Crummy connectivity can hurt your multifamily property—what owners can do about it

Slow internet in a multi-family community isn’t just irritating. Today, it can negatively impact how residents work, shop, inform, and entertain themselves. It’s simple. Residents see fast, reliable internet as a “must-have.” And they’ll gladly pay more for a property that provides it. Today, however, HOAs, residential property managers, and multi-family property owners may see the appeal of their communities disintegrate without high-quality internet connectivity.

With insight and expertise from Quantum Fiber Sales Engineering Manager Justin Johnson, we’ll explore options for developers and owners to ratchet up their multi-family property and single-family development internet and pull their communities out of the online “slow lane.”

High-speed, reliable internet moves from “want” to “need”

Once a “nice-to-have” amenity, fast, dependable broadband is now a “must-have” for residents and property owners. ” Today’s residents look for the most robust internet speeds they can find,” says Quantum Fiber’s Justin Johnson. And the numbers agree.

A late 2019 study of renter preferences by the National Multi-Family Housing Council showed a whopping 91.7 percent of residents feel high-speed, reliable internet was either important or very important when looking for a new place.

While most property owners and managers may agree that top-notch internet is a top amenity, Johnson says, “It’s up to the HOAs and multi-family property owners to know what they’re looking for when choosing an internet provider. And then working with that company to make sure they provide the fastest service possible.”

Could a property’s WiFi slow things down?

Optimal internet speeds can be affected by several things. One “wild card” owners shouldn’t overlook is their WiFi solution. But maintaining control over the WiFi speeds in a multi-family property or a single-family home development can be easier said than done in Johnson’s view. That, he says, requires customized solutions created by qualified engineers and professional equipment.

Sluggish WiFi can result from network equipment issues, how many people connect, walls and structural materials, or the property’s layout. A neighbor’s WiFi might even cause interference and make for a slower experience.

The good news for property owners, according to Johnson, is a provider like Quantum Fiber has various game plans for overcoming WiFi inadequacies. He highlights the Quantum Fiber Instant Internet WiFi system software as an example. It can correct specific disruptions in real-time by tracking a resident’s wireless connection speed and then fine-tuning their modem to enhance connectivity.

Closer = better connectivity

With fiber internet performance, proximity matters. “The closer you can get fiber to someone, the better,” Johnson says. “This helps reduce latency, making internet speeds much faster, and giving residents a much better overall online experience.” He explains a direct fiber connection to each residence is ideal with a service like Quantum Fiber. The most efficient way to make sure the fiber gets that close, is to lay out a community’s internet goals during construction. Then, fiber-optic lines can be built-in and connected to each home or apartment.

This strategy also plays to fiber internet’s role as an investment in a property’s future. As Johnson puts it, “Technology is always changing. But with fiber, building owners and internet providers are in a position to easily install new tools that can upgrade a building’s internet capabilities.” While the equipment on either end of the network will undoubtedly evolve, fiber still has unused capacity and won’t become quickly outdated. This expected longevity allows owners to position their properties well for new connectivity developments (and demands) without the need to re-wire or re-invest in new infrastructure. This type of “future-readiness” means fiber can yield improved value for properties and owners.

Fast is great, but how about instant?

Though internet speed is essential, residents also crave instant access. The on-demand, short-attention-span, do-it-all-online world we live in drives residents toward simplicity and control over their internet experience. As Johnson says, that’s exactly where a solution like Quantum Fiber Instant Internet comes in.

Tailored to individual communities, Instant Internet is a premier technology that allows residents and homeowners to activate service themselves—within minutes of moving in. Homes or apartments are pre-wired with modems, so residents aren’t required to place an order and wait for a technician to install and activate their internet. With Instant Internet, signing up and initiating service can be done online with a few taps on a smartphone. Instant internet is virtually instantaneous.

Sure, the benefits of surfing and streaming before unpacking a box are clear for new residents, but Instant Internet also has upsides for building operators.

According to Johnson, a developer or owner can leverage the technology as a differentiator for their property. With high-performance fiber internet and convenient, fully digital solutions, properties can enjoy the dual benefits of attracting new residents and standing out from their competition.

This type of service model can also bring in another indirect benefit. New efficiencies can be created by not sending as many technicians out on install appointments. Fewer service vehicles on the road can help lower emissions and increase sustainability.

Upgrading existing infrastructure       

Other enhancements for improving connectivity aren’t just limited to new construction. Johnson points to several ways fiber internet can help the owners of established properties level up their internet game.

“We evaluate your building and find the best ways to boost your connection using the existing copper wiring,” he explains. “You don’t have to start from scratch. We have the tools and the expertise to work with what you already have and bring your internet speeds up to where residents need them.”

With more internet dependence than ever, the trick for property owners, managers, and internet providers is to build a tailored solution that allows for making upgrades with the least amount of disturbance in the community. “We work with owners and property managers to build customized solutions that are as unique as their buildings,” Johnson says. Quantum Fiber solves this with their fiber-based G.fast and G.hn technologies. These alternative approaches can couple with a property’s existing copper cable infrastructure, breathing new, high-performance life into it. Plus, they eliminate the need to run new cabling or disrupt residents’ connectivity. This meshing of newer and pre-existing equipment can provide property residents with typical fiber internet speeds—up to 940 Mbps.

Getting serious about serious connectivity

Innovative property owners know their best amenity investments are the ones residents benefit from most. High-quality internet access is essential to daily life and regularly tops resident amenity surveys. So, it follows that owners should take providing quality connectivity seriously. Along with fiber networks and easy-access solutions like Instant Internet, an all-inclusive bulk internet plan also has significant benefits. With favorable pricing and a rate that won’t change for their contract term, HOAs, developers, and owners can keep a lid on internet expenses while creating a new revenue stream by folding internet service costs into rent or HOA fees.

Sub-par connectivity means more than just occasional frustration for your residents. It can also make a real impact on your bottom line. Beyond creating attractive, genuinely connected communities for residents, excellent connectivity is just good for business.

Check out these related resources:

• Need for Speed: Apartment Renters Prioritize Digital Amenities
• Bulking up on NOI growth. The residential rental market.