RE: New home builders without wires

["Colin Stanners \(lists\)" <Colin-lists () HighSpeedCrow ca>]

It's easy and relatively cost-effective to make a new home pretty
future-proof for connectivity by running conduit (of sufficient size,
without tight bends) from the telecom area to the outlet box(es) in each
room. For today run a coax and one or two cat6A; then whatever system
appears in the future can quickly replace those in the conduit. Considering
the importance of telecommunication/entertainment it's a surprise that very
few new homes seem to take that option, but I guess it's not "trendy"
enough.

For the below example, it seems like an extreme example of cost-cutting,
along with believing that "wireless is magic". When the real-world concerns
about coverage and capacity appears, and the residents have 5 smart TVs
competing to stream video on Wi-Fi along with game consoles downloading
100GB games (all of which should have been wired-in), is when they realize
the difficulties of not planning the network and layout.

By that time the builder will be long gone with the money...


-----Original Message-----
From: NANOG <nanog-bounces+colin-lists=highspeedcrow.ca () nanog org> On Behalf
Of Sean Donelan
Sent: December 3, 2024 10:53 AM
To: nanog () nanog org
Subject: New home builders without wires

As some may remember from earlier this year, my friend was buying a new
"semi-custom" home.  "Semi-custom" is a marketing term, meaning you get to
choose (pay more) pre-determined builder options. It is not custom designed.

The home builder was not installing any wired broadband utilities in the new
neighborhood.  No cable coax, no telephone DSL, no fiber optic. The only
option was wireless, with a special deal with a specific 5G wireless
cellular provider.

Originally, the builder's sales agent (i.e. the people working in the model
home selling houses) said new homes didn't need (and would not have) a wired
"demarc" location and no ethernet or coax outlets. Not my house, but I was
surprised when I heard that. I like wired connections when possible for any
fixed devices, and WiFi only for mobile devices.

I visited his new house over the Thanksgiving Holiday.

The sales agent was partially wrong and partially correct. Never believe the
sales agent spiel.

The built house came with exactly FOUR wired ethernet outlets in the living
room and each bedroom/office (x2 Cat6 jacks each outlet). But no wired
DEMARC, no coax outlets, and no wired broadband utilities in the neighhood.
The wired ethernet jacks were needed because the wireless 5G base station
ended up in an upstairs bedroom window for signal strength reasons. The
in-house wired ethernet was needed for a WiFi extender in the living room.

I wouldn't be happy, but it seems to work for his family. The 5G deal was
cheaper than what he was paying at his old house.

According to the real estate realtor, not the builder's sales agent,
broadband is now in the top three things home buyers want to know. Some
states require the realtor MLS to disclose broadband access in the home
listings. Broadband access disclosure not required in this state.