Myth-busting Multifamily Fiber Retrofits
Last week we went out to a multifamily development of ten buildings, each with a digital TV antenna. Sadly, only a few of the residents were able to take advantage of the free TV available via the antenna. The reason for this was simple: there was only one coaxial cable running to each apartment and most of the residents were using it to get cable internet and cable TV. The community had been built in the late seventies so the residents could only get internet via the cable company. And according to the maintenance manager, many of the residents were not happy about their limited choices.
Fiber Is More Available Than Ever
After touring two of the buildings, the maintenance manager understood the issue and asked about fiber. He asked because more and more residents were requesting access to the antenna. While we don’t install or manage fiber we have recently seen many older buildings retrofit for fiber and we referred him to this great article which we will expand on below: Never Too Late: Debunking 4 Common Myths About Fiber-Optic Retrofits
Myth 1: Internet is Not Important to Residents
Access to high quality internet drives decision making for renters. Ever since the pandemic when work from home became a real option, the need for high quality, high speed internet has become more important. High-speed internet is consistently ranked as a top “must-have” feature, often placed alongside air conditioning and in-unit washer/dryers. The National Multifamily Housing Council (NMHC) and Grace Hill’s 2024 survey found that 90% of renters would not rent an apartment without it.
Myth 2: All High Speed Internet is the Same
At StreamWise Solutions we have worked with all kinds of internet providers and we know that the best overall internet performance comes from fiber. For more information on this, see our extensive post on this subject: Multifamily Bulk Internet.
Myth 3: The Installation Process Will Be Overly Disruptive To Residents
Its rare that fiber ever needs to replace fiber. Usually, fiber is replacing cable so its possible to keep cable internet all the way up until the time residents transition over to fiber. In fact, the biggest disruption often occurs in terms of TV. Sometimes when operators are fed up with the cable company they install fiber and immediately cancel cable. Sadly, this leaves some residents without TV but fiber allows for unlimited streaming with no data caps.
Of course, once a property gets rid of cable they can install a digital antenna and give free TV to everyone.
Myth No. 4: Installing Fiber Will Be Overly Expensive
As the Quantum fiber post makes clear, the fiber company will usually cover the capital costs of installation. While the fiber companies won’t tell you this, they will, on avearge, break even within a year if they can get about 35% of the residents onboard as paying subscribers. If they get the whole building signed up, then they will have no problem covering all the costs of installation.
Conclusion
If you operate a multifamily community and have wondered about fiber, feel free to give us a call. We can figure out the best solution in your location. We can also see if digital antennas and free TV will be a good fit for your community.
