SOURCEOrganization
Murray City and Wasatch County school districts, with UETN
Baicells ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Why It Worked for UETN, item 1Checked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated
Reported deployment
Reported education private LTE network in Utah
A Baicells case study; outcomes are vendor-reported and not independent measurements.
Involved in this project? Suggest a correctionDetails
- Organization
- Murray City and Wasatch County school districts, with UETN
- Industry
- education
- Region
- Utah
- Project date
- 2019 (project start)
- Not stated by sources
- Current operating status
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Overview
Murray City School District and Wasatch County School District tested Baicells private LTE equipment with the Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN) in 2019 to carry school internet service to students' homes, according to a Baicells case study.[1] Murray's network, which the district calls PowerPlay LTE, went fully online on January 14, 2021, with 44 mostly rooftop towers and home receivers meant to reach all 6,000 of its students, The Salt Lake Tribune reported.[2] A later Baicells release said the network runs on CBRS (Citizens Broadband Radio Service) spectrum.[3] The Tribune also reported that UETN planned to try the model first in Wasatch County and then in Tooele County.[2]
At a glance
- Organization
- Murray City School District and Wasatch County School District, working with the Utah Education and Telehealth Network (UETN).[1]
- Location
- Utah. The Tribune describes Murray's district as roughly 3 miles by 3 miles.[2] Site details for Wasatch County are not publicly stated.
- Date reported
- Equipment testing with UETN began in 2019.[1] Murray's network went fully online on January 14, 2021,[2] and Baicells announced it on September 15, 2021.[3]
- Spectrum
- CBRS, according to Baicells.[3] The Tribune describes the receivers as using FCC-approved 3.5 to 3.7 GHz airwaves.[2] Whether the district uses General Authorized Access (GAA) or Priority Access License (PAL) spectrum is not publicly stated.
- Technology
- Fixed-wireless LTE.[3] Baicells describes it as standards-based LTE with SIM-based authentication.[1]
- Scale as reported
- In Murray: 44 towers, including six at the district's one high school, each reaching about 900 feet to 1 mile, plus 425 high-power receivers for homes and apartment buildings and additional hotspots, for 6,000 students.[2] The scale of the Wasatch County deployment is not publicly stated.
- Vendors and roles
- Baicells: Nova436Q base stations mounted on rooftops and pre-configured Atom ID04 home CPEs (customer premises equipment).[1]
- Integrator/operator
- Murray's district built and runs the network. Its CTO, Jason Eyre, said in the Baicells release that his own technology team did the installs instead of hiring a contractor.[3] The Tribune reported that UETN was coordinating expansion to other districts.[2]
- Funding
- The Tribune reported that Murray used federal COVID-19 relief funding to buy and engineer the towers.[2]
- Status
- Not publicly stated after September 2021. The newest dated source is the September 15, 2021 Baicells release.[3]
How the network is used
- Home internet for students so they can attend class online and finish coursework from home.[3][2]
- Filtered access under district policy: the Tribune reported that the network blocks inappropriate sites and streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu, and works only with school-issued Chromebooks.[2]
- Shared connections for multifamily housing: the Tribune said the district's 425 high-power receivers can each cover a whole apartment building.[2]
Reported results
As reported by the sources below; not independently verified.
- Baicells says the network extended learning beyond campus and improved digital equity while letting districts keep policy control and visibility. This is a vendor claim.[1]
- In the Baicells release, Murray's CTO said the district built the network in less than 100 days with its own staff.[3] The Tribune separately reported that he had worked on the project for more than two years before launch.[2]
- The Tribune quoted UETN's CEO as saying the Murray network would serve as a model for the rest of the state.[2]
Timeline
Baicells announces Murray's CBRS fixed-wireless LTE network serving 6,000 students.[3]
The Salt Lake Tribune reports that UETN plans to try the model first in Wasatch County, then Tooele County, with San Juan County likely to follow.[2]
Murray's PowerPlay LTE network goes fully online at a launch ceremony attended by Utah Gov. Spencer Cox.[2]
Murray City and Wasatch County school districts test Baicells equipment with UETN.[1]
How to interpret this record
This record keeps the source's anonymous customer label and reported status. A case study does not establish current operation, reproducible performance, or independent verification.
Learn more
- Private 5G networks explained: what they are, how they work, what they cost and who sells themA plain-English guide to private 5G: what it is, the parts you need, CBRS spectrum, ways to deploy, cost drivers and U.S. examples.
- Private LTE networks: what they are and how to set one upWhat a private LTE network is, why most private networks still use LTE, the CBRS spectrum and equipment you need, and how to set one up.
- Private LTE vs private 5G: which one do you need?Private LTE or private 5G? The real differences, which devices work, what affects cost, and how to move from LTE to 5G later.
- How much does a private LTE or 5G network cost?What a private LTE or 5G network costs: three example budgets from about $10,000, what you pay for, CBRS and SAS fees, and ongoing costs.
Sources
Researched Oct 1, 2026. Manufacturer and vendor statements are their claims, not independent tests.
- Case Study / Education & Private LTE — Baicells. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
- This Utah school district has built its own internet service so students can log on from home — The Salt Lake Tribune, Jan 17, 2021. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
- Murray School District Has Launched the First-In-The-Nation Private LTE Network Using Baicells to Eliminate the Digital Divide — Baicells Technologies via PR Newswire, Sep 15, 2021. Accessed Oct 1, 2026.
Every detail in the table at the top comes from these sources. Open the source details for each fact’s publisher, evidence type, date, and where it appears.
Source details (6)
SOURCEIndustry
education
Baicells ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Page headerChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated
SOURCERegion
Utah
Baicells ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Header summaryChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated
SOURCEProject date
2019 (project start)
Baicells ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Stats bannerChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated
SOURCEReported use case
Extending internet access to students at home via rooftop base stations and pre-configured home CPE
Baicells ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Executive Summary > The answerChecked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated
SOURCEVendors Named
Baicells (Nova436Q base stations, Atom ID04 CPE)
Baicells ↗Vendor case studyLocation in source: Why It Worked for UETN, items 2-3Checked Sep 30, 2026Source date: not stated