Planning for Connectivity

Legacy buildings often contain radio frequency (RF) unfriendly materials (such as concrete or even metal lathe), outdated layouts with many partitions, or results of prior renovations that limit signal propagation. Yet these properties remain vital assets in competitive urban markets. Upgrading them to meet current connectivity demands is essential for maintaining employee/tenant satisfaction, occupancy rates and long-term building value. However, these upgrades must be handled carefully. Poor planning can lead to tenant disruptions, noncompliance with building occupancy regulations and increased project costs.

To achieve strong technical outcomes while minimizing disruption and risk during connectivity retrofits, use the following best practices for executing successful wireless retrofits in commercial properties.

Start with a strategic assessment

Retrofitting begins with understanding the current state of connectivity in the building. Facility managers should conduct or commission a comprehensive wireless infrastructure audit that identifies:

• coverage blind spots and user pain points

• locations and capacity of telecom risers and equipment rooms

• existing conduit access and above-ceiling conditions

• impact of prior renovations, including materials that may block signals

• regulatory history and any code compliance gaps

Materials like low-emissivity glass, concrete core walls and foil-backed insulation, often installed to improve energy performance, can severely degrade wireless signals. Identifying these barriers early allows design teams to plan more accurate propagation models and infrastructure layouts.

The audit phase should also include evaluation of the building's readiness to support various wireless technologies: commercial cellular, tenant Wi-Fi, building IoT networks and public safety radio systems (often referred to as Emergency Responder Communication Enhancement Systems or ERCES). Defining these needs upfront helps avoid the deployment of infrastructure that cannot scale to future use cases.

Avoid common pitfalls in retrofit planning

Even experienced facility teams can underestimate the complexity of wireless retrofits. Some of the most common missteps include:

• Overlooking compliance at an early stage: Failing to consult with the authority having jurisdiction (AHJ) about emergency communications can cause failed inspections or rework.

• Treating networks in isolation: Designing Wi-Fi, cellular and emergency systems independently often results in redundant construction and increased costs. Many AHJs even allow the ERCES and cellular systems to utilize the same infrastructure. This kind of converged network generates significant savings.

• Skipping stakeholder coordination: Not involving building engineers, tenant liaisons or IT leads during early design phases can lead to layout conflicts or change orders.

• Underestimating material impact: Assumptions about signal strength often fall short when faced with reflective or signal-absorbing materials.

• Choosing short-term fixes: Solutions that do not scale with demand may require replacement in just a few years. For instance, bumping up the gain/power on antennas might mean adequate coverage for a few years. Still, it will degrade over time with capacity increases, or if the RF environment changes and causes interference.

Awareness of such pitfalls allows FMs to design around them and keep projects on schedule and within budget. A proactive approach to each potential area of risk can also help.

Engage stakeholders & building team members in planning process

Wireless retrofits touch many parts of a facility’s operations. This means success requires proactive coordination. Building engineers, fire protection professionals, property staff and code enforcement officials should all be involved from the outset of the planning stage. Aligning expectations early helps avoid design clashes and streamline approvals.

For buildings located in jurisdictions that require ERCES, early AHJ engagement is critical. While ERCES codes are broadly adopted in North America, the specifics vary by city or region. Some jurisdictions require grid-based signal testing; others mandate 99 percent coverage in critical areas. Aligning retrofit network design with local expectations avoids costly changes after installation.

Design for multinetwork infrastructure

The most efficient retrofits consolidate support for multiple wireless networks into a single deployment path. By designing for commercial cellular, Wi-Fi and ERCES together, teams can reduce installation time, limit tenant disruption and prepare the building for future upgrades.

Shared risers, cabling and equipment spaces not only minimize physical impact on the building but also lower the total cost of ownership. Where possible, infrastructure should be designed to handle signal routing for multiple bands and services, with proper filtering to separate public safety from commercial traffic.

In regions where public safety standards differ, flexible system design becomes even more important. A DAS (distributed antenna system) that can be reconfigured or tuned to different RF channel requirements allows building owners to adapt across jurisdictions or support multiple tenant requirements within the same structure.

Minimize tenant disruption

Tenants are rarely concerned with how connectivity works. They care that it works reliably and without interfering with daily operations. This makes disruption management a vital part of the retrofit plan.

