CCTV installations are one of the most common sources of IoT connectivity support calls — not because the signal was too weak to connect, but because the uplink throughput was insufficient to carry video reliably. Understanding why requires understanding the asymmetry between what a phone shows and what a router will deliver.
Why uplink matters more than downlink for CCTV
CCTV cameras send video upstream. The router’s upload speed is the critical metric, not download. LTE is inherently asymmetric — downlink spectrum typically has 2–3x more bandwidth than uplink. A site showing excellent 4G RSRP and good download speeds can have marginal uplink performance on a congested urban cell. CellTester tests both download and upload on each operator, ranked by the metric that actually matters.
Typical CCTV bitrate requirements
| Camera type | Resolution | Typical uplink required | SINR needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| SD CCTV (H.264) | 720p | 0.5–1 Mbit/s per camera | +6 dB minimum |
| Full HD CCTV (H.264) | 1080p | 1.5–3 Mbit/s per camera | +10 dB minimum |
| 4K CCTV (H.265) | 4K | 4–8 Mbit/s per camera | +15 dB minimum |
| Multi-camera NVR | Multiple streams | Sum of all streams + 20% headroom | +15 dB minimum |
CCTV commissioning with CellTester
For CCTV installations, the CellTester commissioning workflow provides:
- Upload speed test on each available UK operator (EE, Vodafone, Three, O2)
- RSRP, RSRQ, SINR per operator — SINR directly predicts upload quality
- MIMO port analysis — confirms both antenna ports are contributing
- Best operator recommendation with primary and failover
- PDF commissioning certificate — documents the upload speed and signal data at install
- IP security scan — flags any exposed management ports before going live
The security dimension
CCTV installations on public IP SIMs are a common security target. A router with default credentials and an open web management port on a public IP is discoverable and exploitable. CellTester’s security scan checks the router’s public WAN IP for exposed ports and known CVEs before the commissioning certificate is issued.