By Jo Valderas

Technology offered by the telecom Providers is constantly changing and multifamily owners/operators want to remain competitive by offering the best service possible to residents at the best price. Existing communities present a unique set of challenges compared to new developments, because existing contracts, providers and wiring is already in place and need to be considered. To add new providers or services, upgrade existing technology, or provide better service to your residents a retrofit can be necessary. That’s where RealtyCom comes in to ensure the process is smooth for the site and manage the Service Provider transition.

RealtyCom’s process is centered around a Scope of Work that we identified at the time of proposal negotiation and contract execution.  As part of the transition preparation our Account Managers create a Transition Planning document to ensure the success of the project – identifying objectives, critical milestones in the timeline, and communication plan with the team (this includes the site team and local construction team from the Service Provider).

There are many types of transitions, below are some examples:

  • Additional Provider – a new service provider is brought onto a property that currently does not serve that property
  • Bulk Commencement or Termination – converting to and from Bulk services (where the owner pays for resident’s service) is unique as residents often need proper notice and the Owner may need to revise leases and determine a reasonable time to add or takeaway services
  • Post-Wire/Fiber Overbuild – replacing the existing network (often an older copper infrastructure) with a new fiber optic system that can deliver much faster and reliable services
  • Digital Transition – when a provider changes service from Analog signal to Digital signal to deliver a better experience (better picture quality and faster Internet speeds)
  • Provider Change – removing a current provider from serving, in favor of another provider

Due to the complexity of some projects you may face challenges. We’ve experienced issues ranging from permitting, changes in the field to the Scope of Work, discovery of asbestos or other issue that halts construction completely, or simply aesthetic concerns.  RealtyCom’s role is to track the progress of work and report back any issues or delays and help problem-solve those issues to move the project forward.  This process can range from 30 days to 8-9 months, depending on several factors.

Once we have the transition plan in place, we host a kick-off to introduce the teams and go over in detail the Scope of Work, impacts to the site team, to residents, and the follow-up process once the property approaches a “go-live” date, along with coordination of on-site resources and marketing efforts.

Fear not! The RealtyCom team can help with a variety of transitions and has a staff of 30+ employees with various technology backgrounds to work through issues that might arise and help to keep the project on track. We’re here to help you meet your technology, financial of operational goals one project at a time. Please email us with your questions at info@realtycompartners.com.