What to Do When the New Building Doesn't Have What You Need

Moving Your Office Without Losing Your Mind (or Your Phones): Part 2 of 8

You checked availability. You found a building you love. But the internet options don't match what your business needs. Maybe the building only has cable and you need dedicated fiber. Maybe the existing cabling inside the building is old Cat3 that won't support modern network speeds. Maybe the only provider available has a terrible reputation in your area. Maybe there's no fiber within a mile of the property.

This is more common than people expect, especially in older buildings, suburban office parks, and areas where infrastructure buildout hasn't kept pace with demand. The good news is that "the building doesn't have what you need today" doesn't necessarily mean "you can't get what you need." It just means there's work to do, and the earlier you start, the more options you have.

When the right ISP isn't available yet

If the connection type you want isn't available at the address, the first step is finding out how close the nearest infrastructure is. For fiber, this means asking providers how far their nearest fiber is from the building. For fixed wireless, it means determining whether there's a tower with line of sight.

If fiber is within a few hundred feet of the building, the construction cost to extend it might be minimal. Some providers will cover the construction cost entirely if you sign a term contract, absorbing the build cost in exchange for a guaranteed revenue stream. Others will quote a construction charge that might range from a few hundred dollars to tens of thousands depending on the distance and complexity.

The key variables in construction cost are:

Distance. More cable in the ground means more cost. Every foot of trenching or conduit adds to the bill.

Terrain and access. Running fiber under a parking lot is cheaper than running it under a road with traffic. Aerial construction (on utility poles) is generally cheaper than underground construction but depends on pole availability and access agreements.

Permitting. If the construction crosses public right of way, the provider needs permits from the city or county. Permitting timelines vary enormously by jurisdiction, from a few weeks to several months. The provider handles this, but you bear the timeline impact.

Building entry. Getting the fiber from the property line into the building and then to your suite involves coordination with the building owner and may require additional interior construction.

If the construction cost is prohibitive, consider alternatives. Fixed wireless might be available if the building has line of sight to a provider's tower. A cellular connection (LTE or 5G) might serve as a primary connection for a small office or as a backup while you wait for better options. In some cases, working with the building owner to bring infrastructure to the building benefits all tenants, and the owner may be willing to share the construction cost or coordinate with a provider on behalf of the building.

When the building's internal wiring is inadequate

The connection from the street to the building is one piece. The wiring inside the building is another, and it's often the part that gets overlooked.

Older buildings may have Category 3 wiring, which was designed for telephone service and can handle only 10 Mbps Ethernet. Some older buildings have no structured cabling at all, just telephone wiring from decades ago that terminates at random wall plates. Even buildings that were wired for data might have Category 5 cable, which is not certified for gigabit Ethernet and lacks the performance headroom of newer cable categories. Cat5 uses the same 24 AWG conductors as Cat5e and handles PoE identically, but its lower data performance specification (100 Mbps) makes it a poor foundation for a modern network.

For a modern VoIP deployment with PoE phones, you want Category 5e at minimum and Category 6 or 6a ideally. Cat6a supports 10 Gbps Ethernet and handles PoE reliably at longer distances, which provides headroom for future needs.

If the existing cabling is inadequate, you have a few options:

Run new cable. A low voltage cabling contractor can run new Cat6 or Cat6a cable throughout your suite. This involves running cables from a central wiring closet to each desk location, terminating them at wall jacks and a patch panel. The cost depends on the number of runs, the distance, and how difficult the routing is (drop ceilings make it easier, concrete walls make it harder). For a typical office of 15 to 20 desks, expect a few thousand dollars for professional cabling.

Use the existing cable with limitations. If the existing cable is Cat5e, it will work for most VoIP deployments at gigabit speeds with PoE. It's not ideal for future proofing, but it's functional. If it's Cat3, it won't support modern Ethernet and needs to be replaced for any VoIP deployment.

Use wireless. In spaces where running new cable is impractical (temporary locations, historic buildings with walls you can't open), wireless access points with quality of service configuration can support VoIP phones that have WiFi capability. This is a compromise, not a preferred solution, since WiFi introduces jitter that wired connections avoid. But it's an option when cabling isn't feasible.

Before you invest in new cabling, have the existing cable tested by a professional with a cable certifier. A certifier tests each run against the specifications for its category rating and reports pass or fail. Some cables that look old might actually test fine for your needs. Others that look fine might have internal faults. Testing takes the guesswork out of the decision.

When the building has restrictive policies

Some buildings create unnecessary obstacles for tenants trying to set up communications infrastructure.

Exclusive provider agreements. Some buildings have agreements with a single ISP that prevent other providers from serving tenants. This limits your options to whatever that provider offers, at whatever price they set, with no competitive pressure. If you're in this situation, your negotiating leverage is limited. You can sometimes negotiate with the building owner to allow additional providers, especially if other tenants are also requesting alternatives, but this can be a slow process.

High riser fees. Some buildings charge providers (or tenants) a fee to access the building's riser, which is the vertical conduit that connects floors. These fees get passed on to you, either directly or through higher installation costs from the provider.

Restricted roof access. If you want fixed wireless, you need antenna access. Some buildings prohibit roof mounted equipment, charge significant fees for it, or require lengthy approval processes. Ask about this early if wireless is part of your plan.

The best time to address these issues is during lease negotiation, as covered in the previous post. Once the lease is signed, your leverage diminishes. If you're already committed to a building with restrictive policies, work with your provider to find creative solutions. Sometimes a provider has an existing presence in the building that the management company isn't aware of. Sometimes an antenna can go on an exterior wall instead of the roof. Sometimes the provider has a relationship with the building owner that can expedite access.

Making the decision: adapt, wait, or walk away

When the new building's infrastructure doesn't match your needs, you essentially have three choices.

Adapt your requirements. Maybe cable internet with a cellular backup will work for now, even though your preference is dedicated fiber. If the business can function on the available options while waiting for better infrastructure, adapting in the short term is a practical choice.

Wait for infrastructure. If a provider is building out fiber in the area and expects to reach your building within six months, it might be worth starting with a temporary solution and upgrading when fiber arrives. Ask providers about their buildout timelines. Sometimes the infrastructure you need is coming but just isn't there yet.

Walk away from the building. If connectivity is critical to your business and the building can't provide what you need within a reasonable timeframe and budget, the building might not be the right choice. A beautiful office with bad internet is a daily frustration for everyone who works there. It's better to find out before you sign the lease than after.

Knowing what's available at multiple prospective locations, including the providers that don't show up on a basic search, lets you factor connectivity into your location decision alongside rent, commute time, and square footage. Reach out to multiple providers, ask building management what's already in the building, and check with neighboring tenants about their experience. Once a connection is installed, run a VoIP quality test to verify it can actually support voice traffic, and use the bandwidth calculator to confirm the connection has enough capacity for your call volume. The more visibility you have into the carrier landscape at each address, the better your decision will be.

The infrastructure situation at your new building isn't always obvious until you dig into it. Dig early, ask the right questions, and make decisions with full information.

Next up: Your Phone Numbers and the Move: What Actually Needs to Happen, covering how to keep your existing phone numbers when you change locations or providers.