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Are AltNets primed to succeed in a fiercely competitive fibre market?

Since they began to emerge around a decade ago, Alternative Network Providers (AltNets) have made significant progress towards putting the UK on an equal fibre footing with the rest of Europe in terms of its access to fibre connectivity. But in recent months, the viability of the AltNet business model has been met with scrutiny from telecoms incumbents, with the big network players having voiced their concerns that the delivery of extensive fibre or overbuilding could see just a few players cross the finish line in the race to better connect the UK.

Despite incumbent doomsaying, AltNets have adopted a sophisticated business model, choosing the most underserved regions in need of superfast services as key targets for fibre rollouts.

That being said, competition is growing increasingly fierce in the fibre broadband market. One example of this is the introduction of Equinox 2 by Openreach. The provider of the UK’s biggest fibre network announced it would slash pricing for those providers that make use of Openreach’s network for broadband services. Some AltNets have voiced their concerns that this approach by Openreach may choke competition and even threaten the pace of the UK’s full fibre rollout.

AltNets face other issues too. For example, many based their business models on the assumption that if an AltNet was there, an incumbent wouldn’t overbuild them. But this hasn’t necessarily been the case. Instead, we’ve seen some incumbents accelerating their builds. And despite the increased availability of fibre, both groups face the same conundrum: low market penetration.

In this blog, we’ll explore the opportunity that remains for AltNets to grow, and how they can continue to boast ongoing success.

An opportunity for growth
Large numbers of companies competing for a share of the market in any one location is of course, uneconomical. However, the game is far from over for AltNets. A report from Ookla found that AltNets are often harvesting the top speeds in key areas of the UK, which are critical to data hungry customers. In particular, businesses will be looking to pull resources from the cloud or transport high volumes of data, as well as high performance virtual reality and other video applications which require high speeds to avoid buffering.

To build business resilience, AltNets could instead draw their attention to densely populated business postcodes. This underlying connectivity can act as the foundation for creating tech hubs that fall, outside of London, and AltNets can leverage this through educating businesses of the importance of connectivity services to act as a springboard to support their business function. There is also the potential to market the futureproof nature of gigabit capable services beyond the typical ‘superfast’ to create strong footholds in niche markets.

The not-so-level playing field
AltNets have already demonstrated the key role they can play in the government’s levelling up agenda. However, when it comes to government funding, access rights and wayleaves, the playing field is not entirely level.

Bigger suppliers are able to move quickly, without the need to negotiate the permissions smaller players face. The result is additional fees and the slowing down of progress for AltNets, making it more difficult for them to play a critical role in the realisation of Project Gigabit. It seems that as far as ‘levelling up’ is concerned, less red tape and a more level playing field is of upmost importance for challengers within the telecoms’ infrastructure supplier community.

The competition is far from lost
It’s fair to say that for AltNets, the competition is in fact far from over. There is still a viable opportunity for them to succeed. Due to the vast size of incumbents, it wouldn’t be fair to measure the success of AltNets on market share alone. Instead, they should focus on how well they reach customers, and how they serve them, while continuing to establish a competitive advantage through market-leading speeds and high capacity, end-to-end connectivity for businesses and consumers.

Understanding customer needs and continuing to be sophisticated in their approach of identifying businesses and postcodes that put a premium on connectivity will be imperative. But so too will partnering with national connectivity aggregators that can extend the AltNets networks and provide higher capacities into hard-to-reach locations to continue creating long term revenues and achieving business resilience.

Learn more about how we support AltNets in extending their reach across the UK, enabling them to rival the incumbents looking to block their way, in our case study with established AltNet, Giganet.

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Teach your children – and your research scientists

As a communications company, our technology reaches into every sector of industry and every walk of life. It also stays with you throughout your life. Take the education sector as an example.

While good old-fashioned textbooks still have a role to play in the classroom, and expert research papers will of course remain important sources of learning in higher education, there is no doubt that the internet now trumps everything and is the most important education tool in the world.

Whether for discovering or documenting knowledge, the internet can provide equal and inclusive access to information. However, the UK’s digital divide means that not all internet access is created equally. In the early learning years – good quality access needs to be more widely available. Higher up the education ladder, higher speeds, greater bandwidth and more data capacity are required.

So, whether we are talking about doctorate research in universities, or interactive teaching in primary schools, the internet is now the key to lifelong learning; and the connectivity we provide is fundamental to its availability and to its efficiency.

At Neos Networks we are deeply involved in projects that reflect that importance of those lifelong connections through education. Take the work we have been doing in Aberdeenshire as an example. Working in partnership with the City and regional councils, the Scottish Government and local health authorities, we have been creating a digital network to provide high quality internet access across the greater Aberdeen region.

In the last two years, we have delivered some 275km of Dark Fibre network, covering five major locations across Aberdeenshire. The project is already delivering fibre connectivity and digital services to more than 192 public sector sites across the region, including its schools, colleges and libraries. Smart city projects like this not only help to improve local services they also help to address the digital divide, creating better shared community internet resources. And, in the case of Aberdeen, Neos Networks has brought high speed internet access within reach of some 44,000 homes.

Of course, while the physical infrastructure is the starting point of any smart city project and its reach into education, in Aberdeen we took the learning aspect a step further. Throughout the two years of the project, we have been delivering careers presentations across the city’s schools and colleges and have also provided work placement opportunities for the city’s college students. What’s more, we have created several full time and foundational apprenticeships.

The idea has been to highlight careers opportunities within the IT sector that might otherwise have been missed and help build a local workforce adept in managing and maintaining the smart city fibre network.

As a company, we also play a key role in the UK’s higher education and research sector. Across these fields, the sheer volume of data being produced or accessed within its institutions, coupled with the requirement for super-fast cloud-based data processing and a growing thirst for UHD video, are combining to drive demand for near limitless network capacity and ever higher speeds.

For these applications, public networks are unlikely to provide the dedication and bandwidth required so private networks come to the fore. In the UK, its universities, colleges and major research establishments rely on the private Janet network provided by Jisc – a membership organisation delivering shared digital infrastructure and services across higher education, further education, research, and the wider public sector

During the last year, we have been working with Jisc on a major upgrade programme across its regional networks. A great example of this is in the North-West of England, where a new Dark Fibre network will come on-stream later this year delivering ten-fold increases in speed and providing connectivity speeds of up to 100Gbps. Large universities in Manchester, Liverpool, and Lancaster, as well as important research facilities such as the Jodrell Bank Observatory, are all connected to Jisc in the North-West.

To get a better understanding of the staggering amount of data involved, it’s worth adding that the Science & Technology Facilities Council has its key laboratory in Daresbury connected to the network. This laboratory is the central facility handling all the investigative data into dark matter arriving in the UK from CERN’s Large Hadron Collider in Switzerland.

Jisc’s Janet network connects the UK via a national backbone and 15 regional infrastructures, and we’ve been working with them to upgrade many of the regional loops. Most recently we have built a new Dark Fibre network for colleges, universities and research institutions in Northern Ireland and have linked that to the national backbone via two separate submarine cables coming ashore in Southport and Glasgow.

Effectively, with a good internet connection you can today access the sum of all human knowledge and information. In education terms it is used to discover, document, advance and share knowledge – whether for first learnings, GSCE studies or PHD research. At Neos Networks – we can be rightly proud that we are providing the vital connections that are helping to facilitate and empower lifelong learning.

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Fibre optics: what is it and how does it work?

Fibre optics, optical fibre and optical networking are all ways to describe the science of transmitting data traffic as pulses of light through glass fibre strands inside an insulated casing. In this blog post we’ll explore fibre optics and the role of fibre optic networks in communications and connectivity. We’ll answer questions around how fibre optics works, the types of fibre optic cables available, and what fibre optics is used for, as well as addressing the pros and cons of optical network fibre for business.

What is fibre optics?

Fibre optics is a way of sending information through a transparent optical fibre in the form of a pulsed beam of light. The light travels through the core of the fibre, the inner transmitting cylinder, surrounded by a reflective cladding to prevent any light from escaping. These optical fibres can be manufactured from plastic, but more often than not are made from silica glass, with each one less than a tenth of the thickness of a human hair.

Typically, the light-transmitting core of the optical fibre only accounts for around 3.5% of its total diameter, with the cladding and coating layer forming the bulk of the fibre’s volume.

When glass cladded with a refractive material was originally introduced in the 1950s, impurities in the glass restricted optical fibre applications to medical use for endoscopies. It wasn’t until 1975 that the first non-experimental fibre optic link was installed in the UK by Dorset Police. Two years later, the first live telephone transmission through fibre optics took place in California. The science of fibre optics has come a long way since those early days, and optical networks are now sending light signals across distances in excess of 50 miles.

What is an optical network?

An optical network is the fastest way to transmit and receive data, allowing reliable electronic communications to take place over long distances.

