Tenants demand increased bandwidth.

Tenants are demanding ever-increasing bandwidth in order to meet the high-speed communications requirements of today's fast-paced business world, especially as e-commerce becomes an important part of their everyday operations. The first step in this bandwidth evolution is the "e-building."

In short, e-buildings -- those buildings equipped with bandwidth (or broadband) connectivity -- are the wave of the future, and owners whose properties don't have advanced telecommunications services run the risk of losing and/or failing to attract prime tenants

What is Broadband?

Broadband (also known as high-speed bandwidth) is -- an information delivery method that enables the high-speed transmission of data, video and Internet access, as well as voice over a communications path, in typically two ways: either via a fixed-wireless system or fiber-optic network. The evolution to broadband stems from the insufficient capabilities of traditional copper telephone lines (called narrowband) that are standard in most buildings.

In fact, the progression from copper wire to broadband is not unlike the growth and development of the airline industry. Compare a 1940s prop plane to the supersonic Concorde. While both will get you from point A to B, the prop plane is considerably slower and can't carry the same size payload. Like a prop plane, these older, copper phone lines simply cannot transfer large amounts of information at high speeds, an essential aspect of the new "e-conomy."

Why is Bandwidth Important?

Corporations, large and small, have always wanted to save time and money. And in the 21st Century, bandwidth is one of the most important factors driving a company's ability to compete efficiently and effectively in the global "e-conomy."

Have you ever stared at your computer screen waiting for a file to download? Chances are that you have. The speed of the Internet is directly related to your computer's communications connection, the most basic being the old-fashioned copper telephone line. Data transmission via copper often requires a dial-up modem, which can vary in speed from 28.8 to 56 kilobits per second (kbps). Data transfer via this method is very slow; sending an insurance company's database of customer records over copper wire with a dial-up modem would take more than 40 hours! In contrast, on a broadband fixed-wireless or fiber-optic network, this data transfer could take as little as 1.5 minutes.

Do Buildings Really Need Broadband?

Yes! In a recent BOMA-ULI study, commercial real estate tenants ranked location, bandwidth and HVAC as the top three "must have" building amenities. In fact, most tenants looking for new office space place communications-related needs highest on their list of requirements. To attract new tenants and to retain current ones, owners must be prepared to supply the communications technology that facilitates business growth and helps improve commerce.

There are several important reasons for building owners to add broadband capabilities to their buildings. First, based on the clear-cut needs of today's tenants, building owners that can market their buildings as "technologically-advanced" -- that is, wired with broadband capacity -- have a decided advantage. Today, most businesses are measured by how well they function in a high-speed "wired" or "e-world." By enhancing a property with broadband communications services, property owners can help attract and retain high-quality tenants. Ultimately, being able to market "e-buildings" not only improves visibility in a competitive marketplace, but also provides owners with distinctive leading-edge properties.

How Does a Building Get Broadband Service?

The two primary ways for property owners to bring broadband service into their buildings is through a fixed wireless system or fiber-optic network. Traditional copper wire already exists in all commercial buildings because, until recently, it was the only transmission medium available.

If a building doesn't already have fiber-optic cables running to the building, the likelihood of easily obtaining that "first mile" of wire line fiber optics is slim. Because of high infrastructure costs, an investment in fiber optics can only be justified in the largest multi-tenant buildings. In addition to this expense (which eventually will get passed on to the tenants), installing fiber-optic cables means tearing up streets and sidewalks. Convincing the fiber-optics provider to install fiber-optic cables to a building, and then putting up with months of construction, is frustrating and time-consuming for both landlords and tenants.

In contrast, the installation of a fixed wireless broadband system is considerably less costly, requiring only a small dish antenna on the roof and interior radio equipment. The low installation costs also mean that fixed wireless communications carriers can pass savings on to the tenant. Best of all, the installation process takes no more than a few days and causes no disruption to tenants.

Finally, when choosing a broadband system, the best option may be an Integrated Communications Provider (ICP) that can provide a host of broadband services inexpensively and efficiently. An ICP can integrate local and long distance telephone with high-speed Internet access, data, video-conferencing and many other services. In turn, these services provide tenants with the high-speed connectivity they desire and the ability to transmit data quickly and efficiently. Increasingly, these applications pertain to and are required by not only technology-driven businesses, but also by law firms, consulting firms and advertising agencies, as broadband allows for high-speed inter-office file sharing, e-mail, Internet access and video-conferencing.

Forward-thinking building owners and managers realize that maintaining the technological superiority of their building is vital to attracting and retaining tenants. By offering competitively priced telecommunications choices, including state-of-the-art, high-speed data access via broadband, they ensure their buildings' competitive advantage.

Jack Robinson, regional vice president of Winstar for Buildings,