Advantages of wiring buildings for Internet access.

The wave of the future is here. Shopping through the computer, booking airline reservations with a click of the mouse, accessing information instantly from all over the world and consulting overseas co-workers with the touch of a button are no longer just part of someone's wild imagination: they are happening every second in today's business environment.

Very few companies are now without Internet capabilities - almost every business uses the Internet, e-mail, and the World Wide Web in some form or fashion to conduct business. It saves businesses precious time (which of course means money) by facilitating correspondence with clients and co-workers and providing access to information that would not otherwise be readily available. A company with Internet capabilities has tremendous resources available with a single stroke of the keyboard.

However, this technology comes at a price - Internet services can run a company thousands of dollars a month. With these rising costs, many businesses are looking to reduce monthly Internet bills. One way to reduce costs is by renting space in a building that is already wired for direct Internet capabilities.

Most of Manhattan's office buildings - even the so-called "smart" buildings - are not currently wired for direct Internet access. However, this too is changing. Internet service providers such as PFM Communications, Inc. are now working with landlords to wire commercial properties for direct Internet access.

PFM's real estate service, Internet Wired, makes the entire investment to design and install a custom fiber optic network within a commercial property - at no cost to the building owner. Internet access through this system is then marketed by PFM directly to each tenant, providing high-speed, direct Internet access at a fraction of the cost of traditional service.

Owners will maintain a level of control over their risers by having one Internet Service Provider in the property, and can increase net income with higher rental rates and increased occupancy by marketing the building as high-tech/internet ready.

One building that has contracted with PFM to supply Internet services is 342 Madison Avenue. Its building ownership and management are well aware of the advantages of supplying direct Internet access. So far, the response from tenants has been overwhelming, due to the low cost, convenience and ease of getting the service.

As technology continues to evolve at an ever increasing pace, tenants will demand even more advanced services as part of an existing amenities package. Access to the Internet, for example, will be as common as telephones and electricity. Building owners know that in order to compete in New York's real estate market, their facilities must provide tenants with all the latest technological amenities.

A building that is wired for direct Internet access stands out from the crowd. Buildings that do not offer these technological infrastructures and amenities will not be able to compete for a stake of the marketplace in the future.