Hotwire Communications — Condo/HOA Bulk-Billed Fiber + What to Know if Your Building Has Hotwire
Hotwire Communications — Fort Lauderdale FL based, founded 2000 — specializes in multi-dwelling unit (MDU) fiber serving condos, HOAs, and apartment complexes. They install fiber to the building, then bulk-bill the HOA or property management. Your individual rate is buried in your HOA dues — you usually can't switch even if you wanted to. The honest framing: Hotwire delivers solid symmetric fiber, but the bulk-billing structure means you have less consumer choice. Worth understanding before you buy a Hotwire-serviced condo.
The short version
- Who: Hotwire Communications — MDU fiber operator, Grain Management backed.
- Footprint: FL primarily (Miami, Boca Raton, Orlando, Tampa, Naples), plus expanding into NY, PA, NJ, CT, NC, GA.
- Tech: Symmetric fiber to the building, then either fiber-to-the-unit or Cat6 to the unit.
- Billing: Usually bulk-billed via HOA. Some buildings have individual billing as an option.
- Recommendation: 🟡 YELLOW — depends on what your HOA's bulk contract gives you. Could be great. Could be a lock-in.
How Hotwire's MDU model actually works
Hotwire signs a bulk-service contract with the HOA or property owner. The contract typically includes:
- Fiber install to every unit
- A "bulk speed" tier — usually 250 Mbps or 1 Gbps depending on the contract
- Set-top boxes if the building bundles TV
- 10-15 year exclusivity (the controversial part)
The HOA pays Hotwire a per-unit monthly fee. That fee is then folded into HOA dues. Individual residents typically cannot choose a different ISP for the duration of the bulk contract — the building is wired for Hotwire only.
Hotwire individual upgrade pricing (when available)
If you want speeds beyond what your HOA bulk tier includes, Hotwire offers individual upgrades. Verified at hotwirecommunications.com May 2026.
| Tier | Speed | Upgrade monthly (over bulk) |
|---|---|---|
| Bulk (HOA-included) | 250-1,000 Mbps | Already in HOA dues |
| Individual upgrade | 1 Gig symmetric | +$30-50/mo |
| Power tier | 2-5 Gig symmetric | +$60-90/mo |
Compared to non-MDU alternatives
If you live in a Hotwire-only building, the comparison is moot — you're stuck. But if you're shopping a condo and one option has Hotwire while another has open ISP choice, here's what you're trading off:
| Scenario | Cost | Choice | Speed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hotwire bulk MDU | $30-80 buried in HOA | None (10-15 yr lock) | 250 Mbps - 1 Gbps |
| Individual ISP choice (Xfinity / AT&T Fiber) | $60-115/mo | Switch anytime | 1 Gbps |
| Building open to all ISPs | Best price = $50-80/mo | Full | Up to 10 Gbps |
Rick's installer take
Hotwire's network is technically fine — symmetric fiber, low latency, decent uptime. The honest issue is the consumer-choice lock. If you're buying a Hotwire-only condo, factor in that you have zero ISP leverage for the bulk contract's duration. If you're already in one, the speeds are usually adequate. Just don't expect to "shop around" the way you would in a single-family home.
The bulk-contract model has been controversial — the FCC opened multiple investigations into MDU exclusivity 2022-2025. Some restrictions on long-exclusivity contracts have been tightened. Worth asking your HOA when their Hotwire contract was signed and when it expires.
How to check if your building has Hotwire
- Check your HOA documents — bulk service agreement section.
- Or visit hotwirecommunications.com/find-availability and enter your address.
- Cross-reference with our Coverage Grid.