An optical network consists of:

  • A laser or LED light source, to create and transmit the signal
  • Optical fibre, to carry the signal
  • A multiplexer, so multiple pieces of data can be sent over the same wire
  • A photodiode receiver, to capture the signal at the end of its journey

When compared with copper, an optical network is far less prone to external inference and signal loss over distance, and can achieve substantially higher speeds.

How do fibre optics work?

Using the components of an optical network, fibre optics work by converting electronic binary data, the zeros and ones of computer code, into a series of light pulses. These ‘light off’ and ‘light on’ states are created by sending photons bouncing down the fibre optic core through a process known as total internal refraction. That means no light leaks out of the fibre tube as it progresses along its journey.

The light travels down the fibre optic cable in a process known as modes. These modes are just ways to describe the path taken by the light beam. One mode is to fire the light beam directly down the centre of the fibre, another is to bounce it off the wall at a shallow angle.

These modes can also be categorised as single-mode or multi-mode. These definitions depend on whether all light beams travel straight down the middle (single-mode), or as multiple light beams transmitted simultaneously, each at a marginally different reflection angle.

To increase the bandwidth, optical wavelengths can be exploited, allowing data to be transferred across up to 88 bandwidth channels at once.

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Different types of optical fibres and their uses

Single-mode optical fibre is the most common type of optical fibre. It is a single glass fibre strand used to transmit a single mode or ray of light. Single-mode, as the name suggests, features only one transmission mode and is used to send data over long distances, meaning it can form the foundations of Dark Fibre networks.

Examples of single-mode optical fibre use are:

  • Internet
  • Cable television
  • Telephony

Multi-mode optical fibre cable carries multiple light beams, all travelling through the core together, following different paths so that they don’t interfere with one another. That means higher bandwidth and faster data transfer is available.

Multi-mode cables are used for computer networking and send information over relatively short distances.

Fibre optic gastroscopes are another type of fibre optic cable. They consist of a tube of even thicker optical fibres and are used primarily for medical purposes to detect digestive system disorders, allowing doctors to view the lining of the stomach and intestines. An industrial version of the gastroscope, called a fibrescope, is used to examine inaccessible pieces of machinery in manufacturing, automotive and aeronautical sectors.

What types of optical networks are available?

Fibre optic networks can come in different varieties, for different purposes, such as protection for energy infrastructure or for a company transmitting data between sites. Each uses fibre optic cables to carry signals between sites or from a network hub to a point in close proximity to its final destination. The latter is how company and consumer internet services are sold and are commonly known as FTTx architectures, or Fibre To The X which can be an office or a point on a road.

As the name suggests, in Fibre To The Home (FTTH) and Fibre To The Premise (FTTP) installations, optical fibres carry the signal all the way to the home or office. This is the fastest type of connection available.

Fibre To The Cabinet (FTTC) is a partial optical fibre connection, where the cables run to the nearest street cabinet, and copper cable is used to carry the signal the rest of the way. Similarly, Fibre To The Building (FTTB) terminates at a point on a shared property, and then other cabling types provide the connection to individual offices, residential properties and spaces.

What are the pros and cons of optical network fibre for business?

We’ve covered a lot of ground, from ‘what is optical fibre?’ to ‘what are the types of optical network?’, now let’s explore some of the advantages and disadvantages of the technology as a whole.

The advantages of optical network fibre for business are:

  • Speed with faster data transfer than copper cable can achieve
  • Quality because there’s no electromagnetic interference between adjacent optical fibres
  • Scalability as it’s easy to install new equipment using original fibre, and wavelengths can be turned on or off as required
  • Security because data is transmitted as light, which makes it much harder for hackers to intercept
  • Long-term savings as there’s no signal loss over the fibre’s lifetime, which makes fibre networks simpler and cheaper to operate and maintain

But it’s not all good news, there are some downsides to consider. The challenges of optical network fibre for business are:

  • Threat of physical damage with optical fibres being thinner and lighter than metallic wiring, they can be cut accidentally
  • Immediate costs as test equipment and specialist installers are required to lay a precision fibre optic network
  • Fibre fuse when too much light meets with an imperfection in the fibre, this can destroy long lengths of cable very quickly

Why is fibre optics the best method for transmitting data over long distances?

Fibre optic networks can carry data for distances of tens of miles, without suffering from any signal attenuation. They provide route security, reliability and low latency, while future scalability will not be an issue. Often, cables are provisioned to handle traffic demands for ten years or more.

If making an investment in a fibre optic network seems like it could be the right decision for your business, take a look at our optical connectivity service. Or you may wish to contact one of our experts to explore the advantages of optical fibre in more detail and discover what it can do for you.

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"We began working with Neos Networks in 2015, when they deployed a robust core connectivity platform to help us expand our reach and meet ambitious growth plans. We’ve since taken advantage of the expansion of Neos Networks’ UK network to deliver more critical services to our customers."

– Mark Holden, Head of Data Networks, NatWest Group

Neos Networks’ excellent standards of customer care and speed of delivery has made them a long-standing, reliable partner. Most recently, we worked with them to deploy two 100Gbps Network-to-Network Interfaces (NNIs) in Manchester and London to better connect our UK network, providing our customers with access to high capacity business Ethernet services across the country.

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The changing telecoms space: predictions for 2023

Predictions

2022 was an interesting year, for many reasons. Political turbulence, the nation adapting to an almost post-COVID world, and new challenges to contend with from an IT, tech, and network perspective. 2022 had its eyes set on 5G, and, specifically, the much-anticipated arrival of standalone 5G, as well as continuing to bridge the digital divide and meet the UK’s ambitious levelling up goals. While progress has been made, there’s still work to do. 2023 is sure to bring new challenges, as well as many exciting opportunities for the telecoms industry.

So what do our execs think 2023 has in store? We caught up with CRO, Sarah Mills, CTIO, Chris Voudouris and Director of Governance and Assurance, James Milner-Smith, for their thoughts on things to look out for.

We’ll see the rise of green networks

Technology has played a pivotal role in the sustainability conversation, with developments in the likes of artificial intelligence (AI) or machine learning poised to be a key enabler to a greener future and, in turn, greener networks. But deploying the right technology alone isn’t enough. How technology software itself is developed, and how sustainable and efficient that process is, is equally important. For example, are too many workloads being moved to the cloud, placing unnecessary reliance on data centres? Are deployment methods like DevOps being used to ensure teams are lean, and are changes and/or upgrades made to software energy consumption friendly?

This increased focus on energy-saving will inevitably result in greater emphasis on the planning and development of software to ensure savings can be made from the very beginning of software development. We’ll also start to see more focus on traffic management to reduce energy consumption, whereby telcos leverage automation and AI to better route and manage traffic across multiple network layers, to minimise energy consumption, and maximise efficiency as well as network resources.

The focus on sustainability will shine a spotlight on ESG

With ESG reporting requirements tightening in 2023, we’re set to see more organisations speaking openly about initiatives they’re working on, and even highlighting the areas they’re lagging behind on. In 2023, we’ll begin to see larger organisations hiring talent to specifically focus on improving their ESG footprint and enhance how they report against specific goals. The focus and mindset will shift from what organisations are doing, to how they are giving back.

This will include a bigger effort to engage with local communities through ESG initiatives. One way in which we’ll see this materialise in the telecoms industry is through work with public sector organisations and local authorities, who will provide greater connectivity for local communities. Connectivity solutions will focus on benefitting local people by enhancing and modernising how they deliver everyday services, such as public transport or education and improving digital inclusion.

2023 will see physical security become as important as cybersecurity

Cybersecurity will continue to dominate the headlines in 2023. However, physical security and threats of sabotage will rise in importance, with the topic likely to get as much headline space as cybersecurity in the coming years. Instability in certain regions and the increasing division and tension across the world means we may begin to see incidents such as efforts to ‘disconnect’ an area from the outside world.

If such instances do occur, as Ofcom’s Telecoms Security Requirements (TSR) become more stringent, we’ll see operators across the UK putting backup plans in place, as well as improving the security and resilience of connectivity provisions to avoid any significant damage or other serious consequences during periods of connectivity black-outs.

We may see the introduction of the ‘AirBnB of telecoms’

2023 will be the year that sees the telco industry collaborate more closely than ever with the big cloud platforms. In a symbiotic relationship, cloud platforms including Google, Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Microsoft Azure will provide the all-important cloud infrastructure and platforms, leaving telcos in an interesting position – where will they sit in 2023’s value chain?

As network services continue to evolve and as the blurring of the lines increase between telcos, cloud and internet players, operators will need to rethink the value they bring to end-customers. 5G is creating an exciting opportunity for telcos to liberate their own networks and move up their value chain by creating network ecosystems and marketplaces from which services can be easily acquired and bought.

Picture the ‘AirbnB of telecoms’, whereby organisations become virtual network operators by helping them procure network services through API-based wholesale virtualized ecosystems, owned by telcos themselves.

And will cloud players, not telcos, becomes the commodity?

In 2023, collaboration between telcos and cloud providers will continue to increase as more services require cloud computing, power and storage. But while this scenario could have once meant telcos were taking a back seat, we’re now seeing an interesting dynamic play out whereby cloud could become the commodity.

