Viewpoints

The realities of MDU retrofits will be fully unpacked at Broadband Communities Summit 2026, with a panel highlighting bumps along the road and other lessons from the field.

Broadband rollouts across multi-dwelling units (MDUs) often promise seamless multi-gigabit speeds and effortless managed Wi-Fi. But when contractors hit the ground, legacy wiring, structural surprises, and cross-vendor miscommunications can quickly derail pro formas and delay completion schedules.

Addressing these unexpected frictions head-on, the upcoming Broadband Communities Summit—which brings together community leaders, property owners, network builders, and telco providers—will host a dedicated panel on field retrofits and project execution.

Titled “Operational Lessons from the Field: What We Didn’t Anticipate,” the session takes place on August 27 at 2:20 PM as part of the summit’s Day Two Multifamily Track, sponsored by DIRECTV.

Unpacking the realities of MDU retrofits

The panel moves past marketing promises to explore practical solutions for common implementation bottlenecks. Industry experts will tackle coordination gaps between onsite management and third-party installers, cost creep during complex retrofits, and tactical strategies to protect net operating income (NOI) without disrupting residents.

Moderated by Scott McGee, founder of Connext Strategies and a 20-year telecom advisory veteran, the discussion brings together a diverse cross-section of industry perspectives:

  • Joshua Delzell, Director of Ancillary Services at Venterra Realty, representing property ownership across a 27,000+ unit portfolio

  • Jeff McElhiney, Managed Wi-Fi Consultant at managedwifi, offering technical network deployment and infrastructure insights

  • Christopher Merrell, Founder & President of Communications Consulting Group, sharing long-term contract negotiation and risk strategies

  • Dean Wolfe, Vice President of Technology & Vendor Relations at Choice Property Resources, detailing vendor alignment and operational execution

Attendees can expect actionable guidance on what to question during project scoping, how to build realistic implementation timelines, and what to adjust when managing future connectivity retrofits.

Join industry leaders in Houston to gain the field-tested strategies needed to execute flawless, cost-effective retrofits across your portfolio.

Register for Broadband Communities Summit 2026 today to reserve your conference pass and attend this essential session.

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