WISPs Have Opportunity to Enable Broadband in More Affordable MDUs

The popular conception of the digital divide is that it’s a problem of insufficient density; rural areas lack critical mass for infrastructure investment. In reality, at least 13.9 million disconnected households live in cities and metropolitan areas. Solving the problem requires addressing interrelated challenges of infrastructure and affordability. Where fiber is not easily accessible, fixed wireless is changing the economics of bringing broadband access to larger urban buildings. Using rooftop-mounted point-to-point radios, a typical multifamily affordable housing building may have an alternative to telephone or cable company service. Wireless internet service providers (WISPs) have received attention for their ability to service hard-to-reach rural areas, and companies such as Starry and Honest Networks are able to advertise near-gigabit speeds in urban areas. But reaching a building is only half the challenge. Distributing service from WISPs is also a particular challenge for apartment buildings more than 20 to 30 years old. Crowded conduit in such buildings often limits the opportunity to easily run new wiring, and wireless transmissions struggle to penetrate physical barriers. Policy changes can remove some barriers, addressing physical impediments while facilitating bulk purchasing on behalf of affordable housing residents.