Bridging The Digital Divide: Connectivity For All Is Key

America’s renters are overwhelmingly well-served by the existing multifamily broadband market and typically have access to cheaper, better, faster and more reliable broadband service than what is available in the broader retail market.

Multifamily Broadband Market is a Proven, Pro-Consumer Model

Rental housing operators and broadband service providers work together in partnership to serve renters, which drives innovation, competition, and better service across rental housing.

In practice, housing providers are able to use their market leverage and negotiating power to secure faster, cheaper and more reliable broadband service for renters. Whether through bulkbilling, managed Wi-Fi or traditional retail service, the existing model meets the needs of the vast majority of residents. In fact, recent filings at the FCC show that many renters are saving up to 50 percent on broadband service, thanks to options afforded to them in rental housing communities, like bulk internet and video, which now often include popular, consumerdemanded streaming services.

Current Federal Regulations Serve Residents

The federal regulatory framework that guides the existing partnership model works as intended, often breaking down barriers to broadband deployment, adoption and affordability. As historic federal infrastructure funds are deployed across the country, policymakers should look to leverage tools like bulk billing and managed Wi-Fi solutions that have proven so successful in multifamily.

Policymakers should also avoid pursuing flawed legislative or regulatory efforts that would implement counterproductive policies that constrain competition, limit consumer choice, slow broadband expansion and raise costs for renters. Housing and technology providers agree that the current federal regulatory framework should be preserved.

Affordable Connectivity Program Addresses the Digital Divide

Congress, the FCC and other policymakers should redouble their efforts to fund and expand broadband-affordability assistance under the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) for low-income Americans, many of whom are renters. In its continued absence, it is critical that policymakers see bulk billing and managed Wi-Fi solutions as key tools of affordability and preserve their important role in the market.

Where the market is not working is in lower-income and affordable housing communities because subsidies are needed for providers to deploy and support these communities and housing providers in these communities are unable to carry these costs alone.