One LoRaWAN gateway covers an entire district - range of 2-10 km urban, 10+ km rural. Sensors cost $15-50 each and run 5-10 years on a single battery. Applications include leak detection, temperature monitoring, door/window sensors, occupancy detection, parking availability, and equipment status.

The model applies at any scale where a defined geography needs connectivity and infrastructure.

Smaller deployments use a single internet backbone with wireless distribution. Larger deployments may use multiple backbone connections for redundancy or capacity, but the architecture remains the same.

Traditional approach: separate procurement for each system.

Integrated utility node approach:

Projected savings: 50-70% compared to separate system procurement.

Beyond capital cost, integrated infrastructure means one maintenance contract instead of four, one management platform instead of four separate dashboards, and coordinated upgrades instead of patchwork replacement.

The utility node model works for existing districts and new construction, with different considerations for each.

The end result for people in the district:

Residents / Tenants:

• WiFi coverage throughout the district - buildings, outdoor areas, common spaces
• Phone service that works everywhere (VoIP over WiFi or data SIM)
• Well-lit streets and common areas

Property Management / District Authority:

• Security camera coverage with centralized monitoring
• IoT sensor data - occupancy, environmental, equipment status
• Single management platform for all systems
• Reduced maintenance complexity

Visitors / Public:

• Guest WiFi access
• Wayfinding (if enabled)
• Safe, well-lit environment

The district becomes a connected place. Infrastructure fades into the background - the poles look like street furniture, not technology. But everything works.

Stone, W.C., National Institute of Standards and Technology
"Electromagnetic Signal Attenuation in Construction Materials"
DOI: 10.6028/NIST.IR.6055

The foundational government study on RF penetration through construction materials. Key findings at frequencies relevant to WiFi (2.4 GHz and 5 GHz):

International Telecommunication Union - Radiocommunication Sector
"Effects of Building Materials and Structures on Radiowave Propagation Above About 100 MHz"

The international standard for modeling RF propagation through building materials. Provides frequency-dependent permittivity and conductivity equations for common materials, multi-layer slab transmission models, and building entry loss reference models.

Public housing construction in Alabama (and nationally) falls into several categories with different RF characteristics.

Two options for getting bandwidth to the property:

Option 1: Commercial DIA (Dedicated Internet Access)

Buy a fiber connection directly to or near the property from AT&T, Lumen, Spectrum, or regional carriers. Current pricing for 1 Gbps on a 3-year term runs approximately $1,300/month in most markets.

Option 2: WISP Model (Wireless ISP)

One fiber connection at a central location (tower, tall building) distributes wirelessly to multiple properties. Point-to-point or point-to-multipoint radios (Ubiquiti, Cambium, Tarana) link the backbone to each property rooftop.

The WISP model makes costs nearly fixed while revenue scales with units served. Add properties by adding antennas, not negotiating new fiber drops.

Residents get a real phone number that works everywhere - home, work, the bus, anywhere with WiFi or cellular data. This is VoIP (Voice over IP), not traditional cellular service.

How it works:

1. SIP trunking provider (Twilio, Telnyx, VoIP.ms) assigns phone numbers
2. Resident downloads a softphone app (Linphone, Zoiper, or white-label)
3. Calls route over internet - property WiFi at home, data SIM elsewhere

At scale, the VoIP platform can be self-hosted (FreePBX/Asterisk on your own server) or cloud-hosted through the trunk provider. Self-hosted adds control; cloud-hosted reduces operations burden.

VoIP requires internet connectivity. At home, that's property WiFi. Away from home - at work, on the bus, when the truck breaks down - that's the data SIM.

What it is: A data-only SIM card that provides cellular data for the VoIP app. Not a traditional phone plan - no voice minutes, no texts through the carrier. Just data for the app.

IoT wholesale providers offer pooled data across all SIMs. If some residents use less, others can use more. At scale (5,000+ SIMs), you're a real customer and can negotiate better rates.

