Multifamily Musings: Wireless Options

Last week, I wrote about open access for multiple service providers. Currently, this debate centers on “wired” services –- like TV and telephone. For now, Internet also is typically included in the wired category, but with the proliferation of wireless Internet services such as Wi-Fi, WiMax and cellular, will that change? Can property owners prevent multiple providers from offering wireless services at their communities? Is there enough business for more than one ISP on a property, be it wired or wireless?

In addition to presenting a serious technology challenge, this issue poses an interesting contractual situation as well. In the not-too-distant-future, this is going to become an issue that the industry will need to handle. Everyone -– including service providers, developers, attorneys, and architects –- needs to start working together to find a solution. Any ideas about where we start?

Multifamily Musings: Open Access

Multifamily Musings will be my new weekly post – I’ll pose a question or a hot topic that we, as an industry, need to be thinking about. Hopefully we can initiate some dialogue about these important issues.

This week, I want to direct our attention to telecommunications and open access property networks. Now that almost every provider can deliver the triple play, does it still make sense for property owners to partner with an exclusive provider if they want to include bundled services in the rent? Should residents have the ability to choose their providers based on their personal preferences? Should the developer have a choice between these two scenarios based on each property’s specific needs?

Service providers are innovating at an unprecedented pace, but often leave multifamily properties as a distant second behind their single-family subscribers. Property owners need to understand that communications services and residents’ expectations have evolved – and will continue to change at an incredible pace. And it remains to be seen where the FCC will fall in all of this… Where do you stand?

Asking the Questions That Need to Be Asked

Over the past year and a half, this blog has evolved into a forum that offers perspectives and thought-provoking content unique to the multifamily market. Our goal is to get people thinking about technology’s role in the multifamily industry and in our residents' lives. Every day, we’re excited to find more and more readers that are following this site and joining in the conversation.

Starting today, we’re introducing a new weekly feature to draw more attention to the issues and potential challenges facing the industry. Every Wednesday, look for Multifamily Musings – a series of issues and questions, posed by Richard Holtz, CEO of InfiniSys Electronic Architects.

We’ll continue to update you as we add new features and content to the blog, and we look forward to more of your feedback. If you like what we're doing, please forward our site to a friend or associate. Thanks for reading and for participating in this community.