Village of Biscayne Park Partners With Helium Mobile for Affordable, Resilient Coverage — and an Emergency Relief Plan

The Village of Biscayne Park recently transitioned its city phone plans to the wireless phone provider Helium Mobile for city employees and installed Helium Mobile Hotspots to ensure connectivity in the case of an emergency. The Village is a prime example of how cities and governments can save money and ensure seamless connectivity by switching to Helium Mobile.

In a move to innovate its communication infrastructure with a more affordable and resilient solution, the Village of Biscayne Park, Florida, has partnered with Helium Mobile to transition its city phone plans to the Helium Mobile and deploy Helium Mobile Hotspots, which help provide valuable coverage when extreme weather hits their community. 

Located in Miami-Dade County, the quaint community of just 3,000 residents prides itself on its commitment to public safety, local businesses for residents, and single-family-style homes. With limited infrastructure, the Village turned to Helium Mobile to access cost-effective mobile service and a resilient communication network for many areas that had little to no reception. Both residents and the government in Biscayne Park are saving thousands of dollars in taxes and the Village has implemented Helium Mobile Hotspots throughout the area to shore up coverage.

A Back-Up Plan in Storm-Prone Florida

In hurricane-prone Florida, it is crucial that first responders maintain cellular connectivity to ensure proper communication and quick decision-making. The decentralized nature of the Helium Mobile network provides a sense of security in crises, relying on a dynamic network spread across hotspots, rather than a single point of failure, which can cut off connectivity to an entire region. 

Chris Truitt, the Village Manager of Biscayne Park, has installed Helium Mobile Hotspots at City Hall as well as the recreation center, which is used as a place of shelter during storms. Now, in the event of an emergency, the residents of Biscayne Park will be able to use their phones and connect with friends and family. Helium Mobile Hotspots are a key component of Chris’ plan to prepare the storm-prone community for emergencies and ensure its residents are safe and connected.

"The decision to partner with Helium Mobile was driven by financial, technological, and extreme weather factors," said Chris Truitt, Village Manager of Biscayne Park. "We're not only saving thousands per month by switching to Helium Mobile but also gaining a stronger network connection and reliability that's crucial for first responders, especially during hurricanes. We envision a future where the entire community is covered by Helium Mobile Hotspots, providing a sense of security and reassurance during challenging times."

The Village of Biscayne Park’s administrative staff, clerk's office, and code enforcement personnel are also piloting the subscription and Hotspot deployments. This approach is designed to ensure maximum stability before expanding to commissioners and police officers, who are vital stakeholders in the Village. Once each manager is onboarded, the town aims to enhance its communication capabilities, particularly during times of crisis. 

The Village recently received approval to install more Hotspots in the hopes of further boosting connectivity for its residents — and potentially generate an additional revenue stream for the government that can be re-invested in the Village. By leveraging Helium Mobile's innovative solutions, the Village seeks to save costs and improve the overall well-being and safety of its residents. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Savings and Connectivity for Cities and Governments

Helium Mobile is a cellular carrier built by the people, for the people. With the Helium, a decentralized system of Helium Mobile Hotspots is deployed by friends, neighbors, local business owners, and entrepreneurs to build the network and improve connectivity. Hotspot deployers and mobile phone subscribers can be rewarded in crypto for the work they put in to create connectivity: Hotspot deployers are rewarded for enabling connectivity in their local area and for the mobile data usage that goes through their Hotspots, and subscribers who participate in mapping are rewarded for anonymously sharing the data that helps inform how to improve connectivity. With Helium Mobile, everyone has the potential to earn rewards for the work they put into building and growing the network.

Cities and municipalities like the Village of Biscayne Park are the perfect example of Helium Mobile working for everyone — residents gain more reliable connectivity, and their governments have the potential to save money by deploying Helium Mobile Hotspots. Helium Mobile can be used to build public Wi-Fi, fill in coverage gaps, and even create a disaster preparedness plan, like for the Village of Biscayne Park.

Cities like Biscayne Park can deploy Hotspots in city buildings, police stations, and any public places with power — which not only increases resilience in the case of an emergency, but can also generate crypto rewards that can be applied to reduce wireless bills and put money back into the city budget. 

We’re excited about this use case and look forward to working with more cities and municipalities to strengthen connectivity — and reduce spending on traditional telecom infrastructure.