Moving office comes with a long list of decisions. Location, layout, rent and transport links often take priority, while the internet connection becomes something to arrange closer to moving day.
But finding out what connectivity is available at a prospective office takes time. A postcode search is a useful starting point, although it won’t always tell you whether a service can reach your particular suite, what installation involves or when it could be ready.
For businesses planning an office move in Birmingham, researching connectivity early can help avoid unexpected costs, delays and a difficult first few weeks in the new premises.
What’s available at the office you’re considering?
It’s easy to assume that an office in a central location will have access to the connectivity your business needs. However, availability can differ between neighbouring buildings, floors and individual units.
When viewing premises, ask the landlord or agent:
- What connectivity is already installed in the building?
- Is there a managed building service that tenants can use?
- Which providers currently serve the premises?
- Does the existing infrastructure reach the office you’re considering?
- Will any new installation need landlord approval?
An existing connection is helpful, but it’s worth finding out exactly what it means for your business. A service used by the previous occupier may need a new order or agreement and equipment left behind may
Comparing office locations across Birmingham?
Whether you’re considering premises around Colmore Row and Snow Hill in B3 and B4, or Brindleyplace in B1, include internet availability in your research from the outset.
Two offices just a short walk apart can have different installation requirements, existing infrastructure and arrangements for tenant connectivity. Check the full address, floor and suite number rather than relying on the postcode alone.
If you’re weighing up several properties, understanding the connectivity options at each can help you compare costs, timescales and what needs to happen before moving day.
Allow time for the research
Comparing office connectivity involves more than checking monthly prices.
You may need to speak to the landlord, building manager and potential providers to understand the options. Some questions can only be answered after a survey, particularly where new cabling or access through shared parts of the building is required.
Using the full address, including the floor and suite number, helps make availability checks more useful. It’s also sensible to request written confirmation of the proposed service, installation requirements and estimated delivery times.
If you’re comparing several Birmingham offices, gathering this information alongside the property details makes it easier to assess the practical implications of each location.
Work out what your business actually needs
Before comparing services, take stock of how your team uses its current connection.
How many people are in the office on a busy day? Are video calls running throughout the day? Do staff upload large files, use cloud applications or connect remotely to other locations? Do you have printers?
Think about the new space too. A larger office, more meeting rooms or plans to recruit could change your requirements.
Useful points to review include:
- The number of staff and connected devices
- Upload and download requirements
- Cloud phone systems and business numbers
- Guest Wi-Fi
- Any problems with the current service
- How the business would operate during an outage
This gives you a clearer basis for comparing broadband, leased lines or a service provided through the building.
Check who needs to approve the installation
Even when a service is available, getting it into the office may involve several people.
A provider might need access to a shared communications room, permission to run cables through communal areas or an agreed route into your suite. Some installations also require a wayleave agreement granting access to install and maintain equipment.
Ask who handles these arrangements and whether permissions are already in place. Establishing the right contacts early can prevent an order from sitting on hold while everyone works out who needs to approve it.
Don’t overlook the network inside the office
Having an internet connection installed doesn’t necessarily mean the office is ready for your team to start working.
Floor ports and wall sockets may be in place, but are they connected to the network and working? Checking these before moving day can prevent staff arriving to find their desks have no connection.
Printers, phones and other equipment also need consideration. Some network printers require a fixed IP address, while your IT team may need separate VLANs for different devices, departments or guest access. These requirements should be discussed before the network is configured.
Before the move, check:
- Floor ports and wall sockets are connected, live and tested
- There are enough working connections for desks, printers and meeting rooms
- Any fixed IP address requirements have been identified
- Any required VLANs have been planned with your IT team or managed service provider
- Wi-Fi coverage reaches the areas where people will work
Agreeing who will configure and test everything beforehand can save considerable time and frustration once the team moves in.
Have a plan if the dates don’t line up
Property handover, fit-out and connectivity installation don’t always follow the same timetable.
If the permanent connection may arrive after moving day, investigate temporary options early. A 5G service may be suitable, but coverage and performance should be checked at the premises before relying on it.
Where possible, allow an overlap with the existing office service. That creates time to test the new connection, Wi-Fi and phones before the whole team depends on them.
Make connectivity part of the property decision
When comparing offices in Birmingham, ask one practical question: what needs to happen for our team to work here on day one?
The answer should cover availability, permissions, installation, internal networking and support.
At Fuse Telecom, we take care of the technical questions so you don’t have to. Simply tell us how your business works and what you need from your new office and we’ll assess the options and recommend a solution that gets everything working together.
Request a callback using the form below and we’ll talk you through your options:
