As more homeowners work, learn, and stream from home, broadband has evolved into essential infrastructure for today’s communities. Yet for many homeowner associations (HOAs), broadband remains a recurring source of frustration. Poor service from providers, low or no compensation to the community, outdated infrastructure, and limited leverage to resolve problems often trigger resident complaints. These challenges are frequently the result of either having no formal agreement in place or being locked into long-standing contracts that no longer serve the needs of the community.
The following post maps out five of the most common broadband frustrations HOA boards face and how our company, Broadband Planning, can help your HOA board address them.
The Top 5 HOA Broadband Frustrations Boards Face and How to Solve Them
1. Resident Complaints About Speed, Reliability, and Coverage
When internet performance doesn’t meet expectations, residents quickly notice. Frequent complaints about slow speeds, dropped connections, or inconsistent Wi-Fi coverage are common in many communities. These problems are often caused by outdated infrastructure or service levels that no longer meet current demand.
Our company assists with infrastructure and service audits to help communities align broadband performance with resident expectations.
2. Confusing Contracts and Low Compensation
Most HOA broadband contracts are not written with the community’s best interest in mind.
HOA boards often face broadband agreements with unclear terms, complex requirements, vague service guarantees, and limited or no compensation to the community. Without technical or legal expertise, these contracts can be difficult to evaluate or renegotiate.
Broadband Planning negotiates clear, fair, and transparent contracts that reflect the true value of provider access to community property and ensure appropriate compensation to HOAs.
3. No Leverage with Internet Providers
Without strong representation, boards often feel stuck when dealing with providers. Many providers take the lead in dictating terms, assuming boards lack the experience or bandwidth to challenge them. When service issues arise, boards and communities may struggle to get a timely or effective resolution.
Our team works to increase a board’s negotiating power by representing the community’s collective interests and ensuring service terms are equitable and broadband issues are resolved promptly.
4. Limited Provider Options and Unclear Path to Expansion
Many HOAs find themselves limited to a single broadband provider, typically a large, national cable operator. While new fiber providers are entering markets across the country and approaching HOAs with proposals to build in, evaluating these offers can be more complex than expected.
At first glance, adding a new provider may seem like the answer to limited choice, but there are important considerations boards must weigh carefully:
Is the provider a good fit for the community’s long-term needs?
What will construction involve, and how disruptive will it be?
Will new wiring be visible in hallways or shared spaces?
Bringing in a new provider is a significant process that impacts both infrastructure and resident experience. Broadband Planning supports boards through every phase, from evaluating providers to overseeing design and construction, ensuring the community’s interests are protected and the broadband solution aligns with its goals.
5. Overwhelmed by Evolving Technology
Broadband technology is advancing rapidly, with new infrastructure types, service models, and technical terminology emerging every year. HOA boards, often made up of volunteers with limited time and expertise in this space, can quickly become overwhelmed by the sheer number of options and unfamiliar terms. Understanding fiber vs. coaxial, bulk vs. right-of-entry agreements, or evaluating future scalability can feel daunting.
This uncertainty often results in delayed decisions or inaction, ultimately leaving communities with outdated infrastructure or missed financial opportunities.
We serve as a knowledgeable guide through this complexity, helping boards evaluate what’s available now and what will serve their community well into the future. With clear, unbiased advice and technical insight, we empower HOA leaders to make confident, future-focused decisions that benefit residents and strengthen long-term broadband strategy.
Broadband Doesn’t Have to Be a Burden
Board members already manage a wide range of responsibilities, and managing internet service challenges shouldn’t be an ongoing source of stress. Many boards simply aren’t aware that they have options, how much value the right broadband agreement can offer, or that they are able to secure ongoing revenue streams for the community.
Broadband Planning helps by:
Auditing existing infrastructure and service performance
Negotiating clearer, more favorable contract terms
Providing ongoing revenue streams for the community
Improving provider accountability and responsiveness
Renegotiating or exiting outdated agreements
Advising on infrastructure decisions and broadband trends
Broadband Planning empowers boards to secure better broadband performance, simplify the management process, and unlock meaningful, ongoing value for their community. We help HOA boards and community associations navigate the complexities of broadband agreements, modernize infrastructure, and harness the collective buying power of communities. Our broadband contract negotiation expertise has secured millions of dollars annually in access fees and revenue shares for a growing number of homeowners associations across America. We work to ensure that communities are positioned to maximize revenue received from broadband providers while improving service and contract terms.
Ready to explore your broadband options? Contact Broadband Planning to learn more.