The Best Structured Cabling for Your Office

If a modern office wants to maximise its productivity and efficiency then it needs modern cabling solutions. The common name for these modern groups of cabling is structured cabling. And it’s something that your business needs to embrace. Naturally, you may be hesitant to take on a complete rewire of your office. But the benefits are so irresistible that it’s difficult to resist.

What is Structured Cabling?

The sheer number of devices that a modern office uses is remarkable. But it’s also crucial. After all, these devices help offices to enhance productivity by making complicated tasks easier. The majority of these devices rely on networks to run and this is where structured cabling comes in. Using twisted pair Ethernet cables, structured cabling allows you to build an environment of connectivity where different devices can all be connected e.g. a PC network to a phone network.

Structured Cabling Standards

When it comes to data cabling there are a number of standards it must conform to which include:

• How structured cabling enters a premises and the manner in which it is terminated
• The details of any entrance facilities that the cabling will pass through
• Testing expectations and labelling methods for the cabling
• Dimensions and build details of the communications room that the cables will enter

These standards, and many more, can be found within the BS 6701 guidelines which are part of the BS 7671 Wiring regulations.

Structured Cabling Categories

A number of different cabling categories are available that should be able to satisfy the needs of any office:

• Cat 5 Cabling:

  Available since 1995, Cat 5 cabling allows networks to deliver 10/100 MBps Ethernet capabilities up to distances of 100 metres. A number of improvements have been made to this category since 1995 with the latest specification being Cat 5e. This newest version of Cat 5e boasts less noise and crosstalk to deliver better data transmission.

 

• Cat 6 Cabling:

  Launched in 2002, Cat 6 cabling features copper wires which are wound more tightly than Cat 5 cabling. This has allowed it to deliver better performance with Gigabit Ethernet transmissions at distances of 100 metres and is perfect for offices. It’s also important to point out that Cat 6 cabling is fully compatible with Cat 5 cabling.

 

• Cat 7 Cabling:

  Boasting a much thicker shielding than Cat 5 and 6 cabling, Cat 7 cabling is able to preserve data stability much better than its predecessors. Data transmissions of up to 40Gb can be achieved at 50 metres or even 100Gb at 15 metres. This is fantastic for smaller organizations, but a downside is that Cat 7 cabling is not compatible with Cat 5 or 6.

The Benefits of Good Office Cabling

Structured cabling has been developed to meet certain standards which bring a number of benefits to its users. Therefore, if you go with a structured cabling system you can expect:

• Simplicity: Structured cabling helps you build a uniform system containing either a combination of Cat 5 and 6 cables or one that contains only Cat 5, 6 or 7 cabling. This strategy allows you to minimise any complexities and makes identifying any network issues much easier. This reduces downtime and helps your office to remain productive.

 

• Adaptability: The beauty of structured cabling is that it’s highly flexible. The high bandwidth associated with structured cabling helps you to easily integrate future applications as and when necessary. Installation of new hardware is equally easy to achieve thanks to the uniform cabling in place. Accordingly, your office can grow effortlessly and become a stronger unit with ease.

 

• Cost Effective: The initial install of structured cabling may seem expensive, but the long term benefits make it highly cost effective. Not only are IT costs lowered due to the simplicity it brings, but structured cabling also makes your employees more productive. This powerful combination will make significant savings over time and eventually pay for itself.

It is essential that you don’t underestimate the importance of cabling as part of your office set up. Proper cabling will help to ensure that you get the best from all your other equipment. For further information, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

 

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How to Prepare For an Office Move

With most important projects the process starts with making a checklist. Thus a checklist of how to prepare for an office move. This plan that you can refer to over and over again. This list should include things like designing a moving task force consisting of key employees. Furthermore meeting with a space planner and/or interior designer.

The following elements will need to be considered or in place in your new location on top of your actual office equipment and furniture

1. Electrical Outlets and Power Requirements
2. Data Cabling for Computers and Phones
3. WiFi
4. CCTV and Access Control
5. Lighting
6. Mobile Phone Signal Efficiency
7. Incoming services such as broadband and telephone lines

Consider your technology taking inventory and dispose of what you don’t need. In addition now may be the time to upgrade technology. Also contact the appropriate utility companies to turn the services on and off. Furthermore inform your customers about the change in address card. Submit instructions for any new procedure before, during, and during the move. Remember to meet with employees later.

