Florida-based Hotwire officially enters Houston's bulk internet service market
Another Florida-based bulk internet service provider is officially hard launching its entrance into Houston.
Hotwire Communications, based in Fort Lauderdale, has been “quietly” ramping up locally for about two years — and it’s now ready to make its formal introduction into the broader Houston market.
The company has been growing quickly in the region, hiring over 130 employees in Texas and recently tripling its warehouse space, which spans 24,000 square feet in Houston's Fallbrook Pines Business Park.
Fiber internet and its added infrastructure into homes and apartments is not exactly groundbreaking technology in Houston, with options like AT&T Fiber, Tachus Fiber, Blue Stream and Ezee Fiber already in the market. However, “white glove” treatment for clients is new for the market, said David Ramos, Hotwire's president of enterprise and Fision X, and it’s a big part of Hotwire’s client philosophy.
“Our customers are so happy,” Ramos told the Houston Business Journal. “And the folks that we serve are asking us to expand into new markets for them and new projects, so we’re ready to tell the rest of Houston that we’re here.”
Like Florida-based Blue Stream, Hotwire works with luxury apartment complexes, hospitality developments, student housing, homeowner associations and condo owner associations to provide a community-wide bulk contract that lets residents pay a fraction of the cost.
The model has been primarily used in other states, like Arizona and Florida, to service seasonal homes. The model has seen success in recent years in new markets as the internet evolves into a nearly ubiquitous utility.
The main difference between the competition and Hotwire is its commitment to the client, Ramos said.
Hotwire uses its own infrastructure, not that of a third party, to install the optic fiber into thousands of residences. It also hires its own technicians and customer service departments so that customers will not have to deal with contractors or overseas customer service representatives. The company uses technology pioneered in other industries like ridesharing apps to share with clients the estimated time of arrival of technicians and troubleshoot issues.
“We are full-blown white-gloved to the max. There is no one that understands the customer experience better than us,” Ramos said. “Our net promoter score is the highest in the industry because people love doing business and love interfacing with Hotwire employees.”
Hotwire recently has had success with partnering with master-planned communities, going as far as having a dedicated account manager for client-facing duties for five to six days a week in the property. The company also recently worked with the University of Houston on a student health project that's using Hotwire's video services.
The company's Texas leaders include Chris Smiley, vice president of construction; Jason McLean, senior director of business development; and Jerry Ramirez, manager of community onboarding. Hotwire’s executive vice president of financial operations, Meagan King, also lives in the area.
The 23-year-old company does not disclose exact client figures, but Ramos said that it expects its Texas business to grow as large as its Florida market in less than 24 months. The company told HBJ that it recently launched over 20 submarkets across the country, one of them in Nashville, Tennessee.