Don’t look to a polarized Congress, possibly deadlocked FCC, or a chance for peace in Ukraine to make your business plans work. Fortunately, you may not have to. At least a partial cure lies in good contingency planning and exploration of new financing methods. Here’s how to get it done.

Though multifamily market players and amenities have changed, the principles of the multifamily business are still the same.

It all boils down to consistent connectivity and proper infrastructure.

P3s have the potential to accelerate fiber buildouts that could create new job and revenue opportunities.

Industry organizations, unions and service providers turn to vocational schools and community colleges to ramp up fiber and broadband installer training programs.

Thanks to new technologies, optical networks have evolved significantly in recent years. Further evolution will require new innovations to help networks scale, simplify operations and continue meeting growing bandwidth needs into the future.

Broadband Communities recently talked to Sandra Motley, president of fixed networks at Nokia, about how the company helps large and small providers make the most of their fiber-based broadband deployments. She also shared her vision of fiber-based broadband and the ways broadband can enable new education and employment opportunities.

The best sources of equipment, software and services for delivering voice, video, data and more

The National Multifamily Housing Council’s (NMHC) annual conference, OPTECH, held in Las Vegas in November, showcased the ways service providers extend fiber and managed Wi-Fi into new and existing MDUs to deliver high-speed broadband. The conference also highlighted the growing acceptance of bulk broadband services, the ways women are making an impact in the property technology sector, and new property technology innovations.

Current maps exclude nearly every small business in the rural U.S. That’s a big deal.

The tools exist to stem the digital divide in rural communities – now, the government, educators and tech companies must collaborate to drive quality programs.

A combination of core network planning and opportunistic reuse of existing in-building wiring can provide gigabit and multi-gigabit high-speed fiber broadband networking.

As cable transitions from RF to IP, operators should focus on adding features, not removing them.

G.fast can help broadband service providers reach challenging brownfield MDUs by cost-effectively bridging the gap between unreachable homes and FTTH networks.

Fiber deployed in a passive optical network configuration in MDUs allows service providers to reduce the cost of ownership and address current and future demands.

MDUs and even towns and cities can take advantage of HTTP-based streaming with intelligent stream direction and TV client applications.

MDU broadband providers have only one chance to create an excellent first impression during customer onboarding.

Recognizing that broadband is now a must-have for apartment and condo residents, service providers are striking broadband bulk agreement deals with multifamily owners and managers.

Fiber’s contribution to global sustainability is having a rippling effect on food and water supplies, education and smart-city applications.

Why the multifamily industry has been shifting toward a bulk broadband model.

I project 500,000 new MDU dwelling units in 2022, but with more than the usual uncertainty. This would be an increase from 473,000 in 2021. There is likely to be a sharp drop in single-family construction.

Service providers and MDU property owners/managers embrace bulk broadband service as an amenity to attract and retain residents.

Service providers have an opportunity to leverage existing DOCSIS infrastructure to deliver services and simultaneously migrate subscribers, as needed, to PON with minimal capital.

Fixed wireless access is gaining momentum as an alternative for wireline broadband and disruptive mobile market innovation.

Manufacturers and service providers are pursuing product solutions that require less skilled labor and reduce the overall time of deployment with craft-friendly designs.

Fiber-based broadband improves lives, creates jobs, improves health care and education and helps communities grow and thrive as part of the digital economy.

Increased costs are impacting multifamily construction and operations as apartment demand stays strong.

Just as Amazon increased the value of Prime membership with a host of added benefits, so too should bulk service providers increase their offerings.

For loan and grant applicants, the USDA Rural Utilities Service has made it as easy as possible to reuse material from previous, unsuccessful applications.

The Fiber Broadband Association’s annual conference, Fiber Connect, held in Nashville in June, highlighted many fiber community success stories and innovations that promise to expand fiber deployment. In addition to highlighting fiber’s role in delivering symmetrical broadband speeds to residents, the show considered the growing role of municipalities, electric cooperatives and vendors. It also looked at the ways alternative providers build middle-mile networks to connect the dots of last-mile networks throughout states and communities.

