Before ordering home internet, establish the exact service address and who may arrange installation access to the apartment. Then compare the provider's offer with the period you expect to live there. Coverage, identity checks and equipment arrangements are tied to a specific address and order; a general city guide cannot confirm them for your flat.
Start with the address, not a package price
Write down the building, unit and contact details exactly as the landlord or property manager uses them. Ask the broadband provider whether it serves that unit and what information it needs to check availability. Ask the landlord or property manager whether an existing connection or shared building arrangement affects your order and who can give an installer access. These are practical checks, not a universal legal requirement to obtain a landlord's signature.
Check identity and account ownership
Shanghai's municipal guide to home Wi-Fi tells applicants to bring a passport when signing up. It names China Telecom, China Unicom and China Mobile as major providers and points to their online packages or service counters. This describes Shanghai's guidance; the chosen provider must confirm which identity documents, account name and application channel it currently accepts for your address. Decide whose name the service account will use and who can receive billing and service messages before an order is placed.
Ask what the offer includes
The Shanghai guide recommends looking at download and upload speeds, the actual monthly amount payable, and equipment that must be rented or bought. Ask the provider to show the contract duration, total first payment, recurring charge, equipment terms and what happens if you move or cancel. The guide says prices vary with speed and contract duration. It does not provide a current quote or guarantee that a particular building can be connected.
Arrange installation and preserve the record
Confirm the appointment through the provider's own service channel, the precise unit to be visited and whether someone must be present to allow access. Keep the order confirmation and the equipment handover details. If installation cannot proceed, ask whether the issue is service availability, missing identity information, access to the building or an existing account; each requires a different next step. Do not assume an installation date or cost until the provider confirms the particular order.
Moving later
For Shanghai, the municipal guide describes relocation requests through a provider's online service, hotline or outlet. It also notes that rented equipment should be maintained and returned when service ends. Check the current contract and address coverage before relying on a relocation option. Outside Shanghai, use the local operator's own instructions rather than treating Shanghai's process as national.