Confirm the site, contact person, and access times
Before technicians arrive, make sure one person is available to meet them on site and answer questions. That contact should know where the fibre entry point is, where the router or switch will sit, and who can approve any small changes on the day.
Please also check building access rules in advance. In Century City, Bellville, Stellenbosch, Somerset West, Paarl, and many Cape Town office parks, technicians may need sign-in, parking details, or lift access. If your office has security gates or after-hours restrictions, send those details early so the team does not lose time at reception.
If you are moving offices, give the new address, floor number, unit number, and any loading bay instructions. A short delay at the start can affect the rest of the appointment so it helps to have everything written down.
Make space for fibre, VoIP, and power equipment
Your installation will go faster if the equipment area is clear and dry. Set aside a small, well-ventilated spot for the fibre termination point, router, switch, and phone adapter equipment. A cupboard can work, but only if it is not locked during the day and has decent airflow.
Try to keep this space away from windows that get direct sun, cleaning chemicals, and areas with coastal damp. In Cape Town and nearby coastal suburbs, humidity can affect poorly stored equipment. If you are in an older building, check for water marks, loose skirting, or cracked wall channels before the team starts running cables.
- Clear at least 1 metre around the equipment area
- Make sure a power socket is available within reach
- Check for a stable surface or wall space for mounting
- Keep the area free of boxes, files, and cleaning gear
Check power, backup, and load-shedding readiness
VoIP and fibre depend on stable power, so it is worth checking your backup plan before installation day. If you use a UPS, confirm that it is working and has enough runtime for your router, ONT, and switch. If you do not yet have backup power, speak to the team about the best way to keep phones and internet up during load-shedding.
Also check whether the office has enough sockets near the planned installation point. Overloaded multiplugs can cause trouble later, especially if phones, printers, and network gear all share the same circuit. It is better to plan this properly now than to move things around afterwards.
If your building has generator power or shared backup, find out which circuits stay live. This helps with phone system continuity during outages and avoids confusion when the lights go off.
Prepare staff, numbers, and phone settings
If you are porting an existing number, gather the current account details and make sure the person handling the move can approve the porting request. Any mismatch in the business name, ID details, or billing information can delay the process.
It also helps to list how your office currently uses calls. Write down how many users need phones, who answers the main line, which departments take calls, and whether anyone works from home or off site. This gives the installer a clear picture of what needs to be connected on day one.
- Main numbers and existing lines
- Extensions for each staff member or department
- Voicemail greetings and call routing needs
- After-hours contact requirements
- Any fax, alarm, or lift line that must stay active
If your team needs training, choose one or two people to learn the phone system first. They can then help the rest of the office once the setup is live, which keeps things moving even if everyone is busy.
Map cable routes and work areas before the team arrives
Good cable planning saves time and keeps the office neater. Walk through the site and note where new network cabling may need to run, especially if you have moved furniture, added meeting rooms, or changed the layout since the last setup. Offices with glass partitions, high ceilings, or long passages often need a bit more planning than expected.
Mark any areas that are sensitive, such as server cupboards, reception, boardrooms, or shared tenant spaces. If you are in a managed building, check whether the landlord wants cable routes approved before work begins. That avoids complaints later and helps the project stay within building rules.
Where possible, keep temporary obstacles out of the way on the day. Staff should know which rooms will be in use, and which ones should be left clear for drilling, patching, and testing.
What to have ready on installation day
A small amount of preparation makes the day much easier for everyone. Have the basics ready so the technicians can test services properly and hand over without delay. It also helps to keep one person available for sign-off during final testing, rather than trying to track down approvals later.
- Site contact with phone number and message
- Building access instructions and parking details
- Power sockets near the equipment area
- Any existing modem, router, switch, or phone handsets
- Login details if required for WiFi or network handover
- List of staff who need phone extensions or call access
Once the work is complete, do a quick check with the team before they leave. Test incoming and outgoing calls, internet connectivity, WiFi coverage, and any special settings such as call forwarding or voicemail. If something looks off, it is much easier to adjust it on the spot.
After setup, keep the system easy to manage
When the installation is finished, keep one file with the key details in a safe place. Store your account contacts, porting records, WiFi names, passwords, and support numbers together so they are easy to find later. This saves time if staff change or the office expands.
It also helps to tell staff what to do during an outage or phone issue. A short internal note can cover who to call, where the backup router is kept, and which numbers need urgent attention first. Small habits like this prevent confusion when something changes unexpectedly.
If your business grows, review the setup every few months. Add new users, check coverage in meeting rooms, and confirm that your phone system still matches how the office works. A little maintenance now can prevent bigger problems later, especially when the office gets busier.