The softwarisation of the network and the need to send workloads to the edge means that telcos could become the critical orchestrators of the new services that sit in the cloud. In this particular scenario, we could see telcos use multiple public cloud providers, switching and changing as they please, and becoming truly cloud agnostic. This then leaves operators free to design, manage and own their networks and services by making use of cloud data centres, cloud resources and cloud infrastructure that belongs to anyone that is willing to provide it. This shift could see greater innovation, but importantly, could be good news for telcos who have long lurked in the shadows of cloud giants.

The telecoms industry is changing quickly, one thing’s for sure: there are plenty of opportunities for operators, public sector and enterprises to become greener, leaner, and more successful than ever before.

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How collaboration and network growth can help address the UK’s digital divide

There’s no doubt that high-speed internet connectivity forms the foundations of hybrid working and blended learning. It helps power our businesses, educate our children and unlock career opportunities. Yet behind the discussions about levelling up, there’s a lot to achieve to truly end geographical digital inequality across the nation?

A lot can (and has) happened since February when the government published its levelling up whitepaper.

The whitepaper acts as a framework to end economic and social digital inequality across the UK. It aims to boost economic growth, enhance educational attainment and restore the social fabric of those parts of the UK that have stalled.

In short, it has the potential to transform our digital landscape. But it can’t achieve success without a solid countrywide commitment to an improved digital communications infrastructure.

The pursuit of geographical and digital equality

High-speed connectivity plays a pivotal role in ending geographical and digital inequality. It can help to enable citizens across the nation to have fair and easy access to the internet, regardless of their location. Connectivity is the backbone that supports economic dynamism and innovation. It drives growth, unlocks jobs and unleashes the power of the private sector. With hybrid working and blended learning programmes looking set to stay, it is necessary to shine a spotlight on connectivity shortcomings and expose the extent of the UK’s digital divide.

Yet connectivity and mobile infrastructure issues are surprisingly scant within the government’s whitepaper, covering just three of its 332 pages. However, it’s not all bad news. As the whitepaper points out, back in 2020, the government committed £5 billion in public funding to deploy gigabit connectivity across at least 85% of the country by 2025. Something we and our partners are actively striving to support.

Often referred to as the AltNet fund, this money was seen as a pledge to support the delivery of gigabit networks across the 20% of the country that is most difficult to reach.

The essential role of AltNets

AltNets, or alternative network providers, are independent telecommunications companies building out their own networks (as well as relying on the networks of others, like ourselves). They offer high capacity fibre connectivity services to UK residents, competing against the two large incumbents, Openreach and Virgin Media. There’s been a groundswell of AltNet activity over the last few years, much of which has been focused on typically underserved regions of the UK.

With many AltNets locally focused, we’ve been working in partnership to extend both their reach and their capacity options. They rely on our exchange backhaul services, to connect into our wider UK network, giving them access to better, more reliable connectivity at the speeds being demanded of their surrounding residents.

As our partnerships progress, we’re also seeing them investing in FTTP builds or working with residential providers like CityFibre to support and extend the opportunity.

Achieving high-speed access in the Midlands

We used this partnership approach to help Gigabit Networks achieve its vision to connect the Midlands. Rolling out connectivity services to key cities that include Derby, Coventry, Wolverhampton, Leicester and Nottingham, the full fibre network will eventually cover up to 60,000 SME businesses and more than 750,000 households.

That includes the deployment of high-speed services to around 70,000 social housing residents. These areas have previously been denied access to high-speed internet, a problem that became particularly evident during the pandemic.

Full-fibre end-to-end future for Liverpool, Birmingham, Manchester and London

Following the completion of our Project Edge network expansion rollout, we doubled our network reach across 2021 – unbundling 550 Openreach exchanges with capacities up to 100Gbps. In the wake of this success, we recently announced that we’re launching our first access network, bringing high capacity end-to-end connectivity to four key business hubs across the UK, Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester and London.

This full-fibre, last-mile investment will help regionally based businesses and offices keep pace with their national and international competitors. It goes a long way towards our aim of bringing high capacity 100Gbps connections within reach of more UK businesses, as well as facilitating the rollout of advanced 5G services and other next-gen technologies.

Is there an over-reliance on Openreach and Virgin Media?

A January report by the Public Accounts Committee suggested the government is over-reliant on Openreach and Virgin Media to deliver the nationwide connectivity solution.

The report found that the two telecom giants are focused on the less costly, easier to reach urban conurbations, leading the government towards a potential failure to deliver on its promise of providing affordable solutions for rural areas and remote towns and villages.

There’s also another reason for the slow progress. Not all potential suppliers of connectivity infrastructure are treated equally by existing planning legislation.

Exposing the barriers to equality

In December last year, the House of Commons Library published a research paper, Building Broadband and Mobile Networks, which outlined for MPs the current challenges and legislative framework covering how networks are built, including planning requirements and access agreements.

The incumbent national communications network operators have permitted development rights. This means they can install roadside broadband cabinets, build mobile masts or erect telephone poles without the need to obtain planning permission.

For other companies, there are barriers that are delaying their ability to build that infrastructure at the speed needed to meet the government’s targets. Obtaining those access agreements and wayleaves is often difficult and long-winded, with the process sometimes taking up to two years.

An even playing field

There is a clear and present need to move beyond the usual national suppliers. This has been emphasised by the £5 billion AltNet fund. However, while some suppliers are able to move at speed without the need to negotiate permissions and access rights, others face speed bumps that slow down the rollout.

It seems that when it comes to levelling up, this fairness of play should apply to the challenger companies in the telecoms infrastructure supplier community as well. Levelling the supply playing field will help to accelerate the gigabit rollout and advance the government’s plans. It’s almost a no-brainer.

In the meantime, we’ll continue to work with the AltNets, assisting in high capacity fibre network deployments that connect communities and boost regional businesses. And as the UK strives to become a truly digital nation, hopefully we’ll see the competitive shackles fall away.

Will levelling up become an achievable, balanced and sustainable reality? We certainly hope so. And Neos Networks will be there every step of the way.

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Green transport in smart cities: the path ahead and how to get there

We spoke to Adam Wears, Senior Content Specialist at Juniper Research.  

When questioned about the purpose of smart cities, there was a resounding response: they help to mitigate human impact by addressing environmental issues. But how do they achieve this? There are two clearly identified routes in the transport sector; through the collection of key data and analytics, or by reducing our carbon footprints.

In line with this, sustainability will also sit at the heart of most smart city plans, whether this comes in the form of transport, energy use or environmental monitoring. And while there are some fundamental infrastructure challenges to overcome, the potential of green transport in smart cities is undeniable.

Follow the green brick road

Autonomous vehicles steal all the headlines when it comes to the future of transport, whether it’s driverless buses in China or Apple entering the driverless car market. But that really is just the tip of the iceberg. Adam Wears, Research Analyst at Juniper Research believes: “It really comes down to mass transport and smart traffic management. They are aligned to the same goal, which is to reduce congestion and reduce emissions, but they do this in two similar, but distinct ways.

He continues, “In terms of mass transport it's about making cities’ transport networks work more efficiently. This not only reduces the number of commuters in cars, but links transport up so that you don't need to drive. It gets people moving on more sustainable environmentally friendly forms of public transport. It's about making these transports methods synchronise in such a way that cars are required less.

“Traffic management systems work in a different way. They cause traffic signals to respond to real-time conditions to enable a smoother flow. A benefit of this is reducing the number of times cars stop during a journey. You don't want a car idling for minutes at a time: this produces massive amounts of carbon emissions unnecessarily.”

Of course, to understand demand, you need data, huge amounts of data.

Wears continues: “Systems such as mass smart traffic management rely on data to educate us on things like supply and demand, traffic times and peak times. They need all this data to function. We find that the cities that are best at tackling this challenge are the cities that have implemented open data.”

But to carry these extensive levels of data, cities need robust, low-latency networks, running throughout them. That’s where network providers come in. Over the last few years, they’ve been investing heavily in fibre builds in cities across the UK to be able to support this move to a more digital future.

Planning for a new era in transport

If people are to use new modes of transport – or at least fewer cars – in smart cities, it follows that transport planning on the ground will also to change.

Wears outlines some of the possibilities: “If you deploy mass transport successfully and you reduce the number of cars operating in cities, eventually you’re going to end up with a surplus of car parking facilities. The bigger question therefore would be, how can we better use those spaces to aid things like public transport?”

“It's the same with street furniture. When you're walking down the street, you might see more e-scooter and e-bike stands. These are everywhere in London. The hope is that eventually, as these initiatives roll out, you're going to see more street furniture that is designed to support a sustainable future.”

There is also constant innovation happening around roads themselves. In the future, roads will be able to charge vehicles or do the opposite and generate energy from cars moving over them. Other possibilities include roads which warn of accidents, weigh goods vehicles and automatically issue speeding fines when they detect offences.

