Internet is considered as an essential resource. Both apartments and houses will need an internet connection to communicate with the realty company, and to perform other functions. In the case of communications, any documents that need to be sent to the tenant will be done via email. This means that you as the tenant will need an internet connection to receive such emails. For apartments, the building will have its own internet connection, but the tenant may still have to cover their own connection. Houses will require a location internet service. This is even if the tenant was to use their cellular phone as a modem, they will still require an internet connection tied to the unit.
The reason for this is safety and security. The internet is required for the snow melt system. This will benefit you as the tenant. If the system detects there will be snow, the snow melt system will raise the ground temperature to 54°F (12°C). This will melt the snow and ice without the need for you to shovel anything. If you are renting the entire building, you are legally responsible for keeping the sidewalks free of snow and ice. If you are living in an apartment, then someone would have to resolve the sidewalk without functioning. This is why the building itself will have an internet connection. Without the system to be able to get temperature and weather conditions, there is no way to operate the snow melt system.
Next is for the RFID lock system. If you lose your key card, and need a replacement, the first thing that would happen is your lost card will be deactivated. In order for the house to know about this change of key cards, it needs an internet connection so the changes can be pushed to the locking system. This will also allow the system to receive updates from your settings so if you wished to add a limited person to access your home, this information can be sent to the centralized server. Again, if key cards get lost, the system needs to update itself.
Last is for the intercom system. When someone presses the button for your residence, the system will send a SIP based call to your registered telephone number. Since it is SIP, it requires the internet to make the phone call, and connect the caller to you. While a doorbell might make more sense on the surface for houses, the idea is best to think of if you’re not home. If you’re not home, and someone rings your doorbell, the cellular phone will ring. You can choose to answer the call, and therefore the visitor, or send the visitor to voicemail. This also requires an internet connection. However, since all of these requirements are lower bandwidth, the minimum connection is all that is needed. If you are low income, you can possibly qualify for Xfinity’s Internet Essentials program which is $15/month for a 75MBPS connection.