboration
Close coordination with state IT stakeholders ensured the solution was compliant with California’s security and networking requirements.
Technical Creativity
Contrivian combined several technologies to overcome the site’s unique challenges by relaying LTE signal from higher elevation, bridging it wirelessly to the camp, and combining it with Starlink satellite internet. Peplink’s SpeedFusion technology enabled two independent connections to work together securely, routing traffic in a way that met California’s compliance requirements.
Peplink Technology
Peplink’s flexibility and reliability played a critical role in making this deployment possible by enabling secure tunneling, traffic management, and integration with state-mandated infrastructure in an environment with limited physical access and strict policy requirements.
Starlink Performance
Starlink delivered the high bandwidth and low latency needed to support both operational functions and education—offering a dramatic improvement over legacy satellite options. Its availability was essential to meeting performance goals at this remote location.
California’s fire camp program offers incarcerated individuals a unique path: instead of serving their full sentence in a traditional prison, eligible participants can apply to live and work in one of 46 conservation camps across the state. These minimum-security facilities are operated jointly by the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation and CAL FIRE.
Participants support wildfire response efforts and take part in daily operations, including base camp setup, cooking, vehicle maintenance, and fire suppression. The program is highly competitive, with long waitlists, and is widely seen as a meaningful opportunity for rehabilitation. Participants can also earn sentence-reducing credits through their service and training.
Maintaining critical communications is key for these fire camps to function. However, the remote geography of many sites has made it difficult to provide robust connectivity—an ongoing challenge that Contrivian aimed to address with a unique solution.
The Challenge: Limited Connectivity in Remote Fire Camps
Geographical Constraints
State fire camp facilities are often located in extremely remote areas, where the only last-mile access options are aging copper T1 lines or expensive, slow geostationary satellite connections. At the site in this case study, both were in use, resulting in just 3 to 5 Mbps of total bandwidth and latency reaching up to 600 milliseconds. There was no usable cellular signal at the camp, limiting backup connectivity options.
Operational Limitations
This severely restricted both staff and inmate communications. In some cases, sending an email with an attachment could take up to an hour. Although CDCR provides remote learning devices for incarcerated individuals, participants at this fire camp could not access remote education programs for the duration of their service, forcing them to pause their studies.
Policy Compliance Requirements
California policy requires all government network traffic—including that from correctional facilities—to be routed through the state’s MPLS network and centralized data centers. These requirements are designed to ensure centralized oversight and accountability, but they also mean that typical internet services couldn’t be used as-is. Any new system had to be specifically designed to meet these technical and regulatory standards.
The Solution: A Compliant, High-Performance Network
Contrivian deployed a customized connectivity solution using Peplink and Starlink technology. A Starlink terminal was installed at the camp to provide primary service, supplemented by an LTE connection sourced from a mountaintop ridge about a thousand feet higher in elevation. That LTE signal was backhauled to the camp via a point-to-point wireless bridge.
State Network Integration
To comply with California’s network policies, Contrivian set up two SpeedFusion tunnels from the camp to a Peplink router in a state-approved facility. There, the traffic is converted into a format that meets California’s networking requirements and is authorized to access the state network.
Unified, Compliant Connectivity
This unique approach effectively transforms Starlink LEO satellite and cellular connectivity, bringing it into compliance with California’s networking standards. The result was a secure, compliant network capable of supporting both administrative needs and inmate education services.
The Outcome: Improved Access, Reduced Costs, Greater Impact
Contrivian deployed a customized connectivity solution using Peplink and Starlink technology. A Starlink terminal was installed at the camp to provide primary service, supplemented by an LTE connection sourced from a mountaintop ridge about a thousand feet higher in elevation. That LTE signal was backhauled to the camp via a point-to-point wireless bridge.
State Network Integration
To comply with California’s network policies, Contrivian set up two SpeedFusion tunnels from the camp to a Peplink router in a state-approved facility. There, the traffic is converted into a format that meets California’s networking requirements and is authorized to access the state network.
Unified, Compliant Connectivity
This unique approach effectively transforms Starlink LEO satellite and cellular connectivity, bringing it into compliance with California’s networking standards. The result was a secure, compliant network capable of supporting both administrative needs and inmate education services.
The Outcome: Improved Access, Reduced Costs, Greater Impact
Hybrid Connectivity Approach
The impact was substantial: the facility now operates with 50 times the bandwidth at less than half the cost. Latency dropped from 600 milliseconds to just 50 milliseconds, dramatically improving network performance. For the first time, Wi-Fi was deployed in inmate housing, enabling incarcerated individuals to resume their remote learning programs.
Participation in these educational programs matters. According to CDCR’s statewide recidivism report, continuing education reduced the chances of returning to prison by over 40%. Fire camp participation also plays a significant role: individuals who completed a year of service and were released from camp were over 30% less likely to reoffend than those who never participated.
This deployment illustrates how a carefully planned and compliant connectivity solution can overcome the challenges presented by remote state facilities. By improving operational connectivity and restoring access to education, the project supported both immediate needs and broader rehabilitation efforts.
Next Steps: A Blueprint for Other Remote Deployments
The success of this deployment makes it a compelling proof of concept for overcoming connectivity challenges in other remote sites that face similar policy and network constraints, such as SCADA monitoring stations, emergency response facilities, and state-managed infrastructure. These facilities could also benefit from similar improvements in service, reliability, and cost-effectiveness.