technology
New digital infrastructure unlocks huge potential for Reading and Bracknell
The Thames Valley is one of the highest net contributors to HM Treasury with a thriving digital technology sector, specialising in hardware and software development, telecommunications, global business services, analytics and more. And it’s only growing, with Reading recently announced as the UK’s highest growth city this past year, writes Nick Gray, city development manager, CityFibre
While this is excellent news for the continued growth in the Thames Valley, the area’s developing business hub can place crippling constraints on road networks, transport services and most of all the digital infrastructure.
With such technology-dependant firms active in the M4 corridor, they’re reliant on having the internet speeds to support research, employee interaction and business functions, especially in today’s inter-connected global economy. If the technology doesn’t keep pace, will the Thames Valley retain its attractiveness through the continuing data explosion?
The good news is that the region already has the answer to this developing issue – the Gigabit City networks in Reading and Bracknell launched by CityFibre and local telecoms partner, BtL. The jump from BT’s 20th century copper infrastructure to pure-fibre, gigabit – that’s 1000mbps – speed technology is a huge leap, especially for those businesses in the area and the UK as a whole accustomed to the slow cumbersome connections experienced over copper.
Although gigabit speed fibre may be new to the UK, it isn’t a revelation to the countless cities across the world already embracing pure-fibre internet connections. In the US, Chattanooga in Tennessee leads the Gigabit revolution. In a recent interview, Chattanooga mayor, Andy Berke, suggested that the city’s new network was a main catalyst for a number of successes. Since its launch in 2009 the city has seen a 3.7% drop in unemployment and population increases in its downtown area, fuelling new leisure and retail businesses. The City is also reporting an increase in start-ups, having secured $50 million in new investment by 2014.
In Europe, Stockholm became one of the world’s first Gigabit Cities dating as far back as 1994. Owing to its investment in fibre optic infrastructure, Stockholm has a higher proportion of people working in high-tech companies than any other European country with 18% of the region’s total workforce employed in STEM industries. So far, it has saved the local government over €250m in IT and telecoms services, delivering an estimated €1.8 billion return on investment (according to Fredrik Sand from Stockholm Chamber of Commerce).
Closer to home, Peterborough, another CityFibre project city, has experienced a major transformation in recent years. In 2015 it sought off competition from Moscow and Dubai to be crowned ‘Smart City of the Year’ – the same year it enjoyed a new record for business start-up rates. The Gigabit City network has also brought gigabit internet speeds to public sector sites including schools and hospitals, and more recently 220 CCTV sites, optimising efficiency and the way local communities communicate..
In the past, the Thames Valley has been ill- equipped to deal with these new demands on its transport networks and infrastructure, but with Crossrail on the way, and CityFibre’s launch of Gigabit Internet speeds into the Thames Valley, the region is well-set to remain at the heart of the British economy for many years to come.
If you are interested in learning more about the Gigabit revolution happening on your doorstep here in the Thames Valley, see details below.
cityfibre.com/reading/ reading@cityfibre.com
THE BUSINESS MAGAZINE – THAMES VALLEY – FEBRUARY 2017
businessmag.co.uk
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