A majority (82%) of multi-dwelling units (MDUs) over 10 years old report internet connectivity challenges, according to a recent study from Comcast’s Xfinity Communities in collaboration with Parks Associates.
Issues include maintaining device connections over a Wi-Fi network and insufficient bandwidth, which can be difficult to fix due to the infrastructure of older apartment buildings, said Jennifer Kent, VP of research at Parks Associates.
She explained that unlike newer MDUs, these buildings were built without suitable wiring or the infrastructure to run new wiring. Older MDUs may have thicker walls or various types of building materials.
“So they might be looking at the cost of having to run all new wire throughout the building…which is obviously very cost-intensive,” she said.
According to Kent, apartment residents that pay for internet as part of their rent or through their property manager tend to spend less than those with a retail plan. Parks Associates found MDU residents with a bulk internet arrangement pay around $40 per month, compared to $64 per month for retail internet.
Parks Associates noted these figures are “standalone” service prices, meaning these are residents who don’t have add-ons like pay TV or mobile bundled with their internet.
From the article, "Old apartment buildings have some big broadband infrastructure problems" by Masha Abarinova
That result tracks with other recent research indicating Americans are moving up to higher-speed data tiers. In its recent Quantified Customer study, Parks Associates estimated that 24% of US broadban...
But a refresh would come at a good time, arriving on scene as consumer adoption of certain smart home products continues to climb. According to Parks Associates, 49% of US broadband households own a s...
A Parks Associates survey found that 31% of households had four or more streaming subscriptions in the third quarter of last year, up from 14% a year earlier. The number of streaming platforms has pas...
“Although AT&T starts with a 70% stake in DirecTV, they will likely wind down their investment over time,” said Steve Nason, research director for Addison, Texas-based consulting firm Parks Associates...