This is not just a move. Delays and lost goods can hinder your workflow and prevent employees from returning to work quickly, disrupting productivity and damaging your income. The same applies for not having the correct power and data infrastructure in place at the new location

It is important to ensure that business continues uninterrupted despite relocation. To move smoothly, commercial professionals need to be hired with dynamic business experience. Both in setting up the new office and in relocating he existing

Once the relocation date has been set, the business owner should prepare for the upcoming relocation. Similarly if you are crossing the road or relocating nationally.

Here are some tips to keep your office move in mind: We also further discuss moving office in this article Moving Office in London 

Develop a Timeline

Create migration schedules based on important dates in the business calendar. Write events in the event exchange timeline. Factor on expiration of business ‘building lease’. The property manager should be notified of the expected action date. Talk to all employees about relocation dates. Suppliers should also be notified. Inform the team members about the progress of this development as well as their responsibilities during the relocation.

An example of an IT relocation checklist can be found here

Plan for the New Space

Once you sign your lease, the first thing you need to deal with is space planning. Will your existing furniture fit your new location? Do you know where the current furniture is going? Do you have enough furniture to cover your entire space? Space planners are available and can make a definitive draft of what your existing furniture will look like in your new space. They can also work with you to recognize fresh equipment as wanted. Some landowners offer free space planning services. If your landlord does not provide a space plan, you may be eligible to work with a furniture seller who can help with your space plan. You can also find free tools online to help you plan your place.

Once the furniture layout is in place you can asses the existing infrastructure. The following questions can then be assessed

1. Do i have floor boxes and power in the right locations for the desks
2. How many data points do i need for computers and phones
3. How many WiFi access points do I require to cover the office
4. What is the phone signal like. Do i need to install a booster?
5. What can be relocated and what needs to be new

By planning in advance these works can be correctly installed prior to the office move. If not then they will be disruption after the move

Announce the move

Create a detailed email, newsletter section,  or short video plan to let employees know about the big move. Furthermore it should be comprehensive regardless of the format you choose. In addition employees need to be told everything they need to know. Thus the more detail you put into communication, the easier it will be for you to wrap your head around every step of your office.

Here are some objects to comprise in your statement:

• New office name and address
• Moving date/dates
• Key features of the new office
• Employees still need to do something, if anything
• What future employees should expect

Set Up Your IT & Telecommunications

Your priority should be to find a new place for your employees as soon as possible. Which translates into the Internet and phone systems for most companies. Do you already have Internet and telecommunications services installed in your new location? The previous tenant may have removed all data cabling when he moved out.

Do you already have Internet and telecommunications services installed in your new location? The previous tenant may have removed all data cabling when he moved out.

Verify that the internet speed you need is available at the location you are renting. If your business needs a specific Internet speed, verify that the provider has that capability. If you already have an account configuration, you can usually move your existing agreement to your new site.

Establish your budget and purchasing process

Get budgets (preferably on paper) from your company leaders and set guidelines for completing all purchases related to the initiative. This step will help you visualize the process going on. For example, if you need a team of three to sign all purchases and contracts, you may be able to plan extra time for all doses related to the purchase.

Make lists of what you have and lists of what you need

Now is the time to make an inventory of everything, big and small. Make two lists:

• Things you’re taking
• Things you’re leaving behind and disposing

The lists should highlight some requirements that you might otherwise ignore, especially if you refer to them with your new office floor plan.

For example

• When on a tight budget, inventory will remind you that you need to pack everything hidden in this all storage space
• If the office move includes a complete design, and you’re dropping off all trash cans and whiteboards. In addition you’ll need to purchase new versions of those requirements to get a new look.
• If your new kitchen is twice your old size, but there are only a few basic things on your “pick up” list, you’ll need to pick up new kitchen items.

Generate and Execute a worker and client Communication Plan

Do your employees, customers and shoppers know about your move?

Create a communication plan to inform your employees, customers, and any vendors about your upcoming move. Having a series of meetings with your company to help plan dynamic days, understanding logistics, and answering any questions.

Create a separate email address for move-related questions

There will be a lot of questions in the people’s office about this initiative. Furthermore try to separate office work from your regular duties by simply creating an email address for action-related questions and correspondence.

How to Prepare For an Office Move – The final step

Plan a party to celebrate your moving success!