Of course, all these innovations are underpinned by the transmission of data, likely supported by 5G networks requiring stable core connectivity. Investing in solid digital infrastructure can pave the way for some truly fascinating smart city applications in transport.

The roadblocks

Of course, upgrading something as fundamental as a whole city’s core connectivity requires significant investment. But as Wears points out, there are all kinds of reasons why cities have to do this, going far beyond transport.

“It's not just about focusing on mobility, but bringing in all the diverse areas of the smart city, from things like smart grid, to smart lighting, to smart mobility and smart traffic management. It’s a real holistic process that must be built from the bottom up, with core connectivity infrastructure as the foundations of any smart city.

Changing minds

However, before any ground is broken on digital infrastructure investments, both stakeholders and citizens will need to be convinced of the way forward for transport.

Wears says: “It's going to require a complete mindset change. Even at the city level, it's going to be about how we get these agreements in place. How do we get transport operators on board with these initiatives? Because these systems need to work for every stakeholder in the process.”

“Eventually, we will have to conclude that any inconvenience is worth it, that it’s a price we have to pay to improve the planet, to improve our cities, to improve the direct health consequences of congestion and emissions on people.”

Neos Networks has helped a number of cities to become truly smart, supporting local authorities across the nation including Oxfordshire, Aberdeenshire and Perth and Kinross councils.

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MPLS Line vs Leased Line: Which Is Better for Business? | Neos Networks

Businesses today are nothing without connectivity. Connectivity is the fuel of commerce, powering corporate engines and allowing companies to accelerate forward. Choosing the right connectivity solution is one of the most significant decisions you’ll make. And if you’re currently weighing up the difference between leased line and MPLS options, here’s the detail that will help inform your decision.

In this blog post we’ll:

  • Explain what MPLS is and how it works
  • Explain what a leased line is
  • Explore the differences between MPLS and leased lines
  • Compare the benefits of MPLS vs leased lines
  • Evaluate which option may be best for your business

What is MPLS and how does it work?

Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) is a networking technology. It is typically used by businesses and service providers to deliver private networks over shared infrastructure. Unlike other network protocols, which route traffic based on the source and destination addresses, MPLS uses predetermined routes which the network obtains from labels that are attached to the data packets by the network infrastructure.

These labels control the path that each packet follows. Instead of examining the packet itself, decisions are made based on the label, guiding data across a network without having to use complex lookups or find network addresses.

This results in higher traffic speeds and lower latency, which improves performance for applications that are sensitive to data speed or latency changes. Typically, MPLS services, as they are business focused, are also offered with speed guarantees and enhanced SLAs.

MPLS provides dependable connectivity for business-critical applications. It’s a highly reliable method of data transfer, and can use a full mesh network architecture, so there are multiple pathways to every node. This is a sophisticated and comparatively expensive way to build a network, but ensures reliability, even if one pathway fails.

Put simply, MPLS lets users control the network routing, creating paths that work like point-to-point connections while still maintaining flexibility.

What is a leased line?

A leased line, also known as a private connection, provides dedicated internet access between two points, supplied by a provider directly to the customer. Each leased line is exclusive, and there is no sharing of lines between different customers. This ensures a built-in physical separation between every connection.

The main benefit of a leased line is that it is private, so it has a higher level of security. It’s also fast, reliable and resilient, and your speeds won’t be affected by other organisations’ network usage. You’ll enjoy a dedicated, fixed-bandwidth data connection, with guaranteed and identical upload and download speeds.

What is the difference between an MPLS and a leased line?

There are many differences between an MPLS and a leased line, some are subtle and some are considerable. The main fundamental difference is a leased line is a dedicated point to point connection, while an MPLS is a complex private network built across a shared network infrastructure.

Here are the key differences that you need to be aware of when choosing between an MPLS and a leased line.

  • Security is higher with a leased line, as there is physical separation of traffic. MPLS relies on shared infrastructure.
  • Reliability is higher with a leased line, as they often use fibre cable, come with high-grade hardware and are usually governed by demanding SLAs. With an MPLS, the service reliability is dependent on traffic routing, though network availability is ensured.
  • Scalability is faster and easier with MPLS, without expensive hardware requirements. Leased lines are difficult to scale up, due to high cost and longer timescales associated with a dedicated fixed-bandwidth data connection.
  • High complexity businesses with operations distributed across many locations, will find that MPLS is better suited to them. The technology provides point-to-point and one-to-many connectivity, whereas leased lines are limited to point-to-point only.
  • Costs are typically lower with MPLS than leased lines. That’s because, with a leased line you’re getting a dedicated connection that can only be used by your organisation.

Which is best for my business, an MPLS or a leased line?

When you’re comparing the differences between MPLS vs leased line and wondering what’s right for you, the differences that we’ve highlighted above will help.

If your business is a large enterprise with multiple sites spread across a large area, then you should consider MPLS. Furthermore, if you’re operating within a fast-growing organisation and you expect to open new sites in the future, MPLS will give you the flexibility you’ll require. Despite having a high level of security, due to logical separation of traffic, MPLS is still less secure than a leased line.

As a leased line is installed directly between two points, it’s a reliable way to transfer data between sites at speed. There’s also less of a security risk when compared with MPLS, as you never have to share your connection with anyone else, and your bandwidth is guaranteed, too.

So, if your business is unlikely to rapidly scale up across multiple sites over the mid-term, a leased line is your best option. It provides fast, reliable and secure connectivity both on site and to homeworking employees, and it’s very unlikely to let you down.

Seeking a leased line solution?

Every business has its own individual needs and requirements. If a leased line seems like the right solution for you, contact our experts to explore your options in more detail. If you’re still unsure whether your business requires MPLS or leased line connectivity, get in touch and we’d be happy to discuss.

Ethernet FAQs

Take a look at our FAQs for Ethernet

  • What is Ethernet connectivity?

     

    Simply put, business Ethernet or Carrier Ethernet is the most common type of connectivity used today, enabling high-bandwidth connectivity for businesses across the country. It comprises a fibre connection that runs from the network directly to your premise. Before understanding why Ethernet is vital for business bandwidth it's important to know what is Ethernet connectivity.

     

  • What is Ethernet over FTTx?

     

    Ethernet over FTTx is a hybrid Ethernet connectivity solution. It enables businesses not yet ready to make the leap to Full Fibre Ethernet to take advantage of its benefits but at more manageable capacities.

    Learn more about our Ethernet over FTTx service and see related content here.

  • What is Ethernet First Mile?

     

    Ethernet First Mile (EFM) is a popular and affordable way for businesses to get easy, dedicated connectivity that delivers fibre-like connectivity using copper cables already in place and can enable speeds up to 30Mbps – dependent on the length of copper cable needed and how many pairs are used. We provide a breakdown on what Ethernet First Mile is and highlight its top three advantages.

  • MPLS vs SD-WAN

     

    Multi-Protocol Label Switching (MPLS) has been popular for a number of years now and is very good at providing robust and reliable connectivity as well as ensuring critical business information continues to flow, but it’s flexibility has also become a limiting factor. You can learn more about the differences of MPLS vs SD-WAN here.

  • EPL vs EVPL

     

    Ethernet Private Line (EPL) and Ethernet Virtual Private Line (EVPL) are Ethernet services defined by the Metro Ethernet Forum (MEF) and fall under their Ethernet services category ‘E-Line’.

    Both EPL and EVPL Ethernet provide the simplicity of private connections combined with the flexibility and scalability of MPLS technology across a range of bandwidths, but the main difference for businesses is the configuration they would require.

  • MPLS vs Dark Fibre

     

    MPLS can offer robust and reliable connectivity, yet Dark Fibre offers a level of network future-proofing that other means of connectivity can’t. MPLS has been around for a while and has several benefits, we discuss the pros and cons of both, MPLS vs Dark Fibre here.

     

  • Ethernet vs Dark Fibre

     

    Ethernet for business is where the bandwidth required is leased from a connectivity provider who manages the network where as Dark Fibre is as it sounds and refers to fibre that is unlit and unmanaged but owned or leased wholly by the business purchasing it. We explore the differences between Ethernet vs Dark Fibre here.

  • What’s the importance of a point-to-point network?

    A point-to-point network gives organisations secure and private connections, for transmitting internal or sensitive data. They are particularly useful for businesses operating over multiple sites, who have to integrate networks and communications, including such bandwidth-hungry activities as the increasingly popular video-conferencing. While some organisations can achieve this integration via the public internet, larger companies may face issues with security, privacy and bandwidth, as well as the reliability of the network. 

    A leased line can provide a solution to these issues, but you may find a point-to-point network is more suitable and, possibly, more economical than a leased line. These networks are available in various bandwidth speeds.

    If your company needs a high capacity, private network to do business, the importance of a point-to-point network cannot be overestimated. Choose the right provider and you’ll get a reliable, high-speed connection perfectly suited to your organisation, at speeds from 10Mbps to 10Gbps.

  • What is the benefit of a point-to-point leased line?

