Managed services, outsourcing and connectivity will become the future business focus, as the Internet of Things (IoT) takes hold with tech offerings such as connected cars, homes and gadgets. Services will continue to converge and the unlikely partnering of companies, such as healthcare and wearable tech, media and telecoms, will occur. The increasing need for diverse services like targeted content and managed social contact will fuel the rise in a new type of media company.
Connectivity.
With a global reach available to all via the internet it is now possible for all companies to sell into Europe and the rest of the world. Exporting will enable companies to become more productive, innovative and resilient to economic downturns, whilst boosting exposure and reducing the risk of failure. However, at the route of all this and pivotal to its success is the need for good connectivity. Without a robust and secure network truly connected living will not be possible. As the UK hit the 90% super-fast broadband coverage target on 5th April 2016, we can see the great progress made since 2010, when it stood at 49.8%. Availability and take up are well ahead of most European countries which is encouraging news. Importantly there is no sign of the roll-outs slowing down yet and with Virgin Media expanding, KCom announcing an accelerated roll-out in Hull and a more fiber rich roll-out on the way from Openreach (G.fast and FTTP mix), hopefully we might start to see the ultra fast figures emulating the last few years superfast ones.
New Fiber Developments
A team of researchers from the University of Illinois have unlocked fiber optics’ potential as they managed to transmit data at 57 Gbps at room temperature with no errors, setting a new record for fiber optic transmission. Even when temperature got higher (185F), the team managed to transmit at 50 Gbps. However, before we get too excited the benefits of this will only be seen for short run, high volume data transfer usage in the short term. See the full report here
Managed Services
Technology is changing so quickly managing this can be difficult, especially if you want to utilize these technologies to improve your business.
Cyber security and off site backup have grown in importance making these services a priority and a growth industry. With the popularity of the cloud and the ever increasing volume of data, off site storage and managed data services is also increasing in popularity. Most small/medium businesses don’t have the time nor the technical expertise to manage the constant changing security and IT landscape, so outsourcing is the ideal and most cost effective solution.
Acquisition and Mergers
We have seen the acquisition of EE by BT this year along with Nokia purchasing Alcatel–Lucent and Telstra wrapping up Pacnet, and more mergers are on the horizon for companies looking to beef up their network of global partners. The government, keen to promote the UK’s business future and position as a major tech player, has approved the merging of councils such as Tees Valley Combined Authority, who focus on the economic development, transport infrastructure and skills for the region. Such initiatives are beginning to prove successful:
During the last five years TVU has:
- Secured 8,163 jobs
- Attracted £174m worth of investment
- Supported £1.3bn private sector investment
- Overseen £764m investment in its Enterprise Zone
The government is keen to exploit technology and drive innovation in the UK.
- From 2011 it set aside £200 million to fund a network of technology and innovation centres, as part of its efforts to stimulate the UK’s R&D capabilities and reduce the country’s reliance on the financial services sector.
Read more - It also pledged to invest £400 million in the East End Tech City, which is currently home to mostly small and medium-sized IT firms. Read more
- Ongoing in Jan 2016, London is joining forces with cities across Europe in a €25m project that will demonstrate how innovative uses of technology can improve the lives of local residents in the ‘Sharing Cities’ Lighthouse programme. Read more
- Tech Nation 2016 is the most comprehensive analysis of the UK’s Digital Tech Economy to date, showing how the digital Tech Industries are driving economic growth, employment and regional development. Read more
Major players like Google, BT, Facebook and Cisco have pledged their support for a city focused R&D pipeline in London.
This could help keep the UK at the cutting edge of future city technologies. We are now seeing the fruits from this with the development of technologies such asNetwork Function Visualization, or online services via software. This will negate the need for task specific hardware, routers, storage capacity etc. It will enable fast access to new technologies and services without the cost and risks normally associated with major purchases. Effectively, you can trial a service without long term commitment or cost, giving real flexibility of change and the ability to consistently meet ongoing business strategic requirements. Cisco, one of our telecom partners, is a key player in developing this emerging market technology, so we will keep you posted.
So we can see that technology and connectivity is the driving force behind how we are doing and shaping business in the UK. Through acquisition and mergers, both private and government based, our strength in the Technology sector is growing at an astounding rate.
To upgrade your internet or discuss new tech for your business call: 0800 014 9948
