Connectivity is usually the last item finalized before a new office opens and the first thing that goes wrong on day one. That ordering isn't a coincidence. Connectivity depends on lead times, site readiness, and carrier coordination that don't compress well under a tight opening deadline, which means it needs to start earlier in the process than it typically does.
Confirm serviceability before the lease is signed, not after
Coverage maps and carrier sales claims aren't reliable enough to base a location decision on without direct verification. Before committing to a site, confirm actual serviceability at the specific address with the carriers being considered, not just a general claim that the area is covered.
Build in lead time for the slowest path, not the average one
Circuit installation timelines vary by technology and by carrier, and the fastest available option at a given site is rarely the one that determines the opening timeline. The slowest necessary circuit, often whatever's needed for redundancy or a specific application requirement, is the one that should anchor the schedule.
Identify site readiness requirements early
Conduit access, demarc location, power availability for networking equipment, and landlord approval for any necessary building work all need to be confirmed well before installation can begin. These are frequently the items that delay an otherwise on-track installation, because they depend on landlord or building management timelines that the carrier and the tenant don't control.
Plan redundancy from day one, not as a future upgrade
Adding a second circuit for redundancy after a single-circuit office is already live is more disruptive and often more expensive than building it in from the start. If redundancy is a requirement for the business, even a future one, it's worth designing the initial installation to accommodate it rather than treating it as a phase two project.
Confirm the internal handoff before go-live
Who owns the connection once it's live, IT, facilities, a managed services partner, should be settled before opening day, not figured out reactively when something needs attention. A clear handoff plan prevents the common scenario where a new office opens with working connectivity and no clear owner if something breaks in the first week.
A simple sequencing principle
Start connectivity planning at the same time as the lease decision, not after it. The earlier serviceability and lead time are factored into site selection, the less likely connectivity becomes the reason opening day slips.
We coordinate new-site connectivity from initial serviceability checks through go-live, so opening day timelines aren't set by guesswork about circuit lead times.