For municipalities of all sizes, digital connectivity underpins everything: from education and healthcare to economic development and public safety. Because of how thoroughly technology has evolved to integrate into lives and commerce, tourists, business owners, staff, and citizens all expect a seamless experience, with fast, reliable connectivity.
Yet traditional networking is a little like home ownership. Not only is there a large Capital expenditure upfront, but the costs also don’t end with the initial purchases. Once you own the devices and the software licenses, you also own the care, upkeep, and maintenance of them—throughout their entire lifecycle and on through the transition to the next.
This alone makes maintaining and updating a modern network difficult for municipalities, and in particular, small and mid-size municipalities, who often face budget constraints. Budget constraints also trigger a domino effect that impacts network consistency and reliability, while making it difficult to plan for and execute upgrades and refreshes as infrastructure ages and loses manufacturer support. And strain on already limited staff creates support issues and security risks, downtime risk, and a scenario where networks are far from supporting local business growth or attracting tourism.
Yet especially for towns whose networks must be flexible and robust enough to instantly support large spikes in populations and devices, meeting expectations for network demands is crucial for municipal health, vibrancy, and reputation.
Thankfully, a model for network management called Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) now exists that helps make network upgrades and management more affordable, providing budget certainty and operational excellence, while also helping with scale and flexibility. Thanks to the model's affordability, working with a NaaS provider can even enable municipalities to introduce smart, cutting edge, IoT-powered capabilities for safer, more inclusive, more robust cities.
Network as a Service is a cloud-based model that allows organizations to lease network infrastructure and services from a NaaS provider rather than building and managing their own. This model includes hardware (like routers and switches), software (such as SD-WAN or network monitoring tools), and services (maintenance, security, upgrades) all bundled into a subscription or usage-based payment plan.
Instead of large upfront capital expenditures and complex implementation processes, municipalities can now tap into scalable, managed network services and pay only for what they use.
Municipal governments are often tasked with achieving more with fewer resources. Between budget constraints, aging infrastructure, and a growing demand for digital services, cities need smarter, more flexible solutions. There are a few key reasons why NaaS is becoming a go-to option:
Reduced Capital Costs: Traditional network rollouts require significant investment in hardware, licensing, and technical expertise. NaaS allows cities to shift from capital expenditures to operational expenses, spreading costs over time and creating manageable budget certainty.
Faster Deployment: Because the infrastructure and software are often pre-configured and cloud-based, Network-as-a-Service solutions can be deployed more quickly than traditional models.
Scalability: With NaaS, cities can scale their networks up or down depending on their needs, whether it’s adding bandwidth for a large public event or expanding connectivity to underserved areas.
Built-in Security and Monitoring: Municipalities are a growing target for cybercriminals thanks to a perceived lack of cybersecurity. Network-as-a-Service offerings often include robust, constantly updated security features and real-time monitoring, helping municipalities keep pace and keep their defensive posture strong and resilient.
Focus on Core Services: With the way technology has evolved, it’s difficult for any IT leader or Network Manager to be an expert in everything. By working with a partner to provide managed network infrastructure, municipal IT teams can redirect their focus to more strategic initiatives and community engagement. A great NaaS provider and partner will also freely share knowledge and invest in building municipal IT teams’ skills, both serving as a strategic guide to network management, a mentor, and an advocate.
How Municipalities Are Using NaaS in Real Life
Many cities are using Network-as-a-Service to roll out public Wi-Fi, especially in underserved or low-income neighborhoods. After the COVID-19 pandemic illuminated the broad impact of digital disparity within communities, Montgomery County, Maryland analyzed U.S. Census and city library data to bring free outdoor public Wi-Fi to 10 community libraries, focusing on these public Wi-Fi zones in neighborhoods with low incomes and a higher proportion of households without home internet. In Eugene, Oregon, the Eugene Public Library now offers free mobile Wi-Fi hotspots for checkout and through community partners to help bridge the city’s digital divide.