Bulk Internet ROI Calculator

Bulk internet is one of the highest-ROI amenity plays in multifamily.

Unit count

Bulk cost per unit / mo

Rent uplift per unit / mo

CapEx setup cost

Monthly profit

$4,800

Payback months

37.5

Annual profit

$57,600

How the math works

Monthly profit = (uplift − bulk cost) × units. Payback = capex ÷ monthly profit.

240 units × ($45 − $25) = $4,800/mo profit. $180k capex ÷ $4,800 = 37.5 months payback.

How to Use

Enter unit count.
Enter bulk internet cost per unit per month.
Enter rent uplift per unit.
Enter CapEx setup cost.
Read monthly ROI and payback.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why bulk internet?

Single-subscriber residential internet runs $60-100/mo retail. Bulk contracts with Comcast Business, Verizon MDU, AT&T Fiber, or emerging CLECs run $15-35/unit/month for 500 Mbps-1 Gbps baseline — 60-75% savings. Pass part of the savings to residents as free/included Wi-Fi (value worth $40-80/mo), lift rents $25-60/mo, keep the difference. ROI often exceeds 200% annually on well-structured deals.

Typical bulk deal structure?

5-10 year agreement. Provider installs MDU-grade infrastructure (fiber backbone, unit drops, patch panels) at their cost. Landlord pays either per-unit monthly fee or revenue-share on add-on services (upgraded tiers, TV, smart home). Minimum term required for provider to amortize infrastructure. Revenue-share variants pay 30-50% to landlord on upsells. Negotiate SLA: uptime >99.5%, support response <4 hours, speed tier minimums.

Resident experience?

Most bulk contracts allow residents to upgrade to higher tiers at personal expense — they pay the delta. Wi-Fi is usually delivered via landlord-managed network (Nomadix, Eero Pro, Ubiquiti) or provider equipment. Quality is critical: a bad bulk Wi-Fi rollout generates turnover faster than no Wi-Fi at all. Invest in enterprise-grade hardware; don't use consumer equipment.

Is there regulatory risk?

FCC and DOJ have flagged exclusive-access 'bulk billing' as anti-competitive in some circumstances. 2024 rules allow bulk billing but restrict exclusive wiring agreements after year 7. Always allow residents to opt into individual service and keep dual infrastructure (bulk + optional individual) to mitigate regulatory exposure. Institutional owners layer legal review before signing multi-decade agreements.