Work Or Home? With The Right Internet Services, Your Apartment Can Be Both

The way people work is constantly evolving. What began as a strict, 9-to-5 occupation where workers commute to and from an office has transformed into a job market where remote work and flexible schedules have entered the realm of possibility.

Flexible working arrangements have become increasingly important for today’s modern workforce. Today, 63% of companies have remote employees, Upwork reported. More than 59% of hiring managers use freelance or contract workers, and the number of those workers is expected to increase by 168% over the next decade. 

This spike in remote and freelance workers allows employees the freedom to work from home. But to ensure they are working effectively, they need to have access to internet services fast enough to handle their workload. Unfortunately, a lack of access to fast and affordable internet has become a widespread, institutional problem, and dealing with unreliable WiFi signals is the new normal.

People who work from home need better internet options.

Many of today's cable companies provide service with unreliable speeds for home workers, and the plans that offer more reliable speeds are often less affordable. Tenants and consumers need an option that is both reliable and cost-effective. 

A recent survey found that, when it comes to internet services, price and speed are the most important factors for tenants. Among survey participants, 44% listed price as the most important component, while 24% said speed was the No. 1 factor.

There is progress being made on this front. Major steps are being taken to improve internet quality for today’s working tenants. In 2016, a federal appeals court upheld the Federal Communications Commission's decision to classify internet as a utility, treating it with the same level of importance as water, heat and air. 

“[The internet] has transformed nearly every aspect of our lives, from profound actions like choosing a leader, building a career, and falling in love to more quotidian ones like hailing a cab and watching a movie,” judges David Tatel and Sri Srinivasan wrote in the opinion.

Despite the central role of the internet, some property owners have yet to embrace change. Many operate under the belief that it is not their responsibility to provide fast internet options for tenants, or that a single option is sufficient. But this can have significant consequences. Properties risk losing current tenants who are unsatisfied with their options, and many prospective tenants won’t consider a property unless the quality of internet meets their needs.

But a number of property managers have begun to recognize the importance of fast, affordable internet, and they are upgrading their properties to remain competitive. Owners and building managers are turning to service options that provide fast, reliable and inexpensive internet for tenants.

In the Greater Boston area, landlords have started working with Starry Internet, a “new breed” of internet provider that is attempting to develop an internet service better suited for modern properties. Starry provides fiber-fast internet without complicated plans or bundles, combining a focus on customer service and an affordable $50/month plan for tenants. The company also offers a free, nondisruptive installation process. 

At 29 Concord Ave. in Cambridge, an older condo building that struggled to provide its residents with up-to-date internet options, the Starry team worked with property managers to provide a broadband option that was both fast and affordable. In seven weeks, the Starry team implemented internet service throughout the building. The Starry installation team also worked with the property management team to build awareness around the updated system, hosting receptions and information sessions in the building lobby to inform residents about these services.

The Starry development team also integrated high-speed internet throughout the Beverly, a newly constructed multifamily building targeting young, tech-savvy professionals. The property showcases the availability of the new internet option inside the leasing office, and tenants responded immediately. Of the building’s occupants, 28% immediately subscribed to the internet service.

As remote workers continue to drive the modern workforce, they require strong internet 24 hours a day. Flexible working hours, especially for people who work on behalf of clients, or on a contractual basis, have come to define the way people work. Many remote employees also work for global companies, where colleagues and clients are often located on a different continent or in a different time zone. 

These workers are used to operating based on other people's schedules, and may need to take a Skype call or video chat at odd hours of the day, like 6 a.m. or 11 p.m. Having access to fast and reliable internet services during off-peak hours, and being able to contact a responsive internet support team to troubleshoot problems, is becoming increasingly important. 

For employees who work from home, their jobs depend on it. 

This feature was produced in collaboration between Bisnow Branded Content and Starry Internet Services. Bisnow news staff was not involved in the production of this content.