Providing access to high quality broadband for commercial tenants is a must for NYC buildings

As the global hub of international business and commerce, boasting one of the world's strongest world economies, New York City is constantly in fast motion. With that, it is imperative that our city's technology keeps the pace. As NYC businesses seek to leverage the latest Internet and mobile technologies that are crucial for economic growth, the city's commercial buildings are strongly needed to comply. Today's savvy businesses know that when expanding within the city that they must look to do so within a top commercial building where technology services are highly advanced and reliable. In order to meet these needs, NYC commercial buildings need to constantly add new technology and services to accommodate a rapidly rising demand for high-speed Internet access among tenants. The quest for better broadband is stronger than ever. Firms leasing and buying up New York City office space are pressing mayor de Blasio and his administration for enhanced broadband from the city's top service providers, such as tw telecom, that master Internet connectivity. For commercial leasing brokers in and around Manhattan, what should be kept in mind in the quest for connecting buyers and sellers to a specific property in the city? Importance of High Quality Broadband Within commercial buildings, high speed Internet is as important as heat and hot water; a company cannot thrive in today's business society without it. High speed fiber access over copper is what is most needed to provide faster, more reliable Internet access. Fiber provides far greater bandwidth than copper and can carry more information with greater reliability than copper wire. All Fiber is NOT Created Equal When it comes to fiber optic broadband, it's important to know that not all fiber is the same. There are major differences between carriers like tw telecom, Verizon, RCN and Cogent; and it is impossible to group such providers under one term of "ISP." The various kinds of fiber optic technology available depend on how far the fiber is installed. Companies that provide Fiber to the home (FTTH), Fiber to the node (FTTN), cable and standard Internet should not be classified with the other larger ISPs, like tw telecom, which can support medium to large companies' broadband needs, as well as offer a full suite of products that include Internet, Voice, National MPLS, Dynamic Capacity, and direct connect to cloud providers. tw telecom delivers secure, scalable, and predictable network connections over its Business Ethernet network. As a result of these network capabilities, tw telecom delivers better, faster and easier network solutions to meet customer needs. There are no apples to apples comparisons when you call everyone an ISP. Eradicating Outdated Infrastructure More and more NYC buildings are now being "graded" thanks to WiredNYC, a new city program that certifies and ranks buildings by their broadband capabilities and Internet infrastructure. The program utilizes a standard scoring system called Wired Score that presents simple, clear information to help tenants easily research and compare the Internet connectivity of office buildings. "There is a huge gap today between the importance of Internet connectivity to tenants and the accessibility of info about how buildings are connected," said Arie Barendrecht, executive director of the program. "WiredNYC aims to bridge that gap and help drive leasing activity by making sure tenants can easily locate the most tech-friendly buildings." Presently, the program has collected broadband information on more than 300 buildings, with 75 of those buildings receiving certified Wired Scores, which require a building inspection and data validation by the WiredNYC team. This information is available to the public on www.WiredScore.com. Other citywide programs supporting enhanced connectivity include ConnectNYC, which seeks to expand high-speed broadband connectivity throughout the city and the outer boroughs, and subsequently award small and medium-sized businesses and organizations with a build-out of fiber connectivity directly to their place of business; and The New York City Economic Development Council (NYCEDC)'s Broadband Map, a crowd-sourced digital map that highlights wired buildings across the city. In addition to the city administration's support, companies like tw telecom Manhattan are heavily involved in technology initiatives aimed to improve connectivity within the city. As the top-ranked competitive provider of Business Ethernet* in the U.S., tw telecom leads the industry in delivering Business Ethernet services to enterprises and large organizations. Transparency Matters During the leasing process, transparency matters when it comes to communicating Internet availability. tw telecom, for instance, enables NYC business customers to have more choices, increased redundancy and business continuity, and prioritizes working with the city's top real estate firms and property managers to ensure that this quality level of service is available in all commercial buildings that cater to growing businesses. As New York City continues its quest to become a stronger "Tech Capital of the World," it requires a concerted effort on behalf of all parties - including the mayor, building owners, leasing brokers, and Internet service providers - to meet the escalating tenant-driven demand for better, faster high speed Internet. Investing in higher bandwidth connections to accommodate New York City's ever-expanding business economy will help the city keep its competitive edge and stay put as the best hub in the world in which to do business. * According to industry analyst firm, Vertical Systems Group. Robert Bianco, VP and general manager of tw telecom Manhattan, New York, N.Y.