As a major metropolitan community, New York City has found a way to establish a link between connectivity and real estate for potential commercial tenants.
WiredNYC, a certification program launched in 2013, provides broadband ratings for “Class A” office buildings in the city. The program provides a simple survey online at WiredScore.com that analyzes a variety of factors and provides a rating based on:
Building Connectivity: The number of internet service providers, the quality and speed of connections, and the access to provider cabling in the building…
Infrastructure: Factors specific to the building’s physical internet infrastructure (i.e., number of entry points, designated utility spaces, and risers)…
Readiness: How ready a building is to improve its connectivity…
The survey provides feedback based on the survey results and offers a preliminary rating of “Certified,” “Silver,” “Gold,” or “Platinum.” In order to complete the certification, the City will send an engineer to the building to verify the survey results. WiredNYC also provides advice for building owners and landlords who have taken the survey but whose structures do not meet the minimum standards for certification or who want to take steps to achieve a higher standard of certification.
Landlords can use Wired Certification to market their building to potential tenants. Their buildings appear on WiredNYC’s WiredScore.com website and they receive similar benefits.
A March report from the Vertical Systems Group concluded that fiber is now present in approximately 42.5 percent of U.S. commercial buildings. Ten years ago that figure was only 10.9 percent. Fast, affordable, reliable connectivity is quickly becoming an integral component of the real estate market. Programs like WiredNYC will allow entrepeneurs and established businesses find the types of connections that suit their needs.
This article is apart of MuniNetworks. The original piece can be found here
