Residents of homeowners associations, condominiums, and apartments save more than 50% on broadband relative to comparable retail plans under bulk billing arrangements that allow property owners to negotiate competitive deals on behalf of every unit, according to the most comprehensive empirical analysis of bulk broadband to date, released today by the Bulk Broadband Alliance.
The study, Understanding Bulk Billing Arrangements, was conducted by Cartesian, a telecommunications consulting firm, and was filed today with the Federal Communications Commission as part of the 2026 Communications Marketplace Report proceeding (GN Docket No. 26-78). Because bulk arrangements are negotiated privately between ISPs and property owners, their consumer benefits — though experienced firsthand by millions of MDU residents — haven’t previously been quantified at scale. The study now provides that empirical record.
The study found:
- Bulk broadband prices are more than 50% lower than retail prices for comparable service.
- Without bulk, consumers would collectively pay an estimated $5.6 billion more each year for retail broadband — a conservative estimate.
- MDUs can attract an average of 5.7 facilities-based wireline internet providers to compete for a bulk arrangement, compared to 2.2 typically available for retail service in the same areas — more than double the competitive set.
- Approximately 9.9 million U.S. households live in properties with bulk arrangements — roughly 7% of U.S. housing.
Bulk billing lets MDUs negotiate broadband as a single buyer for the whole property: aggregating demand draws a wider field of competing providers, reduces per-unit costs for providers, and translates that buyer-side scale into resident savings.
The study also documents the role bulk arrangements play in closing the digital divide. Bulk arrangements benefit lower-income residents, seniors, and students in particular — communities that face significant barriers to obtaining affordable internet service through the retail market — and government and nonprofit programs have used bulk arrangements to deliver internet service at no extra charge in affordable housing. For many vulnerable communities, bulk offers a practical path to high-speed internet at home.
Bulk billing arrangements allow the owners or operators of multi-dwelling units (MDUs) to contract directly with service providers on behalf of every unit in the property. Residents pay for the service through their HOA dues, condominium fees, or rent — the same way they pay for other shared community services and amenities. The practice has served MDU residents for more than 50 years — beginning with cable television and expanding to broadband. The study also finds savings through bulk billing are even greater when internet and video services are bundled.
MDUs include apartments, condominiums, homeowners associations, senior and student housing, and other multi-tenant properties.
The Commission has long recognized the consumer benefits of bulk arrangements, which have remained free of federal regulation through every Commission review.
In January 2025, FCC Chairman Brendan Carr ended consideration of a proposal to regulate bulk billing, stating the proposal could have raised the price of internet service for Americans living in apartments by as much as 50 percent. The Commission’s FY 2025 Agency Financial Report similarly states that bulk-billing programs allow families living in apartments to access lower-cost internet services. The decision continued a pattern under both Democratic and Republican administrations: across Commission reviews in 2010, 2017, and again in 2025, bulk arrangements have remained unregulated.
“Until now, the pricing and competitive dynamics of bulk broadband haven’t been measured at scale,” said Theresa Myers, Principal, Strategy & Analytics, at Cartesian. “Our analysis of more than 1,000 active bulk contracts found bulk prices more than 50% below comparable retail, and that MDUs soliciting bulk bids can attract roughly 5.7 facilities-based wireline providers — more than double the 2.2 typically available for retail service. Three forces drive these results: more competition, reduced provider costs, and stronger purchasing power.”
“Broadband bulk billing is one of the clearest examples of technology and scale working to the benefit of residents,” said Kevin Donnelly, Executive Director and Chief Advocacy Officer at the Real Estate Technology & Transformation Center (RETTC). “By aggregating demand, housing providers are able to negotiate lower costs, drive infrastructure investment, expand access, and deliver high-quality connectivity at a price point many residents could not secure on their own. Just as importantly, these arrangements create the foundation for the modern connected apartment community, supporting everything from smart home technologies to resident services and future-ready housing. The Cartesian study reinforces what residents and housing providers have seen for years: bulk broadband delivers meaningful value, affordability, and access.”
“We’re grateful that the FCC set the record straight last year that bulk billing is a win-win for providers and residents with increased investment, better services, and lower costs. By ensuring participation across an entire property, including apartments, condominiums, homeowners associations, and buildings that might go unserved, these agreements create the economic certainty needed to deploy fiber and deliver gigabit-level speeds,” said Brian Hurley, Senior Vice President of Legal and Regulatory Affairs at America’s Communications Association. “Reflecting these findings in the 2026 Marketplace Report is a natural extension of the Commission’s long-standing regulatory approach to bulk billing — one that empirical data and real-world evidence from our members fully supports.”
The Bulk Broadband Alliance respectfully asks the Commission to incorporate these consumer benefits into its 2026 Marketplace Report, and looks forward to continuing to work with federal and state policymakers on behalf of the millions of MDU residents bulk arrangements serve.
About the Study
Understanding Bulk Billing Arrangements is the most comprehensive empirical analysis of bulk billing arrangements to date. Conducted by Cartesian, the study draws on pricing data from more than 1,000 active bulk broadband contracts and on the FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (June 30, 2025). The full study is available at https://protectbulkbroadband.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/260521_Understanding_Bulk_Billing_Arranagments_FINAL_-1.pdf.
About the Bulk Broadband Alliance
The Bulk Broadband Alliance is a coalition dedicated to educating the public and policymakers about the benefits of bulk billing and the harms regulation would have on the millions of homeowners and renters who rely on these arrangements for broadband and video services. Its members include America’s Communications Association (ACA Connects), the Community Associations Institute, EducationSuperHighway, the National Apartment Association, and the National Multifamily Housing Council. For more information, see https://protectbulkbroadband.com/.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260521091637/en/
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