Best Internet for Apartments

A growing number of young professionals, newlyweds, and small families with young children prefer to rent a unit in apartment complexes around the country. The availability of high-end amenities, proximity to schools and workplaces, and the convenience of maintenance coverage are all some of the perks that make renters opt for apartments instead of houses.  

The recent housing crisis in the country has led to a surge in the demand for affordable apartment construction. By 2030, the USA will need 4.6 million new apartments to accommodate house hunters. Generally, the rent includes water bills and the costs associated with sewerage and garbage collection. However, the renters must pay for utilities like; electricity, gas, and cable TV internet bills.

As the internet bill will roughly constitute about 10 percent of the living cost in your new apartment, you must pick a fast internet for an apartment offered by a reliable internet provider with affordable rates in your area.

Best Internet Providers for Apartments

At any given zip code in the USA, there are at least ten internet providers that offer varying internet speeds at varying prices. They are all competing for one thing, your subscription! So, now the onus of informed decision-making lies on your shoulder to select an internet provider that can deliver the internet speeds you require, at the monthly rates you desire.

According to the U.S. News, 2022 ISP Guide, AT&T, Verizon, Cox, Spectrum, and Xfinity are the top five internet service providers in the country.

In the table below, we have listed the top 10 internet providers for apartments in regard to their nationwide availability.

AT&T Internet for Apartments

AT&T is the nation’s number one internet service provider with wide-scale coverage that spans over 21 states of the USA. The company offers slow-speed DSL connections as well as ultrafast fiber internet service. Today, AT&T fiber internet plans are available in 17 million customer locations across its footprint, and in high-tech metro areas like New York City and Chicago, users can enjoy internet speeds up to 5 Gigs.

AT&T Fiber is available for multifamily properties like apartments and condos. The property owner/ manager can directly contact the service provider and nominate his complex for AT&T’s Connected Community program or, as a renter, you can call AT&T and request internet installation for just your unit.

There are several perks of choosing AT&T Internet for the apartment. The carrier promises multi-gigabit speeds with 99 percent reliability, and it has been ranked as the nation’s No. 1 residential internet service for its customer service excellence.

AT&T Plans for DSL Internet

AT&T offers the following plans for DSL internet plans for apartments. Please note that in some areas of the country, AT&T no longer offers its DSL service. Therefore, your apartment complex should have access to a fiber optic cable network to support AT&T Fiber internet service.

AT&T Fiber Internet Plans

Spectrum Internet for Apartments

Spectrum is a brand of Charter Communications, an American telecommunications company that was launched exclusively to provide internet and related services to residential customers. It has only been eight years since its founding, and already the company has expanded its footprint to 41 states in the USA. Spectrum has over 31 million customers who enjoy its superfast internet connections with maximum download speeds of up to 1000 Mbps (wireless speeds may vary).

Spectrum is an excellent choice of internet for apartments because the company uses a hybrid model for internet transmission over long distances, promising 99.99 percent consistency in internet speeds. Apart from this, family-friendly Spectrum bundle deals allow internet users to combine other services like cable TV, home phone lines, and Spectrum Mobile plans into their monthly internet plans.

Spectrum is also enrolled in the government-sponsored, Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP) so if you and your family meet the ACP eligibility criteria for low-income households, you can enjoy Spectrum’s free Internet with speeds up to 100 Mbps. There are three Spectrum Internet plans for apartments, available in 41 states. The high-speed internet plans are shown in the table below:

Recently, Spectrum rolled out its Spectrum One deal for all first-time internet subscribers. The deal includes one free connection to Spectrum Mobile™ service with unlimited data, calls, and texts for the promo period of 12 months. You will also benefit from all the privileges of the Spectrum Advance Home WiFi offer for a small fee of just $5 per month.

When it comes to choose the best internet for the apartment, Spectrum will also be the name that comes on the top of the list of internet service providers that are available in your area then you should consider yourself very lucky because it is one of the most affordable, superfast, and perks-inclusive internet carriers in the country.

Want to know the best part? You don’t just get absolute connectivity in your apartment, you get it outside too, for free. Spectrum Internet subscribers get free access to more than 530,000 out-of-home, Spectrum WiFi hotspots throughout the country, ensuring that you are connected wherever you go.

Cheapest Internet for Apartments

As we discussed earlier, internet bills alone can make up around 10 percent of your monthly living costs in an apartment. In case your family is living from paycheck to paycheck, our best advice would be to apply for the Spectrum ACP program and get free internet for apartments. Let’s say that you don’t meet the eligibility criteria for ACP or worse, Spectrum Internet service is not available in your area. Under such circumstances, we would recommend scouting for T-Mobile Home or Verizon internet service as both of these carriers offer the cheapest internet for apartments.

T-Mobile’s wireless service for homes starts at $30 per month and you can get download speeds up to 182 Mbps. In comparison, Verizon’s 200 Mbps internet plan is available for just $39.99 per month.

