2026 Buyer’s Guide
How to choose a structured cabling and managed IT provider
Picking the company that wires your building and runs your IT is a hard decision to reverse. This is a vendor-neutral framework you can use with anyone you talk to: the terms in plain language, the eight things to compare, the questions to ask, and how to switch without downtime. Then we show where Norvet fits, honestly.
Start with the words
A few terms come up in every sales conversation. Here is what they actually mean, so no one can talk past you.
- Structured cabling
- The planned, documented wiring that everything in your building runs on: data jacks, patch panels, and the closet they all come back to.
- Low-voltage / limited-energy
- The licensing category most cabling, cameras, access control, and Wi-Fi fall under. The rules vary by state.
- Cat6, Cat6A, fiber
- Common cable grades. Cat6 covers most offices, Cat6A future-proofs longer or faster runs, fiber carries the most over distance.
- Demarc
- The point where your internet carrier’s network ends and your building’s wiring begins.
- MSP (managed service provider)
- A company that runs your IT for a flat monthly fee instead of charging you each time something breaks.
- vCIO
- A part-time strategic IT advisor, so you get planning help without a full-time executive salary.
- EDR vs MDR
- EDR is the endpoint security tool. MDR is a team watching that tool around the clock and responding for you.
- SLA
- The written promise on how fast a provider answers and resolves issues. If it is not in writing, it is not a promise.
The eight things to evaluate
Score every provider on the same list. The gaps show up fast when you compare them side by side.
- 1
Licensing and accountability
Does the provider hold or coordinate the correct low-voltage license for your state, and is one party accountable for the whole job? You want a single owner, not a finger-pointing chain.
- 2
Subcontractor vetting
Does the provider screen the installers it puts on your site for safety and wage-compliance history? Most buyers never think to ask, and it is one of the clearest signals of a serious shop.
- 3
Standards and documentation
Look for a recognized design standard, a manufacturer warranty, labeled jacks, and as-built drawings you actually receive and keep.
- 4
Response and on-site capability
A written SLA, and realistic on-site times for every location you operate. Ask what happens after business hours.
- 5
Cybersecurity depth
Endpoint detection and response, managed monitoring, multi-factor authentication, tested backups, and a written incident-response plan.
- 6
Compliance fit
Whether they can support the rules that apply to you, such as HIPAA, PCI, or SOC 2, and any rules specific to your industry.
- 7
Pricing transparency and exit terms
Flat fee or per user, what is included versus billed extra, and how hard it is to leave. Read the exit clause before you sign, not after.
- 8
Proof
Real, reachable references in your size and your sector. A good provider hands them over without hesitating.
Questions to ask any provider
Copy these into your next call.
- Who holds the low-voltage license for work in my state, and who is accountable if something goes wrong?
- Do you screen the installers on my site for safety and wage-compliance history?
- What design standard do you build to, and what documentation do I receive at handoff?
- What is your response-time SLA, in writing, including after hours?
- What cybersecurity is included by default, and what is an add-on?
- Which compliance frameworks can you support for my industry?
- Is your pricing flat or per user, and what falls outside the base fee?
- What does it take to leave, and who owns my data and documentation?
- Can you give me two references my size and in my sector?
- Do my security protections stay active if we ever have a billing dispute?
Red flags
- No written SLA, only verbal assurances.
- Cannot name the licensed crew that will actually do the install.
- Vague about who owns your data and documentation.
- Security protections get suspended during a billing dispute.
- Pressure to sign before anyone has walked your space.
What it typically costs
Managed IT is usually billed per user per month for a defined scope. Structured cabling is usually priced per drop plus materials and labor, with cable grade and site conditions driving the range. Anyone who quotes a firm number before walking your space is guessing. A real number needs a site walk.
How to switch without downtime
- 1
Document your current setup: circuits, devices, accounts, and who holds each login.
- 2
Review your current contract for notice periods and exit terms.
- 3
Stage the cutover with the new provider so nothing flips all at once.
- 4
Transfer credentials and software licenses into accounts you own.
- 5
Run both setups in parallel briefly, confirm everything works, then decommission the old one.
Where Norvet fits
Norvet is a service-disabled veteran-owned and minority-owned company. We design and project-manage structured cabling and fulfill it through vetted, licensed local crews, so you get one accountable owner instead of a stack of subcontractors you have to manage yourself.
We screen those crews for safety and wage-compliance history before they touch your site, we lead by understanding the systems you already run, and we work to avoid breaking what already works. Our security layer, including detection and response, backups, and multi-factor authentication, stays on even during a billing dispute.
For agencies and prime contractors, our veteran-owned status is a set-aside lane many national providers cannot offer. If that applies to you, start with our government vendor technology readiness guide. New to the terms? Read what is structured cabling.
Common questions
What is structured cabling, and how is it different from just running network cable?
Structured cabling is a standardized, documented wiring system built to a recognized design standard, rather than ad-hoc runs added over the years. The standardization is what makes it easy to troubleshoot, expand, and certify under a manufacturer warranty.
How do I choose a structured cabling or managed IT provider?
Score each provider on the same eight things: correct state licensing and single-point accountability, whether they vet installer safety and wage records, design standards and documentation, written SLAs, cybersecurity depth, compliance fit, pricing transparency and exit terms, and reachable references. Ask for each in writing before you sign.
How are structured cabling and managed IT priced?
Managed IT is usually billed per user per month for a defined scope. Structured cabling is usually priced per drop plus materials and labor, with cable grade and site conditions driving the range. A firm number needs a site walk, because every building is different.
Should a cabling provider self-perform or use subcontractors?
Either model can work. What matters is accountability and vetting: one party owning the outcome, and proof that the licensed crew on your site has been screened for safety and wage-compliance history. Ask who holds the license in your state and who is accountable if something goes wrong.
What cybersecurity should be included with managed IT?
At a minimum: endpoint detection and response, managed monitoring, multi-factor authentication, tested backups, and a written incident-response plan. Ask whether those protections stay active during a billing dispute, because many providers suspend them.
How do I switch IT providers without downtime?
Document your current infrastructure, review your existing contract’s exit terms, stage the cutover, transfer credentials and licenses into accounts you own, then run both setups in parallel before decommissioning the old one. A good provider plans the transition with you and coordinates with the outgoing vendor.
Can a national provider deliver local cabling work?
Yes, when the design and project management are centralized and the physical install is done by a licensed local crew that has been vetted. The questions to ask are who holds the local license, who manages the schedule, and who you call if there is a problem.
Comparing providers right now?
Bring us the same questions you are asking everyone else. We will answer them in writing and scope your space honestly.