Connected for Success: The Power of Managed Wi-Fi

The new work-from-home paradigm is accelerating a years-long trend at multifamily communities: the demand for robust bandwidth, speed and connectivity. More than just another amenity, community-wide internet access is nearly a necessity. Seven out of 10 renters want such connectivity, according to the 2020 National Multifamily Housing Council and Kingsley Associates Apartment Resident Preferences Report.

A survey conducted by NMHC and Grace Hill found that an apartment with no internet connectivity is a non-starter for nine out of 10 respondents. Likewise, most renters said that they would avoid communities lacking the top-ranked amenity—reliable mobile phone service.

As important as internet connectivity is to successful leasing, it is also critical to resident satisfaction. Sixty-four percent of renters stream television shows and movies, significantly more than the 43 percent who subscribe to cable, NMHC and Kingsley found. A strong digital connection that ties residents to property managers has also become essential to resident satisfaction as managers adopt tools to process rent bills and payments, service requests and leases.

In this climate, one of the most efficient, cost-effective tools to meet residents’ rising expectations is a secure, managed network that delivers reliable Wi-Fi throughout the community. To learn more about trends in resident preferences and the potential benefits of managed networks, download this complementary white paper from MHN and DISH.