Currently, there are thousands of unoccupied commercial properties in London. Nick Dutfield of Fusion Voice and Data tries to explain why commercial property owners struggling to rent out their office spaces and serviced apartments in the south-east of England are bombarding him with questions as they look to lure in new tenants.
“Letting commercial spaces in London has never been more challenging. Every day I am having discussions with commercial agents who are facing a similar situation. While Brexit has caused decision-makers to halt office moves and any shelf expansion plans, it has impacted all other areas of business investment besides purchasing office space. So with this in mind, it is safe to say that there must be some other reason why office space in London isn’t selling.”
Dutfield goes on to explain that one of the most concerning issues is the lack of internet connectivity. Even though London is a global hub for technology and financial services, when it comes to internet connectivity, it is rather outdated. The inadequacy of proper infrastructure and the need for a wayleave contract to install a new lease line for every tenant means that connecting a property will take months and quite a substantial investment.
It goes without saying that no modern business can thrive without access to the internet. This explains why, when prospective tenants learn that they may have to wait for an extended time before they get connected, they quickly pass on that property and settle for offices that are already serviced. While there are plenty of drawbacks to a serviced office space, one significant benefit that gives them an edge is the provision of quick connectivity to businesses setting up shop.
Ensure Tenants are Connected within Seven Days…or Even Less
Property owners and commercial agents don’t have much of an option but to solve the connectivity issue to attract new tenants. As discussed earlier, getting every tenant connected in London is a long and complex process. Fortunately, there is an alternative way to get your tenants connected in just a matter of days.
Wireless microwave connectivity is different from a traditional lease line in various crucial ways. To begin with, it does not need cabling into the road, meaning that there is no need for wayleave. Wireless microwave connectivity utilises a satellite set up on the roof of the building accomplish connectivity. Thus, it can be quickly set up and with no interruptions. Besides, this technology has become so powerful that it achieves the level of connection as most of the wired connections in terms of speed and reliability.
Having the ability to provide a connection to tenants in seven days can make all the difference when it comes letting commercial property. The commercial agents and property owners that we partner with say that since connectivity of the property is guaranteed, they can get the same leverage as a private commercial during negotiations. This has led to their properties selling again.
Potential Downsides of Using a Shared Internet Connection:
- Slow connections, especially in cases where many users are already using the connection.
- The lack of reliability. You should never assume that all shared connections are great since not all services are the same.
- May not be budget-friendly. It isn’t hard to find some shared services that are a thousand times more expensive per Mbps than using a dedicated line. You have to keep in mind that having a shared line doesn’t translate to cost savings.
- You will be obligated to another person’s contract. You have to think about whether the line will be disconnected should the master owner of the line move out.
- Resolving issues with the line can take longer if you don’t have direct access to tech support.
- You might not get permission to operate your own servers if you aren’t provided with Public Static IP Addresses.
- There may be ongoing costs that you will have to settle for the entire period that you stay without your own connection or for the whole period you use that commercial space.