    As well as providing a reliable, private connection, a point-to-point network will give your business a whole host of benefits. One of the most important is speed, with point-to-point networks taking your data along the most direct route possible. Allied to this, upload and download speeds are guaranteed and you won't have any concerns about bandwidth because the connection is private and dedicated.

    Common applications for point-to-point networks include file sharing, data backup, point-to-point VOIP and video-conferencing, all of which take advantage of the direct, high capacity nature of these networks. These networks are ideal for a range of everyday business needs, helping your organisation to work more efficiently.

  • What is a point-to-point circuit?

    This type of private data connection links multiple locations. As a closed network data transport service, it doesn’t use the public internet, making it secure enough to not require any data encryption. 

    Another advantage of this type of connection is the high quality of service: private lines always follow the same direct pathway and don’t have any competing connections on the same line. This means they’re completely reliable as well as secure, making them attractive for companies conducting credit card transactions and similarly sensitive operations. They’re also desirable for organisations transmitting large amounts of data, with many providers offering unlimited data usage.

    Point-to-point circuits are available at different speeds and bandwidths. As a result, they’re as flexible as they are reliable.

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Green technology in freight: is it moving forwards?

This report was created by UK dedicated internet access provider and transport and logistics telecoms specialists, Neos Networks. If using data or other material from the report, please do so with the appropriate credit with a link to this report page.

According to the Department of Transport, the freight and logistics sector is ‘critical to our economic wellbeing, ensuring the flow of goods along our supply chains is reliable and efficient’. In 2019 alone, 154 billion tonne-kilometres (tkm) of UK domestic freight goods were transported by road, compared with just 25 billion tkm by ship, and 17 billion tkm by train.

There is, however, a downside to this. In 2020, HGVs and light vans were responsible for 19% (18.6 Mt CO2e) of the UK’s total domestic transport greenhouse gas emissions (98.8 Mt CO2e). Transport (including passenger transport) causes more emissions than any other: it’s responsible for 24% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. So it’s not surprising that at last year’s COP26, the logistics industry was a key focus for decarbonisation targets.

In July 2021, the UK government released the Decarbonising Transport plan. Setting out aims for delivering a zero-emission freight and logistics sector, it states:

“Decarbonising the last mile will create cleaner, more liveable places and there is scope for greater use of artificial intelligence and data tools in the freight sector. This could improve efficiency and cut emissions, particularly for the many small operators in a fragmented industry. "

In June 2022, the government’s Future of freight report outlined the role of technology and data-enabled opportunities in improving the efficiency, reliability, resilience and environmental sustainability of the sector.

In the wake of these two important reports – and to better understand the green tech freight landscape – we asked UK transport and logistics (T&L) operators:

  • Whether they’re implementing the decarbonisation targets into current operations
  • What barriers they experience in meeting decarbonisation targets
  • What they need to reach these targets
  • What role real-time data could play in achieving decarbonisation targets in the near future

Key findings:

  • Industry action — More than two-thirds (68%) of T&L companies have taken steps towards green tech since the Decarbonising Transport report
  • Going green — Over half (55%) of UK T&L firms will take measures to decarbonise fleets by 2024
  • Data is key — 55% of UK T&L firms say greenhouse gas and carbon data tracking is a core part of decarbonisation plans, over the next two years
  • Capacity is a challenge — A third (35%) who can’t use data to reduce carbon don’t have the core connectivity to share large amounts of primary supply chain data
  • Long-term goals in question — 45% of T&L companies don’t believe they’ll hit the ‘net-zero by 2050’ pledge
  • Convincing needed — 45% of companies don’t see battery electric vehicles (BEVs) as currently commercially viable, while 68% feel the same way about AI and data learning
  • Investment squeeze — three in five operators (61%) say the high cost of investment is the biggest barrier to achieving targets

One year on: how many companies have taken steps in a greener direction?

A year after the government released the Decarbonising Transport plan, what steps has the industry taken to lessen its impact on the environment?

More than two-thirds (68%) of transport & logistics companies have adopted emission-reducing technologies, prepared steps towards taking green measures, or held consultations around putting plans in place.

By contrast, almost a third (32%) of T&L firms haven’t made any moves at all towards emission reductions.

There’s an urban/rural gap, which surprisingly reveals urban firms are less likely to be making efforts to cut emissions. Some 36% of companies in towns and cities have made no attempts to make operations greener.

Outside of urban areas, only one in five (20%) T&L firms haven’t taken action, meaning that 80% of companies are trying to reduce emissions, or heading in that direction.

Levels of green activity also differ according to company size. Enterprise-level organisations are most likely to be environmentally friendly, with 77% of them on the path towards becoming greener. Two-thirds (67%) of SMEs are also on that path, while large companies are slightly less likely (60%) to be making emission-cutting moves.

Is sustainability on the short-term agenda?

With an uncertain economic climate in the UK, how much are T&L companies looking towards the future? And if they are, where does their focus lie?

It’s clear that many T&L firms are prioritising green/decarbonisation initiatives over the next two years. If all goes to plan, by 2024 we should see significantly reduced carbon emissions from the sector, with more than half (55%) of UK T&L operators actively seeking to decarbonise their service/fleet. While 52% of companies are making preparations to do the same.

Using data can greatly speed up the process, and 55% of UK companies are including greenhouse gas and carbon data tracking in their immediate plans. In addition, 45% of companies plan to adopt smart tech, data learning, AI or other technologies for greater operational efficiency.

A drive for efficiency is proving more popular among T&L operators than expansion plans. Almost 50% more operators are seeking to reduce emissions or decarbonise than those looking to expand in the UK. When it comes to expanding outside of the UK, green initiatives are over three times (240%) more common as a short-term goal.

For all the attention devoted to becoming more efficient, however, only a quarter (26%) of firms are planning to recruit tech experts to optimise their business. This implies that there will be a surge in demand for outsourced data analysis and tech troubleshooting.

What approach does the industry favour for reducing carbon-emissions?

For decarbonisation technologies and policies to achieve widespread uptake, the industry must believe in their commercial viability. However, our research highlights a lack of consensus on the best way forward, which makes it more difficult to implement change.

94% of T&L companies plan to adopt one or more solutions for reducing carbon emissions, in line with the UK government’s Decarbonising Transport plan, taking steps to improve fleet efficiency in the next five years or so.

For most of these companies, the most commercially viable solution involves a combination of alternative fuels – notably battery electric vehicles (BEVs) – and digital systems such as smart tech, AI and data learning. Twice as many firms believe BEVs are commercially viable as believe alternative fuels can represent a solution.

Those companies hoping to use smart tech and real-time data to become greener will need to invest in core connectivity, which government incentives can encourage. Technology development for proof of concept return on investment can also drive greater adoption of green initiatives.

How important is core connectivity to decarbonisation success?

By investing in core connectivity, companies will acquire the capacity to collect and process the real-time data needed for smart technology and the integrated tech of the future. Both smart tech and findings from data will contribute to increased efficiency and decarbonisation.

As reported in the Neos Networks ‘Core connectivity: The key enabler of digital transformation’ ebook, under-resourcing connectivity and networking is linked with less successful digital transformation projects. Conversely, organisations which budget for connectivity properly are much more likely to deliver highly successful digital transformation programmes.

The research shows that where more than 20% of the budget for digital transformation projects is allocated to connectivity and networking, 38% of companies rated the outcome of the project ‘highly successful’. By contrast, projects with 10% or less dedicated to connectivity and networking were unsuccessful in 62% of cases.

Does the size of the company influence the green solution?

Our research shows that the use of AI and data learning is universally favoured as a solution for decarbonisation by firms of all sizes. When it comes to other options, however, companies of different sizes have differing opinions.

SMEs:

Smaller businesses are nearly twice as likely (42%) to see industry-wide sharing of real-time data (throughout the supply chain) as a feasible way to reduce emissions. This shows, perhaps, their eagerness to embrace a cost-effective method.

When it comes to alternative fuel types, BEVs are most popular among SMEs, with 58% seeing them as a real way forward. SMEs are also more likely than other businesses to back alternative fuels like liquefied natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG), bioLNG and biodiesel.

Enterprise-size companies:

In contrast to SMEs and enterprise-size firms don’t see liquefied natural gas (LNG), compressed natural gas (CNG), bioLNG and biodiesel as a realistic option: just 8% state they’re a commercially viable solution. Enterprise-level companies support BEVs as the most viable solution (38%), followed closely by fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs).

What does the industry think of meeting net-zero targets by 2050?

To meet the net-zero by 2050 target, it’s clear that the transport and logistics industry will need more technology, greater industry buy-in and assistance in the form of government policy.

Given the efforts required, how many companies are confident that the target is realistic?

The industry is split on this question, indicating that more work is needed to galvanise operators. Just over half of the UK’s T&L companies think they can meet government decarbonisation targets by 2050.

Companies with greater resources are more confident: 64% of enterprise-level companies believe they can meet the target, compared to 45% of SMEs.

What obstacles to this are operators experiencing?

