By Sarah Mabry, Operations Manager, RealtyCom Partners

Key Takeaways

1. Not yet a fiber or cable replacement. LEO satellite broadband is not ready today to serve as the primary internet service for apartment communities.
2. Clear sky access is required. Satellite equipment needs an unobstructed view of the sky, which is hard to achieve at many garden-style, mid-rise, and high-rise properties.
3. Capacity and upload speeds favor fiber. Fiber and cable networks already deliver gigabit and multi-gigabit service to individual units at scale. Fiber can also provide symmetrical upload and download speeds, while many satellite services are more limited on upload.
4. Satellite doesn’t solve in-building distribution. Even if satellite brings internet to the property, owners still need wiring, switches, Wi-Fi, monitoring, and resident support to deliver service to each unit.
5. There are near-term uses. These include backup and redundancy, hard-to-serve sites, temporary service during construction or lease-up, and connectivity for property operations.
6. The technology is worth monitoring. If LEO providers add managed in-building networks, bulk pricing, and resident support, satellite could become a more serious multifamily option.

We’re hearing a new question from multifamily owners: can satellite broadband compete with traditional fiber and cable providers serving apartment communities?

While Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite broadband is […]

By: Rush Blakely, President & Chief Executive Officer, RealtyCom Partners

Key takeaways: At the 2026 Broadband Communities Summit in Houston, the RealtyCom Partners team saw five trends shaping multifamily broadband:

1. Broadband is now a required part of the property and resident experience, not just an amenity.
2. Property-wide connectivity matters more as smart-building technology, telehealth, and remote work grow.
3. Owners want service providers that deliver measurable value, not just a service to sell.
4. AI conversations have shifted from future possibilities to practical, operational uses.
5. State and local regulations increasingly shape how multifamily telecom services are offered, billed, and disclosed.

Broadband is growing up, and speed is no longer the only measure of success. That was clear at the 2026 Broadband Communities Summit, where conversations extended well beyond building networks and delivering faster connections. Across the multifamily broadband industry, the focus is shifting toward sustainable business models, property-wide connectivity, resident satisfaction, and the long-term value of broadband infrastructure.

Spencer Brown, Mike Miller, Roxie Ferrin, Phil […]

PRESS RELEASE

RealtyCom Partners has been named Multifamily Partner of the Year in the 2026 Broadband Communities Awards. The award was presented at the Broadband Communities Summit in Houston and recognizes RealtyCom Partners’ dedication to helping multifamily owners navigate technology, telecommunications and broadband opportunities.

“I am incredibly proud and deeply honored to receive this award on behalf of the entire team at RealtyCom Partners,” said President and CEO Rush Blakely. “Being voted Multifamily Partner of the Year is recognition of the tireless work our amazing team does on behalf of our valued clients.”

This year’s awards drew more entries than ever before and were evaluated by an external, independent panel of nearly three dozen industry judges, making the recognition an even greater achievement for the RealtyCom Partners team.

RealtyCom Partners thanks its clients, industry partners and employees whose trust, collaboration and commitment made this honor possible.

Learn more about the 2026 Broadband Communities Award winners.