Township of Union: Public WiFi-as-a-Service with Revenue

Slice Wireless partnered with the Township of Union to deliver reliable wireless internet across four outdoor public locations; expanding digital access for a community of up to 564,000 residents. This project demonstrates how a modern WiFi strategy can balance performance, affordability, and long term operational stability.

To ensure strong coverage from day one, SLICE conducted a wireless site survey and an RF site survey to evaluate signal propagation, interference, mounting options, and backhaul requirements. That upfront planning enabled consistent connectivity across multiple sites and supported a scalable design suitable for large area WiFi needs.

The Township of Union deployment was built on a Public WiFi-as-a-Service (WaaS) model. Instead of a large upfront municipal purchase, SLICE funded installation and delivered ongoing management under a renewable agreement; effectively creating permanent WiFi with predictable support and maintenance. This long term managed services contract also simplifies operations by providing continuous monitoring, troubleshooting, and lifecycle planning.

A key innovation was the use of sponsored captive portals. With sponsored splash page revenue, the network can function as a cost recovery network, helping sustain public access over time and offering potential revenue sharing opportunities with local businesses.

Lessons learned
WaaS is an effective, affordable model for community WiFi; sponsored splash pages can sustain funding; and flexible, long term contracts support sustained operations; while still allowing temporary wireless for events when the community needs extra capacity.