| 25th March 2004 -The Greenfield, or
Master Planned Community (MPC) market, while currently
relatively untapped, offers significant opportunity
for broadband services and is a growing area of
interest for service providers and developers alike,
reports In-Stat/MDR. The high-tech market research
firm finds that, while considered to be of limited
growth potential, given its small size in comparison
to the total US residential broadband market, this
market is at the forefront for new technology adoption,
presenting unique opportunities to showcase advanced
solutions, introduce new services, and achieve revenue
per user that is not possible in the general residential
market. |
 |
Homebuyers are increasingly looking for technology
as a factor in their purchase decision, and developers
are increasingly using technology as an amenity to attract
these homebuyers. As consumers have become more attuned
to, and demanding of, in-home connectivity, residential
developers and builders have begun to focus on introducing
the necessary infrastructure to enable broadband services
in their MPC. In many Greenfield developments not only
is broadband connectivity available, but it is a cornerstone
of the community.
In-Stat/MDR has also found that:
- While some MPC residents continue to be billed for
broadband services according to the traditional model
of direct subscriber billing, some communities are
experimenting with a new approach. In some MPCs all
or a portion of the broadband services may be bundled
into the HOA fee. This model ensures the provider
high penetration rates for at least a portion of their
service offerings.
- The connected community market is expected to grow
from 236.6 thousand homes in 2003 to over 1 million
homes in 2008. The majority of these homes will be
in Greenfield, or new, communities.
- Texas is a particularly large market and is largely
being served by CLECs. Providers, such as Eagle Broadband,
En-Touch and Central Texas Technologies, have established
a vast MPC footprint in Texas. Arizona is another
very active MPC state, with a significant Greenfield
residential market.
- Increasingly Wireless LAN products are being used
in the residential environment as a simple home networking
solution.
This Market Alert is drawn from the In-Stat/MDR report,
"Community
Outreach: Broadband in US Master Planned Communities",
which examines the market for broadband service delivery
to MPCs in the United States.
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