Connecting today for tomorrow

The importance of the UK’s digital connectivity is frequently highlighted by policymakers.

The continued drive to ensure that the UK’s connectivity is upgraded and expanded is key to underpin business success, social connections, and economic growth across the country.

The need to ensure digital infrastructure across the UK will not only work today, but also cope with future technical advances is clear. And when it comes to individuals and businesses considering future-proofing their
home or company, connectivity – whether that is broadband delivered by full-fibre or upgraded coaxial cables, or 5G technology – can sometimes be overlooked, despite being the key to delivery and running of all technical devices.

Take, for example, the increasing demand for high tech devices among households – from remote lighting or heating technology to smart fridges, not to mention VR gaming and mobile phones and iPads. As households
ramp up the number of connected devices in their home, the need for connectivity and capacity will be greater.

Another example in the commercial sector is the focus among businesses and asset owners to meet their ESG targets. To help them assess the results of their increased efforts, especially around environmental issues, means increased monitoring. ESG monitoring can’t work without high-grade digital capacity.

In this report we aim to highlight these and other examples of why digital connectivity, specifically gigabit-capable broadband and 5G, are important, and why they are key considerations when individuals, businesses,
asset managers and property managers are planning for the future. As Ian Scott, head of property at Cadogan, says on in the report, “Gigabit connectivity is now more of a utility than a service. It is a necessity.”

Darren Zitren, head of infrastructure at Cluttons, says that sometimes this may mean non-digital experts with responsibility for property assets starting to ask questions around future-proofing. “The language around connectivity can be a barrier. Cluttons has been managing the property aspect of connectivity for 25 years, over which time we have seen an abundance of technical terms emerge. Overlay this with property’s love of an acronym and the whole topic can become difficult to navigate.” We have endeavoured to simplify this on pages 8 & 9.

The business and social needs for connectivity are starting to be more fully understood, but there are financial
implications too. On page 17 we interview Jules Barker, global director of product at WiredScore. He explains research conducted with Moody’s showing the difference in rental and lease performance for the highest
rated buildings – underlining that providing the best connectivity now and into the future has tangible financial benefits.

And, as outlined on page 19, the speed at which innovation has moved around digital devices and AI over the last few decades signals that the landscape may look very different in 10 or 20 years’ time. This is why we must also consider future needs when planning current digital connectivity.

We highlight some further steps that will help push the current efforts forward and underpin the understanding of the importance, and delivery, of high quality and high-capacity digital connectivity.