Multifamily In-Building Cellular Coverage During COVID

[William Jenkins]

I'm an RE investor/broker and a major part of my business is developing, owning, and brokering wireless sites (towers, rooftop locations, etc.)  We have expanded our practice to offer in-building wireless systems that are designed to improve cellular coverage in mid to large sized buildings with coverage issues.  

COVID has certainly changed the work from home situation in the short term and it is very likely that the shift will be permanent for many industries.  With more people working from home, adequate in building cellular coverage is likely going to be a major factor in a tenant's decision to lease a unit.  

Question for the larger multifamily owners.....  With more of your tenants working from home have you been fielding calls or trying to solve tenant complaints regarding cellular coverage?  Is anyone out there concerned with cellular coverage factoring into vacancy?

[William Jenkins]

@Scott Mac - The carriers have moved away from subsidizing or paying for in building systems. The ROI is not favorable for them. Take a 200 unit apartment building for example. Lets say 50 have AT&T, 50 Verizon, 50 T-Mobile, and 50 Sprint/other regional carrier.....

Each carrier would have to build out an in-building system to serve those 50 customers.  The cost to build out that system is cost prohibitive for that customer count.  They will focus on stadiums, convention centers, etc., but a typical apartment building is a no go.

Legitimate 5G is a number of years out contrary to the (misleading) advertising you are seeing, and even then it will not help the coverage issue in many cases.  Most of the deployed 5G spectrum will operate on higher frequencies and that spectrum is horrible at penetrating exterior building walls and low e windows. 

Unfortunately, the carriers will not save the day when it comes to poor in building coverage.  If it becomes an issue in terms of attracting tenants and lowering vacancy, the building owner is going to have to become proactive and solve the problem.