Things to Consider Before Setting Up Internet for Apartment

We know you just went through the long and tedious process of apartment hunting and have barely had time to breathe with all the moving mayhem. We feel your pain because we have been there. That’s why we offer our well-researched guide to help you settle into your cozy new home without any hassle.

These are some points you must consider before shortlisting the best internet providers for apartments.

Does Your Apartment Come with the Internet?

It is rare but not impossible for the leasing office to tell you that your apartment rental includes a Wi-Fi service. If you hear a statement like that, first, you must read the entire leasing contract and make certain that this clause is under the list of provisions. Upon confirmation, it will be a good idea to ask for the details, such as the internet provider’s name, the maximum download speed, and any hidden costs you might be liable for. You can also run a quick speed test to ascertain the internet speed in your apartment.

The internet service provided by the apartment complex is too slow and disruptive. Using a single service provider for an entire apartment block can cause network crowding or Wi-Fi channel overlap, resulting in reduced internet speeds. It is the same as when you are at the Mc. Donald’s and have to wait in a queue behind 50 people to place your order. More people equals slower speeds and longer waiting periods.

A way around it is to inquire if you can install your internet service at the apartment. If that’s the case, then you can shop around for internet providers that offer coverage in your area and are willing to set up the connection for you.

Another thing that you must be mindful of is that many times, the staff or manager at the leasing office will hype about one particular internet carrier that promises the best service in the region. It could be because the provider offering internet for the apartment works in partnership with the apartment’s landlord or management with a monopoly in that area. The apartment complex might be receiving a commission for every subscription. It may not work in your favor, especially if the service is far from what was promised or advertised. So, the best solution is to ask for competitors, call them, and decide if the internet speeds in the apartment and their prices meet your expectations.

What Type of Internet Do You Need For an Apartment?

The choice of your internet provider for apartments will depend on the type of internet you need for your apartment. In relation, your internet usage will determine the type of broadband service. For example, the collective internet usage for your apartment ranges between basic to moderate use. Your household connects five devices, including the two that are exclusive for streaming services, to the network, and all in all, you find that an internet speed of 50 Mbps to 100 Mbps is sufficient for your apartment. In such a case, cable or DSL internet service will be best for your family.

However, when it comes to the need for internet for the apartments, if you belong to one of those tech-savvy families that heavily rely on smart home devices, or your career depends on a high-speed internet connection, as in the case of a professional gamer or digital entrepreneur, then you need fiber internet service with gigabit speeds. Fiber internet is average 30 times faster than cable and DSL internet. It is the best choice of internet for apartment renters looking for maximum download speeds up to 940 Mbps or more.

Those who want to avoid entanglement with wired services can check out fixed wireless connections (internet carriers offering 5G for apartments). Depending on your carrier’s network coverage and capability, the internet speeds for 5G Home services will range between 100 Mbps to 1000 Mbps.

It seems farfetched that you will live in an apartment without internet connectivity. Most apartment complexes are built around town and city centers with convenient access to nearby shopping plazas, hospitals, office spaces, etc. However, if you are in an area where fiber or cable internet for apartments isn’t available, then your best bet is to sign up for a satellite internet provider. You can install a satellite dish on your balcony and use a transceiver and modem to get decent internet for your apartment. Viasat and HughesNet are the two satellite internet providers in the country that have nationwide coverage.

You will never have to worry about limited internet coverage in your apartment. Still, the slow internet speeds, data caps, and high monthly bills discourage many users from subscribing to satellite internet.

Does Your Service Provider Offer Service in Your Area?

Staying loyal to your old service provider will not serve you any good if they don’t offer internet coverage in your area. You can check availability for your preferred internet carrier by simply entering your zip code in the search bar below or calling BestCableTV at 877-395-5851 to check which service providers offer fast internet for apartments.

Once you have a list of the service providers offering internet for apartments in your area, you can select the best one depending on your internet usage and monthly budget.

How Long Will You Stay in Your Apartment?

Your lease term will likely have an impact on the choice of internet for the apartment. If you plan on staying in your apartment for a few months, you must look for a no-contract internet provider because early termination of service could result in hefty fines. Some providers can charge up to $500 for canceling the service before the contract expiration date.

However, if you plan to stick around for a year or more, you can sign contracts with local service providers to provide fast and smooth internet for the apartments to avail yourself of exciting bonus deals and free giveaways.  

Conclusion

Moving to a new place for better job prospects and improved quality of life is a beautiful blend of emotions. You are scared about the challenges at the new place, excited about the opportunities that await you and at the same time, feel sorrowful about the home and loved ones that you’ve left behind. Dealing with these crippling emotions can seem like a whirlwind especially if you are now tasked with searching for the perfect internet for an apartment in your new locality.

We hope that with our guide on how to select the best internet for apartments, you will feel somewhat at ease and feel more confident about taking an informed decision.

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