Xfinity Communities, which is part of Comcast, has unveiled a new offering called WiFi Ready, in which Comcast preinstalls wireless modems in multifamily units.
The company said that new residents can now purchase and activate their Internet service upon move-in for immediate Wi-Fi access. WiFi Ready, which has been trialed at properties across the U.S., removes a major pain point of scheduling and waiting for a service appointment for residents and property managers, Xfinity added.
WiFi Ready is now widely available to building owners and developers across the Comcast footprint, the cable company said.
Although the modem is pre-installed, residents who prefer to use their own modem can still do so by plugging it into any coax outlet in their unit, Comcast noted. When a resident moves out, they only call to transfer their service to a new residence.
“Our trials of WiFi Ready have yielded some exceptional results,” said Adrian Adriano, VP of strategic initiatives at Xfinity Communities. “With the prevalence of W-iFi and its popularity among multifamily residents, it only makes sense to provide the simplest possible onboarding process. We’ve received some great feedback that WiFi Ready does just that. By getting residents online almost immediately, multifamily owners and managers successfully start the resident relationship on a positive note, especially in an era when tech amenities are more important than ever.”
Internet connectivity is a highly valued amenity among residents, with more than 74% of multifamily housing residents surveyed citing pre-installed Wi-Fi solutions as an important amenity, according to the 2020 NMHC/Kingsley Associates Apartment Resident Preferences Report. Properties with WiFi Ready stand out from the competition by eliminating wait times to establish a connection and enabling near-instant access to entertainment solutions from streaming music and video to online gaming, the company said.
“WiFi Ready offers smarter living for better communities. Comcast’s 2019 report, ‘The State of Smart Technology in the Multifamily Housing Industry,’ found that WiFi is one of the tech amenities that brings residents the most joy,” Adriano added. “But it also extends beyond a positive resident experience. It simplifies the job of the property manager as there is no need to coordinate technician appointments with residents moving in or out. Comcast resets the gateway so it is ready for the next individual or family. Property managers don’t need to worry about the return of any equipment. Ultimately, we’re giving residents what they want and making building owners’ and managers’ lives easier.”