An install interval is the time a provider expects to take to deliver a service, from an accepted order to a working circuit, port or line. Carriers usually quote it as a number of business days or a range, and it depends heavily on whether the provider already has network in the building. For buyers, the install interval is the number that decides when to order connectivity for a new office, a move or a provider change.
At a glance
- It is the expected time from an accepted order to a working service, usually quoted in business days or as a range.
- It is an estimate, not a commitment; a firmer due date normally comes later with a firm order commitment (FOC).
- Intervals depend on whether the address is on-net, near-net or off-net, and on construction, permits and building access.
- The clock often starts at order acceptance, so incomplete paperwork can delay it before any work begins.
- Missed install dates carry remedies only where the contract provides them.
What problem it solves
A business opening or moving a site needs connectivity working on a specific day, and the work to deliver it can involve several parties: the provider, a local access carrier, a construction crew, the building owner and the customer’s own cabling contractor. The install interval gives the buyer a planning number, so they know how far ahead to order and whether a site can open on time.
The trouble is that quoted intervals are often optimistic or assume the easiest case. A provider may quote a standard interval for a lit building and only discover later that it needs to build fiber, wait for a permit or order access from another carrier. Buyers who treat the first quote as a date can end up with staff in a new office and no internet. Understanding what an interval includes, and what it excludes, is how buyers plan realistically and decide whether they need a temporary connection.
How it works
Order acceptance. After you sign a service order, the provider checks it for completeness: service address, suite, site contacts, technical details and any required authorization. Many providers start the interval only once the order is accepted, which can be days after signature.
Feasibility and engineering. The provider confirms how it will reach the building. If it already has fiber and equipment there, the work may be limited to connecting a port. If it is on-net, near-net or off-net, the plan and the timeline can change sharply, and off-net service adds an order with a local access provider for the last mile.
Construction and access. Where new fiber is needed, permits, rights of way, landlord approval and construction crews set the pace. These steps are the most common cause of long or slipping intervals.
Due date. Once dependencies are understood, the provider issues a firm order commitment (FOC), its scheduled due date for delivery. The FOC is firmer than the quoted interval, though it can still move.
Inside wiring and turn-up. The circuit is delivered to the demarcation point. If your equipment is elsewhere in the building, a demarc extension may be needed before the service can be tested and turned up. Who handles that, and whether it is included, varies by provider.
When you compare options for a new site, our internet access page covers how to weigh providers, lead times and backup connections together.
When it matters for buyers
- Opening or moving an office. Check intervals before you sign a lease or set a move date, and build in margin for construction.
- Changing providers at renewal. The new circuit must be live before the old one ends; a long interval can force an extension of the old contract.
- Ordering dedicated internet access or other fiber services. These more often need construction than broadband does.
- Planning a cutover with fixed dates. Phone number ports, data center moves and go-lives depend on circuits being in place first.
- Comparing quotes. Two providers with similar prices may have very different intervals for the same address.
Questions to ask vendors
- What is your install interval for this exact address, and does it assume construction or not?
- Is the building on-net, near-net or off-net for you, and who provides the local access if off-net?
- What event starts the interval: signature, order acceptance or something else?
- When will you issue a firm order commitment, and how often do FOC dates move?
- What permits, landlord approvals or site work could extend the timeline, and who handles them?
- Is the demarc extension or inside wiring included, and who schedules it?
- What remedies, if any, apply if you miss the committed install date?
- Can you provide a temporary connection while the permanent circuit is built?
How it differs from a firm order commitment (FOC)
The install interval is an expected duration, usually quoted before or at the time of ordering, often as a standard figure for a type of service and location. A firm order commitment (FOC) is a specific due date the provider issues after accepting and assessing the order. Buyers use the interval to decide when to order, and the FOC to schedule installers, cutovers and move dates. Neither is a guarantee by itself; what you can rely on is whatever the contract says happens when a date is missed.