Landlord doesn't want to allow Sonic gigabit Internet. How can I convince them?

Internet access discussion, including Fusion, IP Broadband, and Gigabit Fiber!
15 posts Page 1 of 2
by Juliusz » Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:08 pm
Hi,

I live in the Mission in SF, renting an apartment on Shotwell St. I was really happy to receive the gigabit Internet offer in my mail. I asked my landlord if this was an option. I was told in the past, when I asked about the possibility of using MonkeyBrains, that the building was pre-wired for ATT and Comcast only. Unfortunately, this time too (after a over a month of nagging and waiting), I was told that I can't sign up for Sonic unless Sonic would use existing "data room and run into units on existing wiring."

I asked about the reason for this and the main arguments were:
* The building is renovated and putting wiring outside will spoil its looks. Would the wires/fiber be that visible? Do you have any example photos of installations?
* Drilling holes in the building would interfere with its waterproofing. This one is pretty weird. I doubt that Sonic makes thousands of SF houses leak. Is there any counter-argument to this?

The offer is expiring on July 1 as far as I know so I don't have much time, but I still want to make one more attempt of convincing my landlord if anyone can suggest extra arguments.

Thank you,
Juliusz
by dane » Wed Jun 28, 2017 3:49 pm
San Francisco recently passed an ordinance that requires landlords to let tenants choose the Internet carrier of their choice. And if that were not enough, tenants have a right to choose the telephone company they prefer, and certificated carriers such as Sonic have tools including eminent domain which allow us to connect our infrastructure to your unit.

So, all of that being said - you should simply order service online immediately. Our MDU team will work with you to coordinate with your landlord to assure they have all of the information required, including an on-site visit with our MDU installation team to walk through the process.
Dane Jasper
Sonic
by Juliusz » Wed Jun 28, 2017 6:16 pm
Wow, thank you! Do you know what the name is of that ordinance so that I can pass that reference to my landlord?
by rtrinh » Wed Jun 28, 2017 7:24 pm
Juliusz wrote:Wow, thank you! Do you know what the name is of that ordinance so that I can pass that reference to my landlord?
Here you go. https://sfgov.legistar.com/LegislationD ... F9DE32D9F4
by Juliusz » Thu Jun 29, 2017 8:34 pm
This is what I got from the property management company that my landlord uses:
Yes, I am familiar with the ordinance and would welcome the opportunity to defend why the ordinance and this situation have nothing to do with each other.
I don't know what to think anymore... What if I order Sonic but my landlord somehow manages to veto this? Will I have to pay for Sonic anyway?
by as an owner... » Thu Jun 29, 2017 10:53 pm
Just my opinion as a person who owns property.

I would always side with a solution that is to the satisfaction of both parties. Hopefully not one that is obtained by pushing legal right with an attitude.

I can understand that a owner has a building with a finished exterior and inconsiderate service providers can mar a building's appearance with shoddy work. Yes, a painted or stucco wall doesn't quite look the same after having a dozen or more holes drilled into it and then patched with white caulk. And yes, satellite service can be great, but the parabolic antennas were not part of the building exterior design plan and patching 4-6 3/8" bolt holes for each antenna makes a wall look terrible after a time. These holes can crack stucco, damage framing and allow leaks. And a building doesn't quite look the same after having a bunch of black and white cables spagettied around the walls and windows.

I also understand that getting the service you want is also important and has a cost and value to it and to your life experience. So I would hope you work together, landlord and tenant, understanding and hearing each side to come to an agreement. The first buildings I owned I had prewired with coax and twisted pair - the technology of the day. Now, if I renovate a place, I have to think coax, cat 6e for network and telephony and now probably conduit with pull strings. It's not free. Someone has to foot the bill to lay in infrastructure.
by dane » Sat Jul 01, 2017 12:42 pm
We've got a wonderful small team that works directly with building owners and management companies, and they meet with an installation supervisor on the site to assure that we've got a plan that is not going to damage the building or be unsightly. We use clear caulking for any building penetration, and the exterior cables are black, and we work to follow an existing cable path, and to hide the cables as much as possible. (I think existing customers here who have had service installed in their homes can testify to the quality of the work, do reply here and weigh in!)

So while clearly we need to complete the work to serve the tenant who has ordered service, we are not trying to do it in a way that would present any new issues for building owners. And while we do have a legal right to access the building to serve the tenant, it's not our desire to fight with building owners about that - it is about finding the best process to get the work done.

For the poster, the first step is to order service. You won't pay any monthly fees until it is installed and activated for you.
Dane Jasper
Sonic
by steelgaze » Sat Jul 01, 2017 7:48 pm
This is something worth following up on.

It sounds like the property owner is going to be refusing to work with any installers so I wonder how far down the legal procedures it will go.
by dane » Sat Jul 01, 2017 8:20 pm
steelgaze wrote:This is something worth following up on.

It sounds like the property owner is going to be refusing to work with any installers so I wonder how far down the legal procedures it will go.
We have completed installations in over 250 apartment buildings so far, and while some have been initially resistant, after they meet with the team and go over their concerns and we address them, we've had nearly universal success.

Building owners have had historically frustrating experiences with cable and satellite installers, so we certainly do understand their concerns. But we aren't there to make a mess or damage the building, all installers are our own employees, and they do a great job.

A number of building owners have decided after meeting with us to encourage all tenants to sign up for Sonic at once, so we can do a single building-wide install. Less hassle for the owner, and they can monitor a single process start to finish without having to repeatedly work with different Sonic installers over many months or years. Might be an idea to talk over with your building owner and other tenants.
Dane Jasper
Sonic
by pockyken007 » Sun Jul 02, 2017 3:54 am
I was in the same boat where my landlord didn't want SONIC to install fiber in the building due to " beauty " of the building concerns . Said that I spoke with Dane ( thank you for your help with that issue Dane ) and arranged for my landlord to meet with the install team . After half an hour and extremely polite conversation the installer had with my landlord best course of action was established and fiber was installed to my unit ( i also managed to convince 2 other tenants to get fiber as well and my landlord was cool with that ) . Sonic team was amazing at satisfying all parties involved - my landlord got the install she agreed too , I got my fiber and Sonic got two more customers on top of that ...

I guess what I am trying to say is that before you go all crazy legal action and start throwing law and ordinance around ( just cause something is the law doesn't mean you have to use right off the bat ) try arranging a meet and greet between your landlord and sonic reps , have your landlord feel like part of the solution rather than part of the problem and see where this goes .
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