We use the term “party” loosely. You will probably be tired after this step. Furthermore more reason to celebrate your hard work. Get some champagne or non-alcoholic bubbles and some easy, healthy snacks, and you’ll create an excitement about the move

For further articles with regards to How to Prepare For an Office Move please visit our Knowledge Centre HERE

For a Free Quotation please email sales@nmcabling.co.uk or call 01923 888588

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Relocating your office involves more than just moving furniture; it’s crucial to ensure that your IT infrastructure, including data cabling and network systems, is seamlessly transitioned to maintain business continuity. Furthermore it’s likely that, due to factors such as growth, your business will need to upgrade its office or look for new premises. Upgrading your premises can be an essential move. Our reliance on IT often presents a daunting and complicated scenario. The sheer amount of cabling during IT moves and changes to ensure your IT capabilities are working to their maximum is mind boggling. Therefore, it’s crucial that you understand your cabling requirements when upgrading your office.

Network Infrastructure Setup

Network infrastructure relocation. A reliable network infrastructure is the backbone of any modern office. During an office move or reconfiguration, it’s essential to plan and install structured cabling, patch panels, switches, and routers in a way that ensures seamless connectivity and future scalability. Our team designs and implements robust network layouts that support voice and data, and power-over-Ethernet (PoE) requirements. We ensure all cabling is labelled, tested, and compliant with industry standards, minimising downtime and optimising performance from day one in your new location.

Server Room and Equipment Relocation

Moving sensitive IT equipment like servers, network switches, and storage devices requires careful planning and technical expertise. We manage the decommissioning, safe transport, and reinstallation of server room hardware, ensuring minimal disruption to your business operations. Our technicians coordinate with your IT team to back up critical data, label every connection, and ensure environmental controls—such as cooling and power—are in place at the new site. This helps preserve data integrity and ensures your infrastructure is fully operational post-move.

Workstation Connectivity Setup

Once your staff is in the new office, each workstation must be connected quickly and correctly to avoid lost productivity. We handle the setup of desktop computers, phones, monitors, docking stations, and peripherals, ensuring they are securely connected to the network and power. Every data point is tested, labelled, and documented, giving your team immediate access to internal systems, the internet, and telephony. Whether it’s five desks or five hundred, we ensure your employees can get back to work without delay.

Data cabling installation and reconfiguration

Data cabling for office moves. Cabling remains a vital requirement for any business that wants to remain productive and reduce downtime. Therefore, it’s important that it’s prioritised when relocating. For a successful relocation, make sure you consider the following:

1. Understand the New Location. A new set of premises need to be carefully evaluated in order to understand the infrastructure capabilities. Surveying the physical layout should be your first move. This will allow you to plan where your cabling, power supplies, networks and telecommunications can be installed.
2. Plan a Budget. Draw up a budget that understands all your current cabling needs and integrates all the relevant resources. This allows you to get a better of understanding of what’s involved in the relocation.
3. Consider Future Expansion. It’s highly likely that your business will need to expand to aid future growth and take advantage of new technology. Therefore, you should always make sure your new premises allow you to expand. This should be in terms of both space and the ability to integrate additional cabling.

IT Moves and Changes – What should I consider before I move my office?

Equipment and employee changes can have a drastic impact on the layout of your office. Couple this with the need for expansion and it’s clear to see that reorganising an office and its cabling is a tall task. As a result, the following relocation factors need to be considered:

1. Moving Office Furniture. Cabling can run under, over and across your office furniture, so it presents a major obstacle when it comes changing your office around. The main sticking point is the downtime incurred from employees unable to work at their computers, so the simplest solution is to move the furniture around out of hours.
2. Additional Power Supplies and Data Solutions. With an increase of new equipment comes the need for an upgrade in power supplies and data solutions. However, these utilities also require new cabling or a reworking of existing cabling, so it’s essential that consideration is given to achieving this successfully.
3. Reorganise and Classify Your Cabling. Over time, office cabling can become severely jumbled as new equipment is integrated and older cabling is left behind. A full office upgrade provides a fantastic opportunity to organise your cabling into something more coherent, so take the time to colour code your cables and simplify their traceability.

Relocating or upgrading your office is never an easy task and it’s especially difficult when it comes to reorganising your cabling. However, with careful consideration, planning and expert support you can ensure that these tasks are completed successfully and with minimal downtime.

More about Office IT Relocation…

About NM Cabling Solutions – Electrical and Cabling Specialist

NM Cabling is a technology and electrical cabling integrator working throughout the United Kingdom.

Explore our comprehensive Knowledge Centre for expert insights, guides, and resources on structured cabling and IT infrastructure.

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