Free printable checklist
Office move IT checklist: internet, phones, network and cutover
The furniture is the easy part. The calls that go unanswered and the Monday with no internet come from IT steps that needed weeks of notice. This checklist puts them in order, from the day you pick the space to the first morning in the new office.
- Timeframe
- From signing the lease to the first week in the new space
- Steps
- 26
- Last reviewed
- October 2, 2026
- Price
- Free, no sign-up
Who this is for: Owners and office managers moving to a new building, adding a location or opening a first office.
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1.As soon as you pick the space
0 of 6These steps have the longest waits, so start them the week you sign. Ordering early costs nothing; ordering late can cost the first week in the new office.
The FCC National Broadband Map lists providers at an address, but it is based on what providers report, so confirm with each one directly.
Who: Office manager
A new business line, especially fiber that needs construction to the building, can take weeks to install, so ask for a written install date.
Who: Office manager
A second line, or a cellular backup, keeps phones and cloud software working when the main line goes down.
Who: IT provider
The FCC says you can usually keep a number when switching providers in the same area, but you may not be able to when you move to a new area.
Who: Office manager
Decide where the network closet, desks, printers, access points and cameras go before walls are painted and furniture is ordered.
Who: Owner and IT provider
You may need the landlord’s permission to run cable, mount an antenna or put equipment in a shared telecom room.
Who: Owner
2.Plan the network, phones and security
0 of 7Wired connections for desks, printers, phones, cameras and Wi-Fi access points are far cheaper to run before people and furniture move in.
Who: IT provider
Walls, metal racking and machinery block Wi-Fi, and a survey shows where access points need to go so there are no dead spots.
Who: IT provider
Network gear needs steady power and airflow, and a battery backup (a UPS) carries it through short outages so it shuts down cleanly.
Who: IT provider
Cameras and badge readers need cable and power in exact spots, which is easy now and expensive after the ceilings close.
Who: Owner and IT provider
Leased copiers often must be moved by the leasing company, and their schedule fills up.
Who: Office manager
A list makes the move checkable on arrival and flags old equipment to wipe and recycle instead of paying to move it.
Who: IT provider
Under Kari's Law and RAY BAUM'S Act, business phone systems must let anyone dial 911 directly and send a dispatchable location (the street address plus floor or suite) where technically feasible.
Who: Phone provider and IT provider
3.Move week: the cutover
0 of 6The cutover is the moment you switch from the old office to the new one. Plan it for a weekend or your slowest day.
Equipment gets dropped in moves, and a tested backup turns a broken server into an inconvenience instead of a crisis.
Who: IT provider
Labels turn reassembly into matching instead of guesswork, especially in the network closet.
Who: IT provider
Servers and network equipment are fragile and slow to replace, so they should not ride loose in a moving truck.
Who: IT provider
FCC rules require simple ports in one business day, but a business with several lines is usually not a simple port, so confirm the date in writing.
Who: Office manager and phone provider
The FCC warns not to cancel your existing service before the new service is set up, or you can lose the number.
Who: Office manager
Deliveries, invoices and customers will keep going to the old address until every list is updated, including your Google business listing.
Who: Office manager
4.First day in the new office: test everything
0 of 7Walk the building with a printed copy of this list before staff arrive, and again at the end of the first day.
A backup connection that has never been tested is a guess.
Who: IT provider
Ask your phone provider how to verify the 911 address without placing a real emergency call.
Who: Office manager and phone provider
Printers often get new network addresses in a move, which breaks saved printers and scan-to-email.
Who: IT provider
Check that cameras record and that someone can view them remotely before you rely on them.
Who: Owner and IT provider
The people who use the software every day spot problems faster than anyone else.
Who: Department leads
Cancel in writing and note the dates, so you are not billed for lines at an address you have left.
Who: Office manager
Who does what on this checklist?
Every step names an owner so nothing waits on a single person. Hand each owner their rows below, and agree ahead of time who covers if someone is out.
| Owner | Steps | Where they appear |
|---|---|---|
| IT provider | 11 | As soon as you pick the space; Plan the network, phones and security; Move week: the cutover; First day in the new office: test everything |
| Office manager | 7 | As soon as you pick the space; Plan the network, phones and security; Move week: the cutover; First day in the new office: test everything |
| Owner and IT provider | 3 | As soon as you pick the space; Plan the network, phones and security; First day in the new office: test everything |
| Office manager and phone provider | 2 | Move week: the cutover; First day in the new office: test everything |
| Department leads | 1 | First day in the new office: test everything |
| Owner | 1 | As soon as you pick the space |
| Phone provider and IT provider | 1 | Plan the network, phones and security |
How do you make this checklist work in real life?
A checklist only helps if the right people know it exists before they need it. These habits make the difference.
- Put one person in charge of the IT side of the move and give them this list. Moves go wrong in the gaps between the landlord, the movers, the phone company and the internet provider.
- Ask every provider for its install date in writing, and call to confirm a week before.
- If the new office is part of a growth plan, size the network closet and internet speed for the headcount you expect in three years, not today.
- Opening a second location? Plan how the two sites will share files, phones and security from the start rather than bolting it on later.
Want help with the steps that need an IT provider?
Preferred Data Corporation has supported businesses from High Point, NC since 1987. These services cover the technical steps on this list.
Frequently asked questions
How far ahead should we order internet for a new office?
As soon as you know the address. Install times vary by provider and by whether the building already has service, and new fiber that needs construction can take weeks. Ask each provider for a written install date and order a backup connection at the same time.
Can we keep our phone numbers when we move?
Usually, if you stay in the same area. The FCC says you can keep a number when you switch providers in the same geographic area, but you may not be able to when you move to a new one. Do not cancel your old service until the new one is working.
Do we really need a Wi-Fi survey?
For anything bigger than a small open office, yes. Interior walls, metal shelving and machinery weaken Wi-Fi, and a survey shows where to put access points so the warehouse or back office does not become a dead zone.
What do we have to do about 911 when we move?
Update the location your phone system sends with a 911 call. Federal rules require business phone systems to allow direct 911 dialing and to send a dispatchable location, meaning the street address plus details such as floor or suite. Your phone provider can help you set and verify it.
What should we do with old computers we are not moving?
Copy off anything you need, then wipe the drives with proper erasing software; the FTC warns that deleting files is not enough. Recycle through an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler and keep the certificate.
Sources
- FCC: National Broadband Map
- FCC: How to use the National Broadband Map
- FCC: Porting, keeping your phone number when you change providers
- FCC: Multi-line telephone systems, Kari’s Law and RAY BAUM’S Act 911 rules
- FTC: Protecting Personal Information, A Guide for Business
- EPA: Certified electronics recyclers
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Moving or opening an office in North Carolina?
Preferred Data designs and installs business networks and Wi-Fi from High Point, with on-site service within 200 miles. Bring us in when you pick the space, not the week before you move.
Preferred Data Corporation, 1208 Eastchester Drive, Suite 131, High Point, NC 27265