How to Start a Piso WiFi Business: Everything You Need To Know

I’m sure you’ve seen those little machines with tiny blinking lights and metal coin slots. A large number has been around the Metro and it has also been gaining demand in the provinces in the past years. While you’re wondering how much they earn to be that popular, you’re next question could be: How do I start my own piso WiFi business?

So in this article, we’ll answer the following:

Steps on how to start a Piso WiFi Business in the Philippines
Does Piso Wifi need business permit?
Survey Questionnaire about Piso WiFi Business
Best internet plan for Piso WiFi
How to Price a Piso WiFi Business
Piso Wifi Business Supplier
How much can you earn
How to effectively market one

A Piso WiFi Business is a Passive Income Stream

I’m a huge fan of passive income. I mean, who isn’t?

If you have secured investments or own property rentals, good for you! Those are some solid sources of passive income. While most of us do not have those kinds of investments (yet), we can explore the opportunities of earning some extra cash from a WiFi vending business.

Why a Piso Wifi Business? For a number of reasons, setting up this kind of business is a perfect venture for individuals who do not have the time but have enough money for a small business. For people who do not have enough capital, there are other ways to fund the venture.

We will get to how to start a piso Wifi business after looking into a few key factors.

Piso Wifi goals and objectives

If you are yet to succeed in navigating the job arena in the Philippines or have a full-time gig but still want side income for future travels, life insurance or emergency funds, this is a read for you.

Does setting up a piso WiFi vending machine benefit people other than you? Of course, it does.

Did you know that more than three-quarters of the Filipino population use the internet, but only 43% have access to a secured and reliable internet connection?

In the Philippines, a monthly internet subscription can easily go over thousands of pesos. A lot of households do not have the financial capacity to squeeze it into their budget. Piso WiFi vending machines provide internet access to the masses.

The goal is to set up a source of income for entrepreneurs who have an eye for great locations and for those who have limited choices in business ventures because of other commitments. (*Ahem, insert full-time moms here).

Before Starting on How to Start a Piso WiFi Business

Now that we have established the need for the internet and the gap in that need in the Philippines, you should do market research. All vending businesses, in general, are heavily reliant on the machine’s location.

Before we start on how to start a piso WiFi business in the Philippines, let me expound on one critical ingredient to its success: LOCATION.

Location is the Key for the Piso Wifi Business

Some businesses can attract customers from far and wide due to their specialty products like ramen businesses or shoe warehouses. For a WiFi vending machine, unless you’re in an absolutely remote location with no other competitors in sight, it will never happen.

The best places would be restaurants, laundry shops, apartments, locations near a school, or a generally highly populated community.

Take into account the buying power of the neighborhood. Most middle-class earners have the capacity to subscribe to a monthly internet connection and won’t need a Piso Wifi machine.

One pro tip is to also consider foot traffic. If you have more vehicles going around than people walking in the streets, consider other locations.

While market research is a big word, it can be as simple as asking around. It would be much help, though, to do surveys so you can validate your research with numbers.

Sample of Survey Questionnaire about Piso WiFi Business

The scope of the survey just needs to cover your immediate local community. Again, unless there is no competitor in the area, limit the study to your street, block, or purok.

Here are some same survey questions to include:

Do you have an internet subscription?

If yes, is it in your home or on a personal device (smartphone)?

How old are you?

What activities do you usually do on the internet?

How many days do you use the internet in a week?

How many hours do you spend on the internet in a day?

What time of the day do you usually use internet access?

Now that I’ve laid down my case on the importance of location, the next question would be how to start a piso WiFi business.

How to Start a Piso WiFi Business in the Philippines

There are two simple steps on how to start a Piso Wifi Business. First, secure all the requirements needed, and second, kick off the business.

1. Piso WiFi business requirements: What you need to prepare

Does Piso Wifi need business permit?

As much as I want to answer this question with a yes or no, the answer is a big “it depends”. It depends on your annual gross income and location.

If we will base it on the income it generates, the rule that applies to a sari-sari store and other marginal income-earner businesses should apply as well. If your annual gross income does not exceed Php 100,000 or Php 8,333.33 per month, you don’t have to register or pay taxes.

While some barangays do not mind letting small businesses operate as is, there are some that might require businesses to register regardless of size. Be sure to ask your locale’s policy on this early on to avoid inconveniences later.

Another thing to consider is also if the machine is placed as an add-on service on an already existing business like a restaurant or laundromat. In this case, there is clearly no need to register it separately.

Stable and Secure Wifi Connection

Since you will be selling access to the internet, it’s crucial that you have a stable and secure internet connection. If you have an existing one, you can use that.

Some would recommend upgrading to a business line or higher Mbps from the get-go, but I say as long as it meets the required speed, go with the existing plan first. You can test the speed yourself or ask customers if they experience any lags before you get an upgrade. The required speed is at 5mbps but most recommend 15mbps.

It only takes a steady flow of 100kbps for internet surfing, social media use, and seamless play for most online games but heavy usage like video streaming can use up to 3mbps. Do take note of this when choosing a plan.

Best internet plan for Piso WiFi

There are not a lot of internet providers that have both speed and real unlimited offers in the Philippines. Closely inspect small prints for internet plans that offer unlimited internet connection but indicate daily or monthly data cappings. Steer away from those.

Converge

Their plans start at 1,500 for up to 100Mbps internet speed. The installation fee is currently at 2,500 pesos and is subject to a 2-year lock-in period.

There is no monthly data capping but among the three named alternatives in our list, have the most limited area coverage being only available to manila and nearby cities.