Successful strategies include:

• scheduling work during evenings or weekends

• using containment methods to reduce noise, dust and visual intrusion

• coordinating access schedules for low-impact work areas

• installing temporary mobile boosters or Wi-Fi hotspots to maintain service levels during critical work

One example: During a retrofit of a 12-story office building in a major metropolitan area, the project team coordinated ceiling access by floor, working overnight shifts to minimize interference. Tenants received advance notice, daily updates and direct points of contact for issue resolution. The project was completed without a single complaint, despite significant behind-the-scenes construction.

Prioritize code compliance & public safety

Public safety systems are not optional. ERCES installations must meet signal strength and uptime requirements in areas such as stairwells, fire command centers and elevator lobbies. Many jurisdictions now require third-party testing and certification before occupancy permits are granted or renewed.

Facilities that ignore this requirement or delay planning until late in the project often face failed inspections. Retesting or redesigning can be expensive and disruptive, especially if new penetrations or cabling are required after other systems are live.

Plan for budget flexibility & long-term value

Connectivity upgrades require both capital and operational investment. To support long-term value, facility teams should consider not just upfront installation costs but also:

• monitoring and maintenance contracts

• firmware and security updates

• regulatory re-inspection cycles

• equipment upgrade schedules

To ease financial pressure, some organizations explore service-based models that spread costs over time, such as multiyear infrastructure agreements or Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) solutions. These arrangements shift capital expenditure to operational budgets, making it easier to modernize older buildings without large upfront investments.

This is particularly beneficial for owners with multiple mid-rise assets or suburban portfolios where tenant needs vary widely, but budgets are constrained.

Owners of multiple mid-rise or suburban properties often face challenges in keeping all buildings aligned with modern connectivity standards. In these portfolios, capital budgets are often stretched across many sites, and wireless performance can vary widely due to differences in construction type, tenant needs and existing infrastructure. A service-based model such NaaS allows landlords to spread costs over time, avoid large upfront investments and deliver consistent connectivity standards portfolio-wide.

With a NaaS agreement, owners can roll out upgrades in phases, starting with higher-priority assets, while maintaining budget flexibility and minimizing project bottlenecks. Over time, this allows teams to standardize infrastructure across properties, streamline maintenance schedules and simplify vendor management.

The model also supports consistency of tenant experience across locations. Whether a tenant leases space in a suburban flex building or an urban mid-rise, they can expect the same level of wireless reliability, something harder to achieve with one-off system installations. For owners navigating diverse tenant requirements and competing for renewals, this consistency becomes a key differentiator.

Ultimately, service-based infrastructure helps property teams do more with less, modernizing their buildings, managing financial risk and meeting tenant expectations without overextending resources.

Design with scalability in mind

Wireless retrofits should be built to last. That means designing for scale; not only in bandwidth or device count, but also in terms of future technology shifts. Smart building adoption, artificial intelligence sensors and hybrid work models all increase the load on building networks.

To plan ahead:

• select modular equipment that can be upgraded without full replacement.

• reserve physical space in risers, closets and above-ceiling paths.

• install cable and conduit with capacity for higher data rates.

• use monitoring platforms that support centralized visibility and growth tracking.

• pre-install passive cabling and conduit in areas that may not need coverage today but could require it in the future, allowing for quicker, less disruptive upgrades as tenant needs evolve.

By integrating these strategies, owners can create future-ready infrastructure that supports long-term growth, minimizes rework and avoids the expense of another overhaul just a few years down the line.

Summary of best practices

Focus Area	Recommended Practice
Strategic Assessment	Conduct a full infrastructure audit, identify limitations, and define multinetwork goals.
Stakeholder Engagement	Include property staff, IT teams and code officials early in the planning process.
Unified Design	Build shared infrastructure for cellular, Wi-Fi and ERCES to reduce cost and complexity.
Tenant Disruption	Minimize impact with phased schedules, clear communication and mitigation tools.
Code Compliance	Align with AHJ and local requirements from the beginning, especially for ERCES systems.
Financial Planning	Consider flexible funding models and account for ongoing operational needs.

Conclusion

Modernizing wireless infrastructure in legacy buildings is no longer a question of if, but how. The right retrofit approach can unlock tenant satisfaction, regulatory compliance and operational efficiency, without compromising budgets or building integrity.

By approaching connectivity upgrades with a strategic, cross-functional and future-focused lens, FMs can transform aging assets into fully connected environments ready for the demands of tomorrow’s tenants.