Rapid Fiber Internet Launches Public Wi-Fi Access Service Powered by CDG Elements and netElastic Systems

Rapid Fiber Internet Launches Public Wi-Fi Access Service Powered by CDG Elements and netElastic Systems

Champaign, IL — Communications Data Group (CDG) today announced the successful launch of its public Wi-Fi service support, delivered through the CDG Elements platform and powered by netElastic Systems software, for Rapid Fiber Internet, a 100% fiber internet service provider serving rural North Florida. The new solution will enable secure, authenticated, and monetized public internet access across venues and communities served by Rapid Fiber Internet.

The platform delivers a comprehensive end-to-end public Wi-Fi experience, including:
• Captive portal redirection via netElastic BNG (Broadband Network Gateway).
• Mobile OTP-based identity verification tied to every session.
• Flexible plan selection — time-based and data-based.
• Secure payment processing.
• RADIUS-based session authorization with Change of Authorization (CoA).
• Real-time session and timer management, including multi-device support.
• Admin capabilities for managing sub-vendors, venues, and custom plans independently.

“This is a fantastic achievement that reflects the dedication and expertise of everyone involved,” said Chris McKenzie, Vice President of Network Operations at Rapid Fiber Internet. “Public Wi-Fi is a strategic opportunity for Rapid Fiber, and having this system opens up tremendous possibilities for delivering value-added services to the communities we serve.”

The solution is built on a modular, secure, and scalable architecture that cleanly separates business logic from network enforcement. The netElastic BNG acts as the single network enforcement point — intercepting unauthenticated traffic and applying Change of Authorization (CoA) messages to grant or revoke access per session. CDG Elements centrally manages identity verification, billing, authorization, and reporting, while RADIUS handles authentication and session accounting to ensure access is granted only after explicit authorization. All transactions and sessions are logged for auditing, reconciliation, and compliance reporting.

“This milestone is the result of exceptional collaboration with Rapid Fiber and netElastic, as well as our strategic partner Innovation Incubator Inc.,” said Tony Stout, Chief Technology Officer at CDG. “We are proud to have been part of building a solution that sets a new standard for managed public Wi-Fi.”

“netElastic is proud to serve as the network enforcement backbone of this solution,” added Weixiao Liu, CEO and CTO of netElastic Systems Inc. “Seeing the full flow come together — from captive portal redirection to RADIUS authorization — is a testament to the strength of the partnership and the technical depth of the entire team.”

CDG, Rapid Fiber, and netElastic will showcase the solution at Fiber Connect 2026, taking place May 17–20, 2026, in Orlando, Florida. Attendees can experience a demonstration at the CDG booth highlighting the platform’s secure, managed, and monetized public Wi-Fi capabilities.

About CDG Inc.
CDG provides a cloud-based, SaaS-delivered OSS/BSS platform for voice, video, data, circuit, and interconnect services for retail and wholesale communications service providers and carriers. We deliver value to our clients through our open architecture, operator-driven solutions that empower them to create the optimal service ecosystem for growing their customer base, improving their BI, and developing the latest AI/ML and automation technologies to increase their operational efficiencies and capabilities.

About RapidFiber Internet LLC
Rapid Fiber Internet was founded on the same principles that brought us Suwannee Valley Electric Cooperative (SVEC) over 85 years ago. We are reinvesting in the Suwannee Valley by bringing high-speed broadband internet service to homes and businesses. We understand that access to high-speed internet service is essential for fostering educational opportunities, access to quality healthcare, and an economy characterized by a robust workforce and business growth.

About netElastic Systems Inc.
netElastic provides virtualized routing solutions purpose-built for broadband service providers. netElastic developed one of the industry’s first virtual broadband network gateways (vBNGs) including CGNAT from the ground up, and services over 300 ISP customers with over 500 deployments globally.