One Sky

This cable TV provider has lite plans that have monthly capping, so be sure to choose unlimited fiber plans that start at 999 pesos for up to 20 Mbps.

There will be an initial cash out for 1,799 pesos upon installation and additional fees for their premium plans. In addition to Manila and nearby areas, they are also available in Cebu and Davao. You can get a cable bundle with your internet line.

PLDT

Among those on our list, PLDT has the highest location coverage although it is in the higher starting price range. Fiber plans start at 1,699 for up to 100mbps with no capping.

It comes with a landline bundle. Installation charges vary greatly depending on location so it’s best to talk to your local agent.

Local Internet Provider

If you are in a remote locale, chances are, these three companies are will not be an option for you. Ask around for local internet companies to find one that can cover your area.

Be informed of their plan inclusions so you can be clear on expectations. One upside on this is that they are easier to reach in case of connection problems.

Power Source

This requirement is as simple as it sounds. Until someone invents an alternative source that can produce a steady flow of power or store it effectively in the Philippines, this will be electricity.

Piso Wifi Vending Machine

There are tons of packages to choose from, but I chose mine with three things in mind: Cost, quality, and after-sales.

The machine itself can cost anywhere from Php 8,000 to Php 30,000 depending on the model and additional installations. Be sure to ask about the range of the WiFi and user limit, if any. Ask for a warranty and keep the vendor’s contact number.

Enough Space for Customers

Some piso WiFi vending owners can get away by using a narrow sidewalk or a plant box as space for their customers but this is unsafe and inappropriate. It’ll be wise to set up a more suitable place for internet users to stay.

The cost can range from a few hundred for simple wooden stools to a few thousand for a roof and some sturdy benches. The sitting area for Centro WiFi Zone cost me a little over 4,000 pesos for labor and materials.

Security Precautions

A cage is usually offered in addition to the machine for better security. I had one installed for mine and didn’t expect it to be useful in the first week. Somebody tried to knock my machine off the wall, luckily it was sturdy and the tanods took the person to the barangay promptly. We also installed additional solar lights and planning to add a cctv later on for the customer’s safety as well.

2. Get Started

Once you have completed all the requirements, it’s mostly just plug, play, and collect from here onwards. You can start your own Marlo Wifi or Inday Piso Wifi straight away.

Operating Expenses

Basic operating expenses will include electricity consumption which would be around Php 200-300 pesos a month plus the monthly internet subscription. In my case, I also pay a minimum wage to the person who collects and counts the sales for me.

Additional expenses would be incurred in case of machine maintenance and breakdowns which would rarely happen.

A few tips

Set up a regular schedule for collection. It’s important to monitor sales so you can understand trends and adjust if needed.

Keep a lot of coins with you for your customers who only have paper bills. You wouldn’t want to have them asking around for loose changes as they can also get snatched away by competitors this way.

Master the art of small talk, just really, really small talks. “Is the internet doing fine?” or “You should move here, the rain will pour soon”. This might be a passive income source but it wouldn’t hurt to build some customer loyalty.

Get a reliable technician. In most cases, he is the same as your installer. If not, be sure to have someone knowledgeable in case your machine breaks down. There is usually a month’s worth of warranty that comes with the piso vending machine.

In my case, were lucky to have Kuya Quebin offer free checkups and guide us through simple configurations. He was the one who installed our machine and has been really accommodating since we started.

Piso Wifi Business Plan: How to Price

The default price settings that are programmed in the machines are usually:

6 minutes for 1 peso
1 hour for 5 pesos
3 hours for 10 pesos
5 hours for 15 pesos

These numbers can be adjusted, ask your installer so they teach you how.

You can set prices for vending machines the way you price other services and products. Analyze the costs and know your target market. It is advisable to adjust your rates once you have a better understanding of your customers’ needs.

There are several factors for price adjustments. If your neighborhood has a high number of internet users for short activities like paying bills, up the minimum rate a little bit. If it’s games and social media, consider offering a whole-day price that is enticing and affordable.

How to market a Piso Wifi business in the Philippines

There are a number of ways to promote your business online. The one most suitable for this kind of business is social media marketing. It is cost-effective and makes targeting a specific area possible.

You can also do promos like what Jenny Piso Wifi does to attract more customers. Giving free day passes and an extra hour of connection is a surefire way of earning some cookie points.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Piso Wifi Business

The piso WiFi vending business has a very simple business model and has amazing income potential. It requires minimal effort to maintain and gives you more time to fulfill other commitments.

There are not a lot of cons to this type of business but if I have to mention one, it will be the high dependence on location. It’s a hit or miss so it’s in your best interest to study up on your market before deciding where to place it.

Piso Wifi Business Supplier

Canvas the price of packages online, and then find the best ones that are similar but near you. Reason for this is because machines are mostly manufactured the same, but the maintenance and after-sales services (very important) will be better negotiated if your installer is near.

Piso WiFi Business Income: How much can you earn?

A single piso WiFi machine can earn you anywhere from Php 5,000 to Php 15,000 in a month. Daily sales can go down to 200 pesos or high as 1,000 pesos. The wide gap in potential income is due to it highly relying on the vending machine’s placement.

The Potential of a Piso Wifi Business

Amidst inflation and stagnant wages, budgeting living costs can be really challenging. One way to improve the situation is to increase your income streams.

How to start a piso WiFi business in the Philippines is relatively easy and is a potentially lucrative business especially nowadays where there are not many low start-up capital ventures that can give you the same flexibility and potential earnings.