Speakers at the Broadband Communities 2022 Summit, held in Houston in May, agreed that every community wants – and needs – great broadband. How best to deliver it to MDUs, master-planned communities, underserved towns and rural areas is still debatable. Following are some highlights of speaker presentations.

Broadband Communities’ list of fiber-to-the-home leaders and innovators for 2022.

By combining automated tasks into a workflow that delivers a service according to customer requests, OTT media providers can capture subscribers’ interest and remain relevant in the industry.

The NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association SRC Live! summit offered new insights about the ways rural providers are enabling a host of new broadband applications.

At this year’s Fiber Connect in Nashville, Tennessee, attendees will learn about opportunities for investment, deployment and technology innovation in optical fiber networks for homes, businesses, people and a wide array of advanced devices.

Fiber solutions for multifamily are the way of the future but may be too expensive in some brownfield properties. There are viable alternatives.

Potential employees see growing value in a company’s culture, priorities, work environment and leadership.

Deadlines are arriving thick and fast for massive NTIA funding programs.

An automated design and optimization approach will improve the network design process.

The higher the fiber count of fiber optic cable, the more vulnerable the connectors and end faces are to damage and contamination. Here’s how to keep every fiber and connector perfectly clean to avoid potential problems.

The CEO of NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association shares her vision for the rural broadband industry.

Broadband network industry standards aid broadband connectivity equity for metro-area affordable housing and MDUs.

A two-phase deployment of 4G fixed-wireless access technology will provide broadband internet connectivity to help underserved students in California’s rural Dos Palos-Oro Loma Joint Unified School District conduct remote learning.

The competitive provider launches an effort to install new fiber-to-the-home services in Florida’s underserved broadband market.

A citywide fiber network helps drive diversity and enable new broadband options for existing and incoming residents and businesses in a city known for furniture manufacturing.

New broadband nutrition labels required by the FCC will provide transparency about  providers’ broadband services, helping consumers make informed choices.

As property owners focus on broadband service quality, the FCC’s decision to leave bulk agreements untouched will provide consumers with quality services in all types of multifamily communities.

Despite high housing prices, the nation is building lots of new housing where it is needed. Young folks can’t get mortgages, so rental prices spike. It’s ugly. The upshot? There are still great opportunities for broadband deployers.

The latest offerings from top broadband hardware and software suppliers, distributors and service providers

How a company focused on space flight provides a critical connection during times of crisis.

By proactively focusing on maintaining quality of experience, service providers can thwart costly customer churn.

It is a transformational time for broadband in the U.S. The Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act will dole out $42.2 billion to states to provide funding for new projects. During the INCOMPAS Policy Summit in Washington, D.C., a group of Congressional leaders, service providers and public advocacy groups discussed the impact of federal funding and how to drive new competition in the multiple-dwelling-unit market.

The polymer industry for fiber communications is growing quickly. With the correct positioning for scale, volume and performance, electro-optic polymers are poised to enable optical network system businesses to be much more competitive.

The National Multifamily Housing Council is creating new avenues to teach people about the multifamily industry and build a pipeline of emerging leaders, with a focus on women. Its new podcast offers a glimpse into the business of the multifamily real estate market.

Providers must recognize that MDU owners have expanded their decision-making criteria to include a host of factors, from customer support to network security.

In the last issue, I concentrated on the regulatory and technical issues embedded in the evolving rules for handing out $42.5 billion in new federal broadband infrastructure funds. Before that, I talked about labor and materials shortages. In this issue, I discuss the financial planning issues for prospective deployers.

Partnerships in many U.S. communities are making successful broadband rollouts and expansions possible.

Broadband Communities asked industry colleagues what will drive broadband in 2022. Hint: Fiber will play a starring role for most industry players.

Given the benefits of reduced costs and increased flexibility, it’s no wonder more service providers are considering or are in the midst of investing in network disaggregation.

Offering high performance at a relatively low cost, the advent of 400G ZR/ZR+ pluggables could be the next disruption in IP in the optical networking market.