Before motivated organisations can get anywhere close to reaching net-zero targets, they must first identify the factors preventing them from adopting a greener way of operating.

  • Three in five operators (61%) say high investment costs are seen as the most common barrier to achieving targets.
  • Almost twice as many firms cited cost as a barrier than the next factor on the list (with 35%): a lack of industry tech knowledge or shippers favouring low costs over green operations.
  • A quarter (26%) stated a lack of national fuelling and service infrastructure was an issue, which obviously needs government intervention.

Which sectors are supporting green changes in freight?

With a third (35%) of T&L companies being deterred from decarbonisation by shippers who pressure them to run cheap operations, it’s clearly a common issue. Even if firms are eager to become greener, they must strike a balance between remaining commercially competitive and investing in emission reduction.

T&L customers obviously influence companies’ policies, yet nearly a quarter (23%) of companies can’t identify a single industry in their supply chain that’s pushing for greener practices.

The data divide: Where smart systems, data and connectivity meet net-zero emission targets

Our report shows that T&L companies recognise that collecting and acting on real-time data can reap great sustainability benefits, helping them take steps towards net-zero targets. The data can be used to aid smart tech, AI and, of course, data learning.

Although more than half (52%) of the industry can access the necessary data, there’s some way to go before we see a totally data-connected industry. As it stands, almost half of the companies in T&L are not utilising greenhouse gas / carbon emissions data to clean their operations up.

There’s even further to go in rural areas, where 6 in 10 companies can’t use such data. Even if companies like this are trying to go greener, they might be doing it in an ineffective way. They need greater investment to level-up their data-collecting and reporting capabilities.

How many transport and logistics companies use real time data to its full potential?

Over half of T&L companies have the ability to collect and report on real-time data on greenhouse gas and/or carbon emissions. Yet how many can use this data to actively reduce their carbon emissions?

Even among the 52% of companies who can access accurate and up-to-the-minute data, just 71% of them feel confident using the data to improve operations. Just under a half (42%) use it to become more efficient, while 29% employ it to boost customer service levels.

As we’ve mentioned, core connectivity has a great bearing on data-gathering capabilities. Of those firms unable to use data to make practices greener, one in three (35%) say inadequate capacity or core connectivity is stopping them from sharing large amounts of data. Around a fifth (19%) can’t share more significant amounts of data and don’t plan on remedying that situation in the next year. This is clearly an issue when it comes to implementing smart tech, which is a key strategy for decarbonisation.

Smaller numbers of companies say they either don’t see the value in sharing data or have security concerns, but the vast majority are willing to embrace the concept – some just need a helping hand.

Other companies are trying to embrace data use and smart tech, but are finding roadblocks in the way. So what are the most serious barriers they’re coming up against?

What challenges do companies have to overcome in adopting smart data?

Whether or not companies can collect data that can be used to reduce carbon emissions, what do they see as the main challenges for using real-time data in green initiatives?

With over a third (39%) of firms citing a lack of government support, the message to government is loud and clear: more investment is required to move towards net-zero in 2050. Around a quarter (23%) also say their own funding is insufficient.

Over a quarter (26%) point to a lack of tech-skilled employees, which would mean that even if they can process the data from a technical viewpoint, they couldn’t achieve it without extra personnel on board.

Almost that number (23%) of companies simply feel that the type of data produced doesn’t meet the needs of the T&L industry, which could be something that awareness campaigns might remedy.

Do views change with company size?

SMEs:

Understandably, SMEs identify a lack of tech-skilled employees as an issue. Not all companies have the kind of resources needed, with 36% of SMEs saying they don’t have the required people on board.

Funding is another significant barrier for SMEs, with 18% stating they have insufficient funds for investing in smart tech and data – and more than a quarter (27%) wanted more help from government.

Large / enterprise companies:

Even with larger companies, insufficient government funding was an issue: 39% said more was needed if they were to adopt efficiency-enhancing tech. Of course, another factor for the government to consider is that larger organisations will obviously require more funding than SMEs.

The amount of data for processing is also more of an issue for larger companies – and one in five (21%) say they don’t have the tech and core connectivity to handle the data.

Conclusion

Many T&L companies are willing to invest in decarbonisation and have already acted since the government's Decarbonising Transport plan was released in 2021.

In the medium term, however, a large proportion of companies remain sceptical about the commercial viability of the technologies currently available. For example, 68% feel that AI and data learning aren’t commercially viable green solutions. The industry is also split on whether the net-zero goal by 2050 is achievable. Overall, there is more work needed to convince the market.

As well as government placing more emphasis on the tech – and more funding behind it – stakeholders such as consumers and T&L customers can exert more pressure to accelerate decarbonisation.

However, before the industry races towards a tech-led green revolution, companies must consider the role of data. To implement smart technology and benefit from real-time data, they need systems that can handle the amount of data. This is where core connectivity infrastructure comes in, laying the foundations upon which decarbonisation can progress.

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Blue Planet: enhancing customer experience through automation

Chief Technology and Information Officer, Chris Voudouris, Neos Networks

At a time when many of the processes in our day-to-day lives are automated and digitised, it’s crucial that industries embrace and emulate this sought-after approach. Consumers have come to expect more from the businesses they work with, and speed, efficiency and ease of use are key.

In collaboration with Blue Planet (part of Ciena Networks) and Cerillion, we at Neos Networks have completed a seismic transformation of our BSS/OSS platforms from quoting and ordering, to fulfilment processes and service orchestration, meeting the ever-growing customer demand for better efficiency and speeds.

Fundamentally, the programme has seen us simplify and automate our processes, improve customer experience, and increase orders, enhancing customer and team satisfaction. A key part of the programme involved implementing Blue Planet Orchestration platform (MDSO) bolstering the roll-out of automation of our Ethernet services across all elements of the process.

What did we set out to achieve?

Following an increase in demand for Ethernet services via our online pricing and ordering tool, LIVEQUOTE, we recognised the vital need to automate the entire customer journey and process - from order, to deployment, to fulfilment. This created the need for a new Software-Defined Network (SDN) solution with end-to-end orchestration.

What was the process?

The new solution was deployed in four stages:

Phase one: Three SDN controllers for Nokia, Infinera and Ciena across layers 1, 2 and 3 of the network were implemented

Phase two: Blue Planet Orchestrator deployed with Neos Networks developed resource adaptors allowing for P2P, P2NNI, P2Cloud and Ethernet service fulfilment

Phase three: Blue Planet Inventory solution developed and deployed providing analytical insight into passive, service and logical network data

Phase four: Cerillion (BSS) was layered on top of the Orchestration, creating a single ecosystem. New APIs were developed to allow better integration between all layers

The new solution inspires a new way of operating, moving from manual Command Line Interface (CLI) to a fully automated solution drastically decreasing on-net provisioning times and realising Neos Networks’ vision to develop a Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) capability.

This entirely new way of planning and managing the programme, following agile methodologies and a secure-by-design approach leveraging cloud, has laid the foundations for conversations around how to simplify assurance, provisioning, and management of new and existing services across the IT and network layers.

What challenges did we come across?

Neos Networks has organically grown throughout its 20+ year lifespan. This meant that entirely changing the architecture of the network wasn’t a possibility, and therefore required an extremely innovative approach. The MDSO and SDN had to overcome the hurdle of deploying new systems based on legacy architecture, which were not designed for automation.

Further challenges included the need to maintain security accreditations, minimising impact and disruption for customers, integrating multiple teams into a fusion working group and ensuring the project stayed within budget.

What was the outcome?

The new Blue Planet Orchestration/Inventory and Cerillion platforms will be fully implemented by the end of the year. The most significant successes from the programme are set to be felt by the overall business, our people, our partners and most importantly, our customers over the coming months. The key benefits include:

  • Enhanced customer experience and satisfaction - the process - from ordering to fulfilment - is an entirely digital experience. This streamlines the process, improving overall customer satisfaction. In addition, further innovation will provide a more complete customer journey and new product features and capabilities through a NaaS approach.
  • Reducing the need for repetitive tasks - the automation of the new process reduces the need for tasks of a repetitive nature to be carried out by our sales and engineering teams, allowing them to focus on delivering strategic improvements to the service.
  • Zero-touch provision of services - the project has laid the foundations for the overall BSS/OSS, allowing Neos Networks to move towards genuine zero-touch provision of services and continues to improve our services for our partners and customers.

To learn more about how you can benefit from our new, highly automated Ethernet services process, get in touch with our CTIO team.

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What role does data play in the roll-out of smart cities?

We spoke to Daniel Clarke, Strategy Partnerships Manager at Connecting Cambridgeshire. Daniel developed the Smart Cambridge programme which included the development of a city data platform and deployment of sensors.

Smart cities promise to bring some truly remarkable opportunities to citizens across the UK. But to make a city truly smart, data must play a prevalent part. Sensors collect it, insights are gained from it and, ultimately, improvements to everyday lives come from it.

As AI comes of age and begins to make decision making and routine smart city management more efficient, data will become even more crucial.

