SCIENCE

Comcast announced the results of its 2011 State of Communications Services in Commercial Real Estate Survey. The company polled nearly 500 U.S. commercial real estate building owners and property managers, all of whom are members of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA). The survey asked for their opinions regarding the importance of advanced communications services, such as Metro Ethernet, broadband Internet, voice, video and related services, for attracting and retaining tenants.

Respondents confirmed that access to advanced communications services has surpassed on-site gyms, cafeterias and other building amenities as a top priority for tenants when choosing office locations. In fact, 90% of respondents say that access to advanced communications ranked as top on the list only after price, parking and location.

Furthermore, more than one third of respondents stated that the topic of access to advanced communications services is raised in 75% of negotiations with prospective tenants. As a result, many property owners and building managers are expanding their network infrastructure options and using these technologies to give them a competitive edge and marketing tool for attracting and retaining tenants in today's challenging economic conditions.

2011 State of Communications Services in Commercial Real Estate Survey Findings:

-- 90% of building owners and managers say that access to advanced communications services is the most important selling point behind only price, parking and location;

-- 61% of respondents report that having advanced communications in their buildings provides them with a competitive advantage;

-- One out of every two respondents say that providing multiple service provider options positively impacts occupancy rates by up to 19%; and

-- Over one third of respondents say that in 75% of negotiations with prospective tenants, the topic of access to advanced communications services is discussed.

"Access to advanced communications for tenants is a key factor when selecting a space for their business," said Linda Warda, property manager at Farbman Group, a company that manages more than 20 million square feet of office, retail, multi-family and industrial space throughout Southeast Michigan. "When we equipped our buildings with advanced communications, it generated a lot of excitement among our tenants. Our tenants needed a highly-reliable, all-in-one solution that would allow them to quickly and easily receive Internet, phone and cable television services -- without reaching out to different providers."

"At our recent annual conference, building owners and managers were talking about strategies for making their buildings 'smart' -- both from a sustainability and technological standpoint," said Patricia M. Areno, CAE, senior vice president of BOMA international. "Access to advanced communications seems to be a new competitive advantage when marketing buildings to tenants and these survey results illustrate that communications is an ever-increasing priority for commercial property owners."

The 2011 State of Communications Services in Commercial Real Estate Survey was conducted in August 2011 and polled nearly 500 building owners and property managers responsible for a wide array of different types of properties across the U.S., including high rise commercial office buildings, suburban office parks, healthcare facilities, government buildings, and educational institutions. The online questionnaire asked members of the Building Owners and Managers Association (BOMA) about their opinions regarding advanced communications services. For a detailed survey results summary, please click here to download a copy.

"As businesses look to accelerate their operations and reduce IT costs with SaaS and cloud-based services, companies are realizing that a scalable, reliable wide area network connection is critical to the success of their business, which is precisely why access to multiple fiber network connections is a top priority in recent office space searches," said Terry Connell, senior vice president for Comcast Business Services. "From high rises in cities to suburban office parks, Comcast Business Class is already in 20 of the top 25 markets in the U.S., and we continue to actively build out our all-fiber network."

To provide additional perspective on this trend, Comcast Business Services will also be hosting a webinar titled Telecom 2011: Empowering Access to the Cloud on Friday, October 14 from 12:30 -- 1:30 p.m. ET. This webinar will feature a discussion of telecom history and current trends, including highlights and implications of the 2011 State of Communications Services in Commercial Real Estate Survey results. There will be a panel discussion for building owners and managers at the conclusion of the webinar.