RENT Magazine Q1 '22

#1 SPEED

Whether it’s work video conferences, couch- shopping for clothes, or taking down an army of mutant robots, today's tenants want (and need) fast internet for just about everything. As pandemic trends like remote work and heavier TV streaming persist, residents' hunger for bandwidth shows no signs of waning. The fix? An internet service that is ultra-fast. Of all the options available, fiber stands out by providing super-fast speeds. Faster data transfers mean speedier internet. Fiber

providers routinely offer "gigabit" speeds which work out to 940 Mbps. (Mbps stands for "megabits per second"—or 1 million bits of data per second.) This kind of speed allows for fast page loads, reduced lag time for online gaming, and less buffering or glitching when streaming video or teleconferencing. Plus, fiber's high speeds can handle the explosion of smart home and Internet of Things (IoT) device use, keeping multiple "things" connected and running simultaneously.

#2 RELIABILITY

No matter what you use it for, unreliable internet can be limiting, frustrating, and at times, even costly. Property owners know they can't risk service interruptions for their business-side operations or their residents' connectivity. Fiber offers greater reliability due in large part to the technology of the fiber-optic lines themselves. Since they use light pulses and optics instead of metal wiring and electric current, fiber internet can be more durable and resilient than traditional internet connections.

Fiber also tends to be more resistant to outside factors like extreme weather, electromagnetic interference, or even corrosion—all of which might cause outages. A reliable internet connection is now a "must" for multifamily residents, especially with recent sharp upturns in working from home, online shopping, and streaming entertainment content. People don't just want internet service, they want it to work when they need it, and these days, that's all the time.

#3 SYMMETRICAL UPLOADS

Another fiber advantage is upload speed. While many internet services promise fast downloads, fiber technology can deliver what's known as fast symmetrical speeds. That means uploads move at the same speed as downloads. Older, traditional technologies like cable or DSL internet often have "asymmetrical" speeds since they prioritize download traffic over uploads.

Today's current surge in upstream internet traffic (much of it rooted in remote work or learning) has revealed a greater need for sharing large files, creating content, video chatting, or even telemedicine appointments. Bottom line: residents will continue to require fast uploads and having symmetrical fiber internet is a plus for any multifamily community.

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