But what part does data play in today’s smart cities and how can we make this easier access to information enrich our day-to-day (and business) lives?

The status quo

At this relatively early stage of smart city implementation in our societies, data is enabling local authorities to better understand the capabilities and applications of smart technology.

“Our primary role has been looking at how we can collect better, more granular data across the city.” says Daniel Clarke. “We’ve been examining how we can understand people's movements, whether that's transport movement, pedestrian movement or cycle movements. We’ve also been striving to gain a better understanding of energy usage and how power grids are performing.

“There's a whole range of data that we collect.” Clarke continues. “We're looking at things like real-time bus and train data. We also benefit from electric scooters and electric bikes, so we’re collecting that data too. We utilise all of this data to  to further develop our city, while enhancing the lives of its residents.”

In addition to the areas outlined above, Cambridgeshire are also now benefitting from live bus tracking for passengers, using sensors in bins to prompt waste collection and reducing congestion through traffic flow sensors – all of which are driving data-led improvements in the area.

Clarke elaborates on the benefits: “We’ve been using real-time transport data to build tools that make it easier for people to make sustainable travel choices around the city. For example, we built Motion Map to give residents better visibility of our transport system. It's about giving our people greater access to better information”.

Clarke continues: “We're beginning to look more and more at air quality data and how we can disseminate air quality data. We've also worked with a company called AppyParking, where we put parking data into their app to make sure that people can find parking whenever and wherever they need it.”

With innovations like these, it’s not just the amounts of data channelled that necessitate carrier-grade networks. The use of real-time data also dictates that low latency connections are a must.

Data that’s open for business

When we consider the prospects of smart cities in the UK, one greatly encouraging factor is that many local authorities and smart city organisations are committed to the concept of open data. Currently cities including London, Birmingham, Glasgow, Manchester, Bristol and Nottingham are leading the way.

From making citizens feel consulted, to accumulating greater quantities of data, and the potentially global sharing of ideas, this approach has many advantages for smart cities. It’s not difficult to see why Connecting Cambridge is employing a policy of open data.

Clarke outlines their set-up: “We make our data open through Cambridgeshire Insights, which is a data platform. It basically means that citizens are welcome to come and use our data, which they’re certainly taking advantage of. We also began to put that data into dashboards through tools like Power BI. This enables us to better visualise how data is used as a communication method.”

Making sense of the data noise

Collecting such vast quantities of data can potentially lead to a surplus of information, which could actually make interpretation and useful application more difficult. Connecting Cambridgeshire has recognised this as an issue and found a prestigious partner to help overcome it.

Clarke explains: “We've worked with the University of Cambridge to look at how we can better process and structure travel data, and how we can output that travel data into different digital tools. We’ve then worked with businesses in the area to understand what’s possible, where the commercial sector is going and how we can take our early stage pilots and trials and turn them into something more commercial.”

It’s absolutely vital that local authorities and smart city planners devise ways to package data to make it accessible to all and actionable. Clarke goes on to say: “The data gatekeepers must always have commercial value in their thoughts. Without any intrinsic commercial worth, a dataset becomes a fruitless endeavour”.

Another difficulty is the variety of systems used to collect information. To achieve a satisfactory degree of efficiency, solutions to this problem must be found.

Clarke continues: “One of the issues that we've come across is that it’s still quite a fragmented market. For example, if we put in a sensor to measure traffic movement, that sensor will come with a data platform and an air quality sensor will come with a separate data platform. This means that we end up with lots of sensors and lots of platforms. What we need is a centralised system to combine and analyse information more easily”.

“Over the last few years, we've started to move towards this ambition, building a data platform with the University of Cambridge at smartcambridge.org. This has allowed us to move data away from legacy systems, instead compiling it in one place.”

Levelling infrastructure up to deliver data

Many smart city technologies – particularly Internet of Things-powered innovations require 5G networks, which is one of the reasons more emphasis is being placed on smart cities, as 5G connectivity becomes a reality. However, in turn, 5G networks need far-reaching, reliable, high-speed fibre infrastructure to be able to power them.

Clarke spells this out: “I think fibre is the foundation on which smart cities are built. It is critical to their success. Simply, it supports everything from mobile connectivity to business processes”.

“As with everything in the smart cities domain, in order for our dreams to become a reality, we need to be much more collaborative in our approach both to planning fibre and ensuring that this fibre is going to the right places. Over the years, we’ve built a very collaborative relationship with fibre providers. As cities, we can enable the fibre footprint by doing things like putting ducting into all of our infrastructure schemes. To help increase fibre footprints, we support things like wayleaves, permits and licensing, to try and remove some of the barriers that fibre providers face when they come into a city.”

For local authorities to deliver on their smart cities promises, providing seamless, behind-the-scenes solutions to everyday living, they will need to ease the way for fibre providers, just as Cambridge has done.

One thing is for certain, data will continue to play a pivotal role in the development of smart cities. Operations will only become seamless when the underlying core connectivity is in place that will enable high-speed connections, capable of transmitting these previously outlined large volumes of data. A crucial first step to ensure ambitious smart cities plans succeed, is to ensure high-performance infrastructure is in place to handle massive – and constantly growing – quantities of data.

Neos Networks has helped a number of cities to become truly smart, supporting local authorities across the nation including Oxfordshire, Aberdeenshire and Perth and Kinross councils.

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Leased line vs FTTP: what’s the difference?

Do you need a dedicated internet connection for your business, or is shared FTTP broadband enough?

Neos Networks | 29 July 2022
Dedicated internet access or leased line connection

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What is a leased line?

A leased line, also known as Dedicated Internet Access (DIA), is a private, high-speed connection between your business and the internet. Unlike business broadband, a leased line is:

  • Uncontended: You don’t share your bandwidth with other users, so you don’t suffer from slowdowns at peak times.
  • Symmetric: Download and upload speeds are identical, ensuring a smooth connection for real-time applications.
  • Reliable: Leased lines are backed by robust service level agreements (SLAs), guaranteeing uptime and rapid fault resolution.

This makes them ideal for businesses that rely on cloud applications, VoIP, large data transfers, or any organisation needing fast, reliable connectivity.

What is FTTP?

Fibre to the Premises (FTTP), also known as “full fibre”, is a high-speed broadband connection that runs a fibre optic cable all the way to your premises. Unlike standard broadband (Fibre to the Cabinet or FTTC), which uses copper wiring between the street cabinet and your building, FTTP’s full fibre connection delivers faster speeds and lower latency.

However, unlike a leased line, FTTP is a contended connection. Your bandwidth is shared with other customers, which can slow down your connection at peak times. In addition, speeds are typically asymmetric, with download speeds significantly higher than upload speeds.

FTTP also lacks the strict SLAs and dedicated support a leased line offers, making it less reliable. But its lower cost can make it a viable option for small businesses or those that can tolerate occasional fluctuations in network performance.

Leased line vs FTTP: what’s the difference?

When choosing between a leased line and FTTP, you need to consider factors like speed, reliability and cost. Here’s a breakdown of the main differences to help you decide.

Leased line vs FTTP: 8 key differences

Leased line Broadband
Connection type Dedicated, uncontended connection Contended line sharing bandwidth with multiple users
Speed Typically from 10Mbps to 10Gbps, with speeds guaranteed Typically up to 1Gbps (download)/220Mbps (upload), depending on network traffic
Bandwidth Symmetric guaranteed download/upload bandwidth Asymmetric download/upload bandwidth, depending on the package and available bandwidth
Latency Consistently low latency, ideal for real-time applications like VoIP and video conferencing Higher latency that varies with network traffic
Reliability Backed by strict SLAs and 24/7 support, ensuring maximum uptime and quick fault resolution No strict SLAs; support is typically on a “best endeavours” basis
Cost More expensive as you need to install and maintain a dedicated line Cheaper as it runs on existing fibre infrastructure
Installation time Typically 30-90 days Typically 7-14 days
Suitable for Organisations requiring a consistent, high-speed internet connection, such as large enterprises or those with critical online operations Smaller organisations or those that can tolerate occasional network slowdowns or downtime

 

FTTP vs leased line: which is right for your business?

Choosing between FTTP and a leased line depends on your business size, internet usage and budget. If you need guaranteed performance, symmetric speeds and maximum reliability, a leased line is the obvious choice. It’s ideal for larger businesses, data-intensive industries or organisations needing reliable, high-speed internet for real-time applications.

On the other hand, FTTP offers a cost-effective connection for smaller businesses that can tolerate some variability in speeds and uptime. While considerably faster than standard broadband (FTTC), it lacks the dedicated bandwidth and strict SLAs of a leased line.

Ultimately, the right option depends on how critical speed, reliability and support are to your operations. If you’re a smaller outfit and cost is your main priority, FTTP could be enough. But if network downtime or congestion could impact your productivity, reputation or bottom line, a leased line may be well worth the investment.

Leased line options

If you’re considering a leased line for your business, we can help. At Neos Networks, we deliver high-performance Dedicated Internet Access (DIA) leased lines to organisations of all sizes across the UK.

