As a building owner or property manager, you may be wondering why you should care about connectivity. After all, a tenant with poor cellular coverage is Verizon or AT&T’s problem; right? Or, the tenant with only two options for broadband service is just unlucky to be in a market with little competition? Before the pandemic, these arguments may have worked, but with a change in how companies value office space and a shift in the commercial real estate industry at large, there are several compelling reasons why building owners and property managers should consider connectivity critical.

The three reasons why connectivity is essential for building owners and property managers:

Connectivity Builds Long-term Value Within the Property.

Hardware, software, and applications have a useful life of around 3 to 5 years, according to Forbes. Investing in a great connectivity infrastructure can help lessen the impact of rapidly evolving technology. Dark fiber is a good start, but having a fully active “open-access” fiber network allows buildings to plug-in solutions for cellular enhancement, Wi-Fi, Access Controls, security, and future hardware to power IoT and 5G.

Connectivity Helps Enable Tenants’ Businesses.

Connectivity is essential to a business’s core functions, whether that’s keeping in touch with clients, streamlining logistics, or enabling a remote workforce.  Buildings that invest in high-quality connectivity solutions are helping their tenants succeed.

Connectivity Increases Types and Number of Services Available.

Today’s tenants expect more than just a space to house their business—they expect a full package of amenities that include connectivity. Buildings that invest in connectivity allow their tenants to take advantage of a virtually limitless number of services from any service provider. Not only are these services made readily available, but they are also easy to turn on. No delays or multi-day construction projects.

As a building owner or property manager, connectivity matters. Improving tenant broadband, cellular coverage, or security enables buildings to stay ahead of technology obsolescence with less cost, helps buildings support their tenants’ businesses, and increases the number of services and service providers in the property.