Resource
IT checklist for opening or relocating an office
The single most common failure in an office move is discovering the internet circuit will not be installed until a month after the furniture arrives. Connectivity has the longest lead time of anything in the project and it is ordered later than almost everything else.
The timeline
Work backwards from the move date. The first item is the one that dictates everything else.
| When | Task |
|---|---|
| At lease signatureThe longest lead item by a wide margin | Order the network circuit |
| 10 to 12 weeks outCabling must happen before fit out completes | Survey the space, plan cabling and access point placement |
| 8 weeks outFirewalls and switches can be delayed | Order hardware with realistic lead times |
| 6 weeks outPorting takes two to four weeks | Plan the phone move and start number porting |
| 4 weeks outA legal obligation, frequently missed | Update registered addresses including emergency calling |
| 2 weeks outFaults found in a workshop, not on move day | Pre configure and test equipment offsite |
| Move weekendKeep the old circuit live until the new one proves stable | Cut over with a rollback plan |
What gets forgotten
Six items that surface late and cause real disruption.
- Emergency calling addresses on the phone system, which is a regulatory obligation rather than a preference
- Cabling to the right places, since access point positions are decided by coverage rather than by convenience
- Power and cooling for any equipment room, which is an electrical trade rather than an IT task
- Who holds keys and alarm codes for the comms room
- Updating your address everywhere it appears externally, including business listings
- Keeping the old circuit running for a fortnight after the move as a fallback
Do not cut everything over at once
The safest moves run both sites in parallel for a short period rather than switching everything on a single weekend.
Keep the old circuit live, move systems in stages where the operation allows, and confirm the new site is stable under real load before releasing anything.
It costs a few weeks of overlapping line rental. Compared with a business unable to operate from either location on a Monday morning, it is inexpensive insurance and it is the step most often cut to save money.
Common questions
Answered before you ask.
How long does a business internet circuit take to install?
It varies enormously by address and carrier, from a few weeks where infrastructure already exists to several months where new fibre has to be built. Because the range is so wide, order at lease signature and get a written provisioning estimate before committing to a move date rather than after.
Can we keep our phone numbers?
Yes, numbers port and the process is routine. Allow two to four weeks, start it early in the project, and never cancel the old service before the port confirms. A released number can be extremely difficult to recover.
Should we upgrade equipment during a move?
A move is a reasonable moment to replace anything already near end of life, since it is being handled anyway. What is unwise is combining a move with a major platform migration. Two large changes at once means that when something breaks, nobody knows which change caused it.
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