By: Mike Sloan

Before finalizing any property acquisition, understanding the details within your telecom agreements is essential. At RealtyCom Partners, our due diligence process identifies contract provisions that can impact operations, resident experience, and future revenue potential. From bulk service terms to wiring ownership and contract conflicts, knowing what’s inside these agreements helps you make informed decisions and avoid costly surprises.

The foundation of RealtyCom Partners’ engagements with our clients is contractual due diligence. Our experienced team connects with providers to determine who is serving a given community. Once we have identified what infrastructure they are currently using, and what internet speeds they are offering, we are able to move on to the most important step, collecting and analyzing the existing agreements, a process that involves cataloging up to 100 individual terms and clauses.

During the Due Diligence phase of an acquisition, you may be provided with copies of these types of telecom agreements. At their core, these telecom agreements grant rights. These rights can include rights to access, rights to serve, rights to install or use infrastructure, and rights to market internet, video, voice, and other services. The following are just a few of the many contract terms that we […]

By: Cassie Watson and Brian Seiffert

When a multifamily project shifts from planning and design to vertical construction with overlapping tasks and tight timelines, the scene can often be chaotic and overwhelming. With multiple subcontractors performing tasks in the same space at the same time, issues can compound quickly. This can create delays that risk passing inspections and obtaining approval for the leasing staff to occupy the building.  As the project reaches its final stages, the focus shifts to the crucial step of bringing the building’s network online.

The role of a building network (commonly referred to as an “Owner Network” or “Back of House”) is to provide internet connectivity to building systems, and allowing personnel access as required. There are designated rooms to support the Owner Network, which may not be in main areas of the building. More and more modern building components require internet connectivity (smart thermostats, water submeters, unit door locks, etc.), so understanding these required network locations is critical in defining the building network to ensure overall building system functionality. Accurately identifying these devices and locations is crucial for a successful network installation.

There is often uncertainty in this step, as some development companies do not have […]

Telecom service offerings in multifamily continue to transform to meet the demands of today’s residents. We want to take the opportunity to update an article we’ve previously posted with the latest provider offerings and to educate our clients about relatively new products you may begin to hear about in our industry.  

Wi-Fi is truly the unsung hero of holding the modern household together. From streaming TV and working from home, to powering your smart thermostat or Roomba – Wi-Fi is a must-have. Under a traditional choice model where the owner may or may not have a marketing agreement in place with the telecom provider, each resident is purchasing their own wireless modem or renting it from the provider themselves. However, there are many other categories of owner-sponsored Wi-Fi that help your properties and residents stay connected:

Internet Ready – a no-cost option, this is when a modem and/or Wi-Fi router is set up in the apartment providing added convenience when a new resident moves in, they can connect and sign up for services in minutes without a technician appointment or picking up equipment.  The modem or router can be permanently or semi-permanently installed or could be free-standing.

In Unit Modem-Based Wi-Fi – traditionally […]