34 . Glasgow Business January/February 2013
ADVERTORIAL
www.virginmediabusiness.co.uk
Super-connected cities will bring opportunities for budding entrepreneurs
SUPER FAST T
he wheels for super- connectivity have been set in motion and we’re heading towards an
exciting digital era where we’ll be living in a world of connected cities. A recent Gartner report found
that mobile data traffic is showing no signs of slowing down. Importantly, we’re going to need faster, more reliable networks to keep up, so our budding start-ups and entrepreneurs’ businesses can be suitably propped up. We’re not the only ones to think super- connectivity is the future: the Government recently announced its super-connected city initiative, where it’ll be investing millions of pounds in 10 cities. But what needs to happen to
bring connected cities to life? Lots of people think beter broadband is the answer, but the problem goes much deeper than that. From small-cell technology on
lamp posts through to gigabit unrestricted connectivity in even the smallest of start-up offices, what we need is a blend of technology. Tere’s lots of pieces to the puzzle. We need to make sure we’re
bringing together a range of innovations to help transform these cities into the super- connected hubs we’re aiming for. Tis’ll help our entrepreneurs hit the ground running, giving them that much-needed competitive edge. By supporting the connectivity
agenda, and providing access to faster and more reliable connectivity, the local economy will be boosted because entrepreneurs will be able to ‘go global’ and connect to the markets and customers they’re targeting. With access to super-fast, reliable internet connectivity, start-ups can focus on
the most important thing – their business – without having to worry about their infrastructure. Tat’s why we’re powering
small-cell networks in cities across the UK. Tese can be mounted on lampposts and can deliver speeds of up to 90Mbit/s – that’s three times faster than the current average 3G or Wi-fi speeds. Tese networks are helping transform the mobile experience by providing the necessary bandwidth to match the explosive data demand we’re seeing. Flexible working practices are, for instance, becoming the norm. Tis trend brings with it an increased reliance on smartphones and tablets outside the office, but data-hungry apps can quickly gobble up the existing bandwidth. Tat’s why faster, more reliable
and more robust networks need to be supplied to support this huge data deluge, and we’re proud to be doing just that. Scotland is already aboard the
connectivity train as Edinburgh is one of the first cities to be awarded Government funding as part of the super-connected city initiative. Bagging £10.7 million, the city council’s aim is to have more than 90 per cent of Edinburgh residents and businesses with access to high-speed broadband by 2015 and we’re keen to help them make this happen. We’re dedicated to giving our
budding entrepreneurs and start-ups a leg up when it comes to business. Working with the Government to connect our cities is a great way of doing that. In the current climate, we’re
giving small businesses a competitive edge that lets them compete on a level playing field with larger companies. And this is only the very beginning.
“We’re giving small businesses a competitive edge that lets them compete on a level playing field”
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