We are not in the business of selling phones.

Most residents already have a smartphone - even a $50 Android from Walmart runs VoIP apps. The phone they have becomes their connected phone.

Resident provides:

• Their existing smartphone (any Android or iPhone)
• Ability to download and use an app

We provide:

• WiFi coverage at the property
• Phone number and VoIP service
• Data SIM for connectivity away from home

For residents without a smartphone, basic Android devices are available under $50. Some Lifeline providers include a free phone with enrollment. But that's their acquisition, not ours - we don't inventory or distribute hardware.

This is not a premium fiber-to-the-unit service. This is functional connectivity for people who currently have none or pay too much for unreliable service.

What residents get:

• Internet at home - shared bandwidth, adequate for typical usage
• Phone that works everywhere - real number, VoIP over WiFi or cellular data
• No contract, no credit check, no surprise bills

What this is not:

• Guaranteed 100/20 Mbps per unit (we use oversubscription like everyone)
• Unlimited cellular data (the SIM is for phone service, not streaming)
• IT support for resident devices (we deliver signal, not tech support)

Traditional MDU WiFi wiring runs $700-1,200 per unit. CAT6 to every apartment, switches, access points, labor. At 4,000 units, that's $2.8M-$4.8M in capital before the first resident connects.

EducationSuperHighway documented this across 50+ competitive bids (2021-2024). The hotel-style approach (hallway APs) still runs $650/unit because interior wiring dominates the cost.

For affordable housing operators, those numbers don't pencil. The connectivity gap persists not because the technology doesn't exist, but because the economics don't work at traditional wiring costs.

Perimeter broadcast eliminates interior wiring. Operating cost per unit per month:

With Lifeline subsidy ($9.25 applied to VoIP), the phone component is covered. Net operating cost drops to $6-8/unit.

The resident gets internet at home and a phone that works everywhere — not just on WiFi. The data SIM means connectivity at work, on the bus, wherever they are.

Two revenue streams per unit:

The $20 service fee compares favorably to bulk internet pricing ($30-45/unit for internet only). Operators get internet plus phone service at a lower cost than internet alone from traditional providers.

Lifeline qualification is automatic for public housing residents. The National Verifier system confirms eligibility through database matching with federal programs (Section 8, Medicaid, SNAP, SSI).

Lifeline changes the economics substantially. At $21-23/unit margin, this becomes a meaningful revenue line, not a break-even amenity.

Unit economics matter. Portfolio economics change the conversation.

Alabama has 26,000+ public housing units. A regional operator with 10,000 units generates $2.5M+ annually from connectivity services that previously cost money rather than making it.

At 25,000 units, this is a $6M+ annual business line with infrastructure already in place and residents already enrolled.

Perimeter broadcast CapEx versus traditional wiring:

At $40-70/unit CapEx and $21-23/unit monthly margin, payback runs 2-3 months. Traditional wiring payback exceeds 3 years at the same margin.

The risk profile differs by an order of magnitude. A failed pilot at 100 units costs $4,000-7,000 in perimeter broadcast equipment versus $70,000-120,000 in traditional wiring.

The Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program provides $42.5 billion nationally. MDU WiFi infrastructure is explicitly listed as an eligible use.

If BEAD or other grant funding covers CapEx:

• Zero capital at risk
• Day-one positive margin
• Pilot becomes pure validation, not financial gamble

Even without grant funding, the CapEx-to-margin ratio supports rapid payback. With grant funding, the economics become essentially risk-free.

State broadband offices are actively seeking shovel-ready MDU projects. A validated perimeter broadcast model with documented performance data positions well for funding allocation.

Each candidate building requires assessment before capital commitment.

Clear definition of what the operator delivers vs. resident responsibility.

The primary feasibility study examines retrofitting existing PHA buildings. The same perimeter broadcast model applies to new construction with different characteristics.

Rather than separate infrastructure for WiFi, security, IoT, and lighting, a single mast incorporates all functions.