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OUR MISSION

Home Broadband is Essential for

Accessing Critical Services

SCHOOL

REMOTE WORK

OPPORTUNITIES

HEALTHCARE

JOB TRAINING

ACCESS TO THE

SOCIAL SAFETY NET

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Apartment Wi-Fi Can Connect 235k Households* in many Low-Income Apartment Buildings Across Maryland

We can leverage cost-effective managed Wi-Fi to make broadband as ubiquitous in apartment buildings as it is in airports, hotels, or coffee shops.

38%

of the affordability gap is concentrated in apartment buildings in low-income areas

126K

People Unconnected

88K

Households Unconnected

THE SOLUTION

*50+ units that are either affordable, un/underserved, or in BEAD-eligible census tracts

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GA : Customize with your state data: Apt Wifi Reports Metrics

Column D: total units for Connect Households in many Low Income Apartment Buildings

Column R: The affordability gap %

Column G: population estimates in the apt wifi universe. (People unconnected)

Column E: for unconnected unit (households unconnected)

CONTEXT: Reminder the writing in the powerpoint mentions low income apartment buildings, while not 100%. The list is made of 3 populations, all 50+ buildings in:

Any HUD Designated properties(LIHTC, Public housing etc)

Under or Unserved properties

Properties in high unconnected or high poverty census tracts

Let me tell you about why this mission matters and how we can get people connected.

At a high level the apartment wifi model is bringing wifi service into apartment buildings, allowing residents to connect as simply as they would at a coffee shop.

Right now almost a quarter of the affordability gap is located in apartment buildings in low income areas.

Focusing on connecting these residents can connect over 9M people in more than 4M households.

There is a misconception that the broadband gap only exists only in rural communities. but in fact, much of this gap exists in urban areas, and apartment wifi can help connect these individuals.

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Implementation & Components

APARTMENT WI-FI

STEP 1

Procure a fiber internet connection to the building

STEP 2�Install Wi-Fi access points efficiently to provide ubiquitous coverage

STEP 3�Provide residents with the SSID and password to connect to the internet

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Benefits for All

APARTMENT WI-FI


RESIDENTS Free, or low-cost, high-speed internet Wi-Fi in all units and common areas No contracts or credit checks Easy to connect Unlimited data use for all residents Network Performance Guarantees Enterprise Level Technical Support Commercial-grade Security	OWNERS Increased resident satisfaction and referrals Greater retention, lower turnover Stronger property value and marketability Direct tech support for residents HUD can subsidize ongoing costs Managed Wi-Fi can support smart building technology solutions	COMMUNITY Digital divide narrows More opportunities for citizens Improved economic activity Maximized impact of federal funds

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Apartment Wi-Fi Funding Types

FEDERAL AND STATE PROGRAMS

Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) Program funding will provide connectivity to locations that lack infrastructure. BEAD Non-deployment and Digital Equity funding can address affordability.

BEAD NON-DEPLOYMENT FUNDS

Remain after un/underserved locations have been allocated funding
Can be used for non-deployment activities such as broadband adoption, digital literacy training, workforce development and access

DIGITAL EQUITY FUNDS

Focused on addressing digital literacy and connectivity needs of covered populations: low income, un-housed, immigrant, formerly incarcerated individuals and households

MARYLAND HOME STRETCH PROGRAM ROUND 2

Will fund capital costs for Internet service providers to build new infrastructure, partnering with owners of public and nonprofit affordable housing

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How Can You Support?

Tony Schloss�General Manager, Apt Wi-Fi�tony.schloss@educationsuperhighway.org

Write to the Maryland Broadband Office urging them to use BEAD and DEA funding for MDU connectivity.

Use your organization’s social media to raise awareness of the Maryland Home Stretch program–opening soon.

Share message with other organizations to increase collective impact

NEXT STEPS

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1: "First, we need to advocate directly with our state broadband office. You can either use the template letter we've created—just place it on your organization’s letterhead and email it to the state broadband office—or you can sign our DoGooder letter. The DoGooder letter is even simpler: just fill out your information, click submit, and you’re done."

"Both options are easy and effective ways to make sure our state knows that MDU connectivity needs to be a priority for BEAD and DEA funding."

2: Next, use your organization’s social media platforms to spread the word about the importance of MDU connectivity. It’s critical that we raise awareness and educate the public on why this funding is so important for residents in MDUs."

"You can share facts or highlight how lack of broadband impacts families. Make sure to use hashtags like #MDUConnectivity and #CloseTheDigitalDivide so we can amplify the message."

3: Lastly, share this initiative with other organizations that are aligned with digital equity. The more groups that join in, the stronger our collective impact will be."

"This is not just a one-organization effort. We need a broad coalition of voices urging the state to allocate these funds to MDUs. So, reach out to your networks and encourage them to participate as well."

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Apartment Wi-Fi Installation Partners

PROPERTY OWNER

MANAGED SERVICE PROVIDER

(MSP)

INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER (ISP)

STRUCTURED CABLING PROVIDER

Finds the best Managed Service Provider to install and support Apartment Wi-Fi.

Serves as the ultimate decision maker and decides what is best for their residents and business.

Creates and implements the technical network design.

Serves as the primary contractor, responsible for managing the subcontractors.

Post installation support and maintenance.

Delivers high speed business class internet to the building.

The MSP assists in vendor selection and manages this relationship, if desired by the property owner.

Also known as a Low Voltage Provider.

Completes physical installation of the wiring in the building.

Typically the MSP is responsible for selecting and managing this provider.

WHAT IS APARTMENT WI-FI?

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What Does Apartment Wi-Fi Cost?

EducationSuperHighway has provided procurement assistance to numerous property owners and has educated a multitude of managed service providers on funding grant opportunities nationwide. These initiatives have yielded invaluable insights, including comprehensive data on the costs associated with implementing managed Wi-Fi networks.

On average upfront costs (Capital Expenses) range from $400-$1000 per unit.
On average recurring costs (Operating Expenses) range from $10-$25 a month per unit, including internet access and MSP support.

Costs can vary substantially across the U.S., due to factors such as labor rates and internet connectivity options.

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Funding Apartment Wi-Fi

Building Owner Funds Directly

Building owner funds monthly operating cost as a business expense. Often there are existing HUD & State programs available to subsidize operational broadband costs.

Freemium Model

Building owner provides free basic internet service at 100 Mbps, and residents can opt to pay for higher speed tiers.

*A Hybrid Model where paying customers cover some or all of the operating costs.

CAPITAL EXPENSE AND OPERATING EXPENSE (CAPEX/OPEX)

Many housing providers fund Apartment Wi-Fi projects as it aligns directly with their mission of supporting the social and economic wellbeing of their residents. EducationSuperhighway identifies state and federal grant opportunities to fund the capital costs of network design, installation and equipment. Initial operating expense can also be grant funded, but eventually the cost of operating the network will be assumed by the building owner. Strategies include, but are not limited to:

Building owner and MSP partnerships have enabled the ACP subsidy to fund apartment Wi-Fi networks in some areas.

BEAD Matching

Service Providers contribute e.g. 3 years of free service as part of their 25% match requirement. This provides Property Owners time to secure operational funds.

FEDERAL AND STATE PROGRAMS

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