Renting retail space in the Netherlands and arranging internet
Without internet, your customers cannot pay by card. This is how you check the internet before you rent a shop in the Netherlands, and how you arrange a connection you can rely on.
Why internet is essential in a shop
In a shop, almost everything runs on the internet: the card terminal, the till, the stock, the webshop and the cameras. In the Netherlands, most customers pay by card. If the connection fails on a busy Saturday, customers cannot pay and you lose sales.
When you rent a shop, you look at the location, the footfall and the shop window. Ask about the internet too. In a shopping centre or an old building in the city centre, the connection is not always well arranged, and sometimes you share facilities with other shops.
Internet check for tenants
What internet do you need?
Answer a few short questions and get personal advice straight away: which connection suits you, what you need to arrange and what to check with the landlord.
Takes about a minute. You do not need to leave any details.
Your advice
Your internet profile:
This is what we recommend
https://www.it-label.com
This advice is a first indication based on your answers, not a measurement. Want certainty about the building? A Certified Partner inspects it on site with a pre-inspection.
What to look for in a shop
Card payments without interruption
Your card terminal must always work. Make sure there is a backup that takes over when the fixed connection fails, for example via 4G/5G.
Guest WiFi separate from the till
WiFi for customers is fine, but never on the same network as your till and card terminal.
Shopping centre or city centre
In a shopping centre, the manager sometimes arranges the connection. In an old building, the cabling is not always where you need it. Ask.
Cameras and alarm
Cameras and alarm systems are often connected to the internet. Ask how they are connected and whether they are separate from your till.
Fibre, cable, DSL or 4G/5G: what suits your shop?
| Technology | What you should know |
|---|---|
| Fibre | The best choice as a fixed connection: fast and stable. Ask whether it reaches into your shop. |
| Cable (coax) | A good fixed connection for most shops, if it is available at the address. |
| DSL (phone line) | Often enough for card payments only, but tight if you also have a webshop, cameras and guest WiFi. |
| 4G/5G | Essential as a backup for the card terminal. Also handy for a pop-up shop or as a temporary solution. |
Six questions for the landlord of your shop
Ask these questions before you sign. The answers decide whether you can work from day one.
- What internet connection is there in the shop? Fibre, cable, DSL or only mobile?
- Can I choose my own provider? Or does the shopping centre arrange the connection?
- Where does the connection enter? And is there cabling to the till?
- Do I share the meter cupboard or network with other shops? Who can access it?
- Is there good 4G/5G coverage in the shop? Needed for a backup for the card terminal.
- Does the building have an IT-Label? Look it up in Find your IT-Label.
https://www.it-label.com/en/retail-space-internet-netherlands
Arranging internet
Arranging internet for your retail space in 7 steps
Ask what is already there
Ask the landlord or the shopping centre manager which connection exists and with which provider. Sometimes you can take over the previous tenant's connection.
Check the exact address
Use the address check of several providers to see which technology is available: fibre, cable, DSL or 4G/5G.
Choose a business subscription
Look at the repair time in case of a failure and a fixed point of contact. In a shop, every day without card payments counts.
Apply in time
Start right after signing the lease, so the internet works on your opening day. A new connection can take weeks to months.
Get permission for installation
Drilling, cables to the till and a place for the router often need permission. Agree on this in advance.
Arrange a backup for card payments
Add a 4G/5G backup for the card terminal, or a terminal that can work over the mobile network itself.
Match the contract term
Choose a contract term that fits your lease, so you are not tied to the subscription for longer than you rent.
Setting up internet in the Netherlands: what is different?
Check the exact address
Dutch providers check availability per postcode and house number. Two buildings on the same street can have different options, so always check the exact address of your unit.
Have your KVK number ready
For a business subscription, providers usually ask for your registration number at the Dutch Chamber of Commerce (KVK). Register your company in time.
Ask for English
Contracts, installation appointments and support are often in Dutch. Ask whether the provider can help you in English, or bring someone who reads Dutch.
Read the lease carefully
Many Dutch commercial leases follow a standard model (ROZ). Check what it says about the connection, cabling and who pays for installation work.
Tips and pitfalls for your shop internet subscription
Guest WiFi separate
Give customers their own WiFi, separate from the till and card terminal. That way nobody can reach your systems through the guest WiFi.
Test the backup
A 4G/5G backup only helps if it works. Test now and then whether the card terminal switches over when the fixed connection fails.
Speed is not everything
For a shop, stability and the repair time for failures matter more than the highest speed.
WiFi is a separate matter
A fast subscription does not help if the WiFi drops out at the back of the shop or in the stockroom.
Secure it from day one
Use a good router or firewall. Small Dutch businesses can get a subsidy for this: read about the MCZ subsidy.
Moving from another office?
Check the notice period of your current subscription, and ask whether you can keep your phone number. That way you do not pay twice.
How the IT-Label helps
The IT-Label is the independent standard for the digital quality of buildings in the Netherlands. It shows the connection, the cabling, the technical rooms, the WiFi and the security of a building, at a level from IT1+ PREMIUM to IT5 SHELL. So before you sign, you know what the landlord provides and what you need to arrange yourself.
Look up the building in Find your IT-Label. No IT-Label yet? With an IT-Label Pre-inspection, a Certified Partner inspects the shop on site. More for tenants on the IT-Label for tenants.
Frequently asked questions about internet for your shop
Know what you rent
Have a Certified Partner check the internet and digital infrastructure of your new shop before you sign.
Related information
Office space Netherlands: arranging business internet
Renting an office in the Netherlands? Check the internet before you sign and arrange business internet: 7 steps, tips and questions for your landlord.
Business premises Netherlands: arranging internet
Renting business premises or a warehouse in the Netherlands? How to check the internet before you sign, and how to arrange it: 7 steps, tips and questions.
The IT-Label for tenants
The IT-Label clarifies before signing which digital delivery level a building has and which investment is still yours to make.
What should you pay attention to?
What should you pay attention to when assessing a building's digital infrastructure? From connectivity and WiFi to Smart Building features.