Omnichannel experiences, self-serve support and virtual device and app device emulators will dominate tech support this year.

If service providers pay attention to the best test and measurement solutions to ensure success, 2022 can be a great year to extend fiber everywhere reliably.

COVID-19 has highlighted how the U.S. lags global competitors in critical infrastructure, including rural broadband.

States are poised to leverage pandemic funding to enhance broadband availability and affordability for residents and local businesses.

Service providers and communities have a plethora of federal funding sources they can tap into to expand broadband. But what’s the best method to ensure providers can meet needs today and into the future?

Now that the Biden administration has settled in, the FCC is setting an agenda that will affect broadband in multifamily.

To accommodate emerging customer expectations, independent broadband providers need to adapt how they do business.

Here’s a roadmap for reviewing your deployment plans in these exciting but strange times.

In this first issue of 2022, Broadband Communities looks ahead to how the industry will adapt to changes and challenges and pursue opportunities, especially given new funding sources.

The CEO of NTCA-The Rural Broadband Association shares her vision for the rural broadband industry.

In addition to reducing costs, service providers increasingly focus on reducing emissions related to increasing energy use.

New York City’s legacy conduit system could provide a blueprint for the benefits of carrier-neutral infrastructure.

At the Broadband Communities Summit 2021, participants shared stories and expertise about new methods to build broadband to rural markets, new trends in broadband for MDUs and new applications for broadband, such as precision agriculture. Following are some highlights of conference sessions.

The best sources of equipment, software and services for delivering voice, video, data and more

Use geographic information systems to improve business with data and analytics.

Fiber internet is the only medium that will provide consumers and businesses with unlimited speeds.

By powering many smart-city features, fiber will fuel economic growth, a skilled workforce, increased quality of life, and a sustainable future for communities across the U.S.

Broadband supply chain issues the pandemic caused are holding up providers’ fiber-to-the-home rollout plans.

What’s at stake for multifamily communities, commercial real estate and broadband providers?

From pets to fiber to Zoom, the multifamily industry sure had an interesting year. Some trends will continue into 2022 and beyond.

Forget the politics. There are issues yet to solve: mapping, disbursement rules, and training enough folks to build new deployments over the next five or six years.

Communities see broadband as a linchpin for a multitude of opportunities – creating jobs, working remotely and attracting and retaining businesses.

By adopting fiber cleaning best practices, wireless operators ensure they can deliver quality 5G wireless services to consumers and businesses.

In a franchise model, regional service providers purchase brand rights from more prominent IT providers. This model provides a host of benefits for local carriers, large deployers and customers, and helps drive regional economic development. It may also be useful for MDU owners financing their own broadband.

The rise of IoT, security, cloud computing and 5G creates new revenue opportunities for service providers to upsell their large enterprise customers.

As property owners look to distinguish themselves and attract and retain residents, they must ensure their broadband performance is consistent.

Private construction of multiple-dwelling-unit buildings continues to rise and will hit a new record this year, with about 532,000 housing starts expected. That represents a significant opportunity for broadband deployers.

MDU providers can proactively mitigate potential churn and gain significant insight into how well their service performs by conducting in-person customer visits.

The U.S. is on the brink of having enough money to connect all businesses and residences with high-quality broadband – and having the financial and regulatory tools to spend wisely.

As more multifamily buildings are built, opportunities for developers to give their properties a competitive advantage with stellar broadband connectivity abound.

The Fiber Broadband Association’s annual conference, Fiber Connect, held in Nashville in July, showcased many fiber community success stories and a variety of innovations that promise to expand fiber deployment. As one of the telecom industry’s first in-person trade shows since the pandemic began, it highlighted fiber’s role as the preferred way of delivering symmetrical broadband speeds, state and federal funding mechanisms, open-access, fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) networks and pricing. It also brought to light how broadband newcomers, particularly municipal broadband providers, need to overcome political and lobbying challenges from incumbents and think tanks, and the significance of public-private partnerships.

Submarine cable networks can help address the challenges and opportunities in providing robust broadband in the Caribbean.

Could emerging fiber-to-the-home innovations such as 10 Gbps and 25 Gbps PON finally make copper-based coax cabling as antiquated as the Wright Flyer?

Students, teachers and parents see the value robust broadband can bring to education.

The annual, in-person event highlighted what could be the beginning of the biggest broadband investment cycle in the nation’s history bridging the gaping digital divide.

Congress seems likely to pass a national infrastructure bill that potentially could provide broadband connectivity to almost everyone. But watch the details, not just the money pile on the table. And act quickly! Easy money, public and private, won’t last forever.

The 2021 Broadband Communities Summit brings together industry luminaries to talk face-to-face about emerging trends, challenges and opportunities.

XR optics will offer fiber-to-the-home providers improved coherent-level capacity, reach and management performance with flexible deployment over point-to-point or point-to-multipoint and single- or dual-fiber architectures.

Fiber-to-the-home leaders and innovators for 2021

Service providers can address the trifecta of high prices, substantial growth and strong demand by offering bulk internet plans to their multifamily customers.

The new head of the Fiber Broadband Association shares his vision for the industry.

Connecting more parts of the world with affordable broadband will require collaboration between governments, businesses, service providers, telecom infrastructure companies and other players.

With remote here to stay, retrofitting multifamily buildings with fiber has never been more important. But it can be expensive and challenging for a host of reasons.

This technique is gaining popularity across the country because it costs much less than other deployment methods and can be done in days instead of weeks.

With $20 billion already committed for deployments and customer subsidies, and another $45 billion quite possible, the broadband industry should be in booster mode. Broadband stakeholders must stop arguing about which technologies and entities get the most funding.

As broadband becomes a necessity, Broadband Communities’ Fiber-to-the-Home Top 100 winners are making big investment bets on expanding their FTTH network reach.

State and local governments can leverage $350 billion in federal funding to provide immediate relief and long-term support for U.S. veterans and military spouses.

Resolving broadband affordability and coverage issues for low-income families requires accurate, reliable data.

Communities seek to overcome the challenges of providing broadband to residents and businesses by leveraging federal funding and private capital, enabling risk sharing in the creation of networks powered by open-access infrastructure.

With the ability to be deployed more quickly than fiber at a possible lower cost – especially in rural, hard-to-reach areas – fixed wireless access offers service providers another tool to give more people access to internet connectivity.

The former FCC commissioner looks back at the legacy of the legislation.

A case study demonstrates how MoCA member Translite Global solves gigabit networking MDU challenges for broadband service providers using existing coaxial cabling.

Multifamily owners and operators would do well to invest in high-speed Wi-Fi, smart technology and sustainability initiatives to appeal to Gen Z.

Policy changes can remove some barriers to closing the digital divide by addressing physical impediments and facilitating bulk purchasing on behalf of affordable housing residents.

The growing adoption of bulk, high-speed internet is driving a paradigm shift in how market-rate and luxury MDU communities serve their residents.

The launch of a new digital connectivity certification program for multifamily aims to rewrite the rules around the value of connectivity by providing a transparent measure.

Will local TV broadcasts go the way of the noble landline telephone call?

Transitioning to fiber may pose a number of installation challenges, but they’re easily outweighed by the need for symmetrical broadband.

Westmoreland, New Hampshire, is one of many rural towns partnering with Consolidated Communications to provide Gbps FTTH broadband to businesses and residents.

The two towns devise a plan to bridge the state’s digital divide through collaboration, advanced tools and new federal and state funding.

The latest round of broadband funding proposals should focus on long-term effects and return on fiber investment with an emphasis on the economy, the environment and subscriber satisfaction.

Is this finally the silver bullet broadband solution that multifamily has been looking for?

Multifamily providers have an opportunity to turn a bad property owner and end-user experience into something positive by enhancing services and communicating with staff and residents.

Communities engage in diverse broadband buildout strategies to accommodate long-term residential and business needs.

The latest offerings from top broadband hardware and software suppliers, distributors and service providers

The event covered key issues for competitive broadband providers, including the homework gap, net neutrality, broadband mapping and the FCC’s RDOF reverse auction.