Comcast's (NASDAQ:CMCSA) Xfinity Communities has unveiled WiFi Ready, an offering where Comcast pre-installs wireless modems in multifamily units. New residents can now purchase and activate their Internet service upon move-in for immediate WiFi access.
WiFi Ready, which has been trialed at properties from coast to coast, is intended to remove a major pain point of scheduling and waiting for a service appointment for residents and property managers. In addition to WiFi access, residents with a video package may be able to immediately access live and on demand content via the Xfinity Stream app, depending on the package they purchase. WiFi Ready is now widely available to building owners and developers across the Comcast footprint.
WiFi Ready is designed to provide up to 1 Gbps wireless connectivity that enables access to other Comcast offerings. 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 the unit. When a resident moves out, the disconnect process is the reverse of sign-up: customers call to transfer their service to a new residence, and Xfinity Communities handles everything else. The unit is ready for the next resident to begin the process.
"Our trials of WiFi Ready have yielded some exceptional results," said Adrian Adriano, VP of strategic initiatives at Xfinity Communities. "With the prevalence of WiFi 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."