Switching from Pay TV to Free TV in Multifamily
Will switching from pay TV to free TV in my multifamily development be hard for the residents? This is a question we get a lot and the short answer is no. While there are some little details that can be confusing, with the proper communication the entire property can be switched over in a single day. Of course, this depends on the size of the property. Larger properties exceeding 50 units might take an extra day or so.
Preparing Your Residents
In the last 120 unit building we installed in Indiana, the property management team took the lead on informing their assisted living residents. They created flyers for the elevators and let everyone know that the switch from cable to antenna would occur Monday and Tuesday. They also emailed the residents and the families of the residents to let them know. The email included a list of all the local broadcast channels they would now be getting for free in HD. This email included a brief instruction set on how to scan for channels on the TVs once the switchover had occurred.
While scanning for channels may sound intimidating, its not. In fact, in assisted living many of the residents didn’t blink an eye. They remembered scanning for channels back in the day. The thing that surprised most residents in Indiana was the clarity of picture. Compared to their pay solution which only offered standard definition signals, the new antenna was a breath of fresh air.
Managing the Transition from Pay TV to Free TV
While plenty of communication went out before hand, some residents were unaware of the change. There were some, not many, calls to the property managers about TVs not working. However, the property managers were prepared to talk about it and we were actually able to prioritize those units for the transition.
Post Transition Support
Proper, professional installation of the antenna and the signal amplifiers makes for few support calls after the transition. Unlike non-certified installers, StreamWise Solutions does commit to rapid replacements of any antennas damaged in severe weather events. While this safety net is an assurance to property managers, StreamWise Solutions also returns to the property on a regular basis to tune the amplifiers for new channels that the FCC brings online. One of the benefits of switching from pay TV to free TV for multifamily properties is that more channels does not mean more cost.