Learn more about DIA leased line services, including “wires-only” and fully managed options.

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Or get a quick quote with LIVEQUOTE, our online pricing and ordering tool.

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If you’re unsure if a leased line could work for you, get in touch. We’ll be happy to explore the best connectivity option for your business.

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What is a Managed Service Provider?

Hiring a Managed Service Provider (MSP) could improve operational efficiency, giving your teams time to work on other tasks while reducing business connectivity costs.

In this guide, we’ll discuss:

  • The range of services MSPs offer
  • How partnering with a Managed Service Provider could benefit your business
  • Whether you should be outsourcing your connectivity

What is an MSP?

MSPs manage end-to-end user systems and IT infrastructure on behalf of businesses, charities, government bodies and more, on a third-party basis. They are known for providing a full suite of products and services that both complement each other and a business’ requirements.

They offer numerous services, including:

  • Application and networking
  • Infrastructure and security
  • Monitoring and management

While some specialise in specific sectors, others are service-led or prefer to focus on particular IT elements.

What does a Managed Service Provider do?

Businesses often look to an MSP for full support over their connectivity network. This might include email, help desk, cybersecurity, underlying infrastructure, telephony, VoIP requirements and more.

They can often assist with hardware and software acquisition too - providing insight into customer downtime, user behaviour, and technical issues.

What do managed services include?

MSPs offer their clients a range of connectivity and telephony options that can be delivered individually or as end-to-end solutions:

Outsourced IT management

Hiring full-time specialists exceeds most small businesses' budgets. MSPs can provide support as and when required (whether that be full time, or ad-hoc basis). They also often bring expertise of brand new, next-generation technologies and services.

Research and evaluation

Technology can be a barrier to business if not set up and managed correctly. MSPs shorten the learning curve and prevent wasted expenses by evaluating hardware, software and providers to ensure the right decisions are made when it comes to your connectivity and telephony.

Protection from cyberattacks

Whether you need to outsource completely or fill resource gaps during busier times, working with an MSP will cost-effectively ensure you’re protected around the clock. Your provider can also update antivirus software and network security to protect you from threats.

Your one-stop-shop solution

MSPs can handle all aspects of IT, providing a full suite of products to help your business meet its connectivity and technology goals. An added benefit is that you often pay one flat OPEX cost, instead of having to worry about additional expenditure - helping your business to budget more effectively.

What are the benefits of MSPs?

  1. Lower monthly repair and maintenance costs - because rolling retainers can work out cheaper than paying by the hour
  2. A one-stop-shop for all your connectivity needs, with a single point of contact
  3. Providing you have an agreed SLA document, your MSP is contracted to get you back up and running meeting pre-agreed SLAs in the event of a disaster
  4. Round-the-clock network monitoring and cloud management - giving your business 360° visibility
  5. The ability to scale by expanding your resources gradually, permanently or short-term
  6. Robust security measures that better protect your business from emerging threats

Should I use an MSP?

MSPs tailor end-to-end solutions by combining services from different providers into one package. Our dedicated price comparison tool helps them to achieve this, by making the comparison of providers and solutions for networking easier.

That being said, few providers cover every area of technology, so you may still need to support and manage certain applications (for example, your cloud connect service) internally.

Overall, however, by using an MSP you’ll get fast access to skilled experts who you can engage at short notice - making your business agile and reactive. And the sophisticated technology used by MSPs translates into better data insights and analytics too - so you can make more informed decisions.

Your next step

Would you prefer to outsource to an MSP or a network specialist with a proven track record of supporting UK businesses? Contact us to learn more about our products and services.

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The future of networks as telcos embrace cloud

Chris Voudouris, CTIO, Neos Networks

Telcos have been adopting cloud for a number of years, primarily to replace IT systems with Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions and also to host services for different applications. Furthermore, they are becoming increasingly reliant on the capabilities of Hyperscalers like Amazon, Google and Microsoft to facilitate agile development of their digital, AI and data services.

As telcos continue to transition towards 5G and fibre deployments, their focus is shifting in terms of what they can achieve with cloud on the service side. There’s huge demand for telcos to start developing and delivering services that capitalise on new capabilities like network slicing, and Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) offerings that address enterprise business needs through subscription models.

There is also huge potential for IoT and edge services across vertical industries as well, with distributed cloud architectures touted as key enablers of these use cases. Telcos are also now starting to use the cloud in the RAN, 5G core and they are increasingly focused on virtualizing network functions through technologies like Kubernetes. While this is all very promising for telcos, their greater dependency on the Hyperscalers across networks, services and IT creates the challenge of a deeper lock-in.

Creating the cloud fabric

Cloud adoption isn’t just a foregone conclusion for telcos. Vertical industries that deploy operational technologies previously implemented as hardware solutions are exploring cloud to achieve greater flexibility and cost efficiencies. In turn, this is shifting expectations amongst industry players in sectors such as healthcare, transport, manufacturing and financial services, for how solutions are delivered.

Telcos are eager to capitalise on this, expanding their solution portfolios with the aforementioned 5G and edge-enabled services to target new revenue streams. But with this comes a need for service providers to adopt long overdue open architectures and open software models. This is where initiatives on Open RAN and Open BNG start to receive attention and focus from the major telcos.

And yet, to maximise the potential of cloud (the delivery of interoperability, flexibility, automation and innovation) it must be seen as more than the traditional technology transformation. To achieve this, telcos can either look at cloud from a tactical or strategic perspective. Employing it tactically explores what capabilities and services can be moved to the cloud to improve operations and IT, but that leaves the telcos in the laps of the Hyperscalers. What telcos should instead consider is developing an overarching strategy that leverages the cloud and considers how it can deliver both business and technological transformation.

Cloud for business transformation allows business units to improve customer experience and rapidly develop new digital services and channels. Ultimately creating a cloud fabric that enables providers to innovate, launch digital operational improvements and facilitate the evolution of the network to meet new, elastic demand for connectivity and technology solutions.

Partnership vs competition

As part of that journey, it’s important to consider a multi-cloud approach to mitigate against cloud provider lock-in. There has been increased competition in the telecoms vertical from alternative service providers including Hyperscalers. There are, however, opportunities for partnerships between telcos and the cloud providers in areas such as 5G, edge and IoT, therefore striking this balance should be a key priority for telecoms businesses.

The risk is that some of the large integrated telcos will end up purely playing the role of infrastructure provider - the typical dump pipe scenario - with Hyperscalers orchestrating the ecosystem. To establish a strong position in the value proposition, telcos have to take NaaS further to capitalise on the variable consumption of connectivity. The telco needs to act as a marketplace, aggregating a variety of offerings: security, cloud connect features, connecting data centres to several cloud providers as well as core connectivity complemented by IoT and edge services. Finding that balance in collaboration and competition will be critical.

All this leads to the next stage for the market - the new battlefield of multi-cloud and distributed cloud. It’s prime real estate for telcos to orchestrate an ecosystem for businesses that connects them to a variety of cloud providers with technology solutions and services that are built to address very specific business needs. They can play a transparent and neutral role, shifting workloads between public, private and distributed cloud environments with flexibility and scalability to meet enterprise objectives. That flexibility in network services is not there today, so telcos must build a cloud fabric within their businesses that adopts a cloud strategy for both technology and business transformation.

By supporting a multi-cloud proposition in this way, telcos can establish real value in the ecosystem.

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How core connectivity can deliver a brighter digital future for the public sector

Joanne Green, Public Sector and Transport Sales Director, Neos Networks

Covid-19 changed everything about the way we work, with many believing the pandemic has accelerated digital transformation.

We recently conducted a survey to investigate the relationship between the level of attention paid to core connectivity and the extent of digital transformation success experienced by large UK organisations.

For the public sector in particular, the survey brought to light some interesting statistics with the research revealing that transforming digitally remains high on the agenda of many, with 65% of organisations stating it is important to their future strategy.

As one might expect with the public sector, this appears to be a strategy focused around bettering the lives of people. The research would suggest that this is being considered in two primary ways; through the improvement of internal processes which will make the working day easier for employees, and through the introduction of technological advancements designed to improve the lives of citizens.

The challenges facing the public sector in digital transformation

Government has a reputation for being slow to adopt change and our survey suggests that the public sector are taking a very measured approach to digital transformation, with 90% stating they have a roadmap in place to support their strategy. While this looks positive, greater internal inclusivity is an issue with just over half (53%) of public sector respondents suggesting their roadmap has been agreed across all departments within the organisation. This compares to almost three quarters (74%) of those organisations reporting highly successful digital transformation programmes ensuring the strategy was agreed across all departments.

Public sector organisations are focusing on three key areas:

With improving efficiency of the IT function and operations and increasing productivity as the key motivators, these are the same three focus areas adopted by those organisations reporting highly successful transformation programmes. This bodes well for the sector and suggests that the priorities do indeed surround the desire to ensure the underlying network infrastructure is robust and resilient enough to contend with future demands.

The 4 key issues for Digital Transformation by the public sector

