its not all done on a computer, at apartment buildings there's a big ass case full of jumpers on the side of the building that connect people's internet and whatnot, the company you're getting internet through has to send a guy to get into the box and unblock the jump to your apartment.
That's usually why there's a wait because they basically set you up as an appointment to send their guy there on that day. Mean while you don't know this is happening, you just know the internet gets turned on.