Moving office? A business connectivity checklist

Start with the new address, early

What can be delivered to a business depends on the exact address, and sometimes on the specific building or floor. Two offices on the same street can have different options. That is why the new address should be reviewed as early as possible, ideally before lease details are final or, at the latest, as soon as you know where you are going.

An early review also surfaces practical questions that take time to resolve:

• Who manages access to the building: the landlord, a managing agent or a body corporate?
• Where will network equipment live: a comms room, a cabinet or a cupboard?
• Is there existing cabling, and does it suit the planned layout?

Check your current contracts and end dates

List the connectivity, voice and IT services you use today, who provides them and when each agreement ends. Note any notice periods. Some services may be able to move with you; others may need to end and be replaced. Knowing this up front lets you plan the handover between old and new arrangements rather than react to it on moving day.

Size the requirement around your team

Think about how many people will work from the new office, how many work partly from home and whether you expect to grow during the life of the new arrangements. Consider busy periods too, such as times when many people are on video calls at once. A clear picture of how your team works is more useful in a review than a guess at a technical figure.

Map the cloud apps you rely on

Cloud apps are business tools that run over the internet rather than on your own servers, such as Microsoft 365, accounting, CRM or file-sharing services. Make a short list of the ones your team uses daily and mark which ones must work from the first day in the new office. This helps prioritise what needs to be ready, tested and supported first.

Plan voice and your existing numbers

Hosted voice is a business phone system delivered over your internet connection instead of on-site phone hardware. A move is a natural point to review whether it suits your business, or whether your current system should move with you.

If you have numbers your customers know, list them, including direct lines. Whether existing numbers can move to a new address or service depends on the numbers themselves and your current arrangements, so treat this as something to confirm during the review rather than assume. Also note who needs a desk phone and who mainly works from a mobile or laptop.

Separate staff and guest Wi-Fi

Staff Wi-Fi gives your team access to business systems; guest Wi-Fi gives visitors internet access without reaching those systems. Keeping them separate is a sensible default. Consider where Wi-Fi needs to reach, such as meeting rooms, reception and any outdoor or warehouse areas, and which devices need a connection, such as printers, card machines or security equipment.

What to bring into a requirements review

You do not need technical detail to start. The most useful inputs are:

• The full new address, including building name, floor and unit.
• Your planned move window and any fixed constraints.
• A list of current services, providers and contract end dates.
• Headcount now and expected growth.
• The cloud apps and systems that must work on day one.
• The phone numbers you want to keep, and how people make calls.
• Building contacts and any floor plan you have.

Questions to bring to your review

• What needs to be confirmed for our new address, and what could affect it?
• Which of our current services can move with us, and which need replacing?
• How should we plan the overlap between old and new arrangements?
• What does our team size and way of working mean for our requirements?
• Which systems should be ready and tested first?
• What needs to be checked about keeping our existing numbers?
• How should staff and guest Wi-Fi be set up for the new layout?

Final service options, availability and delivery steps are confirmed during the relevant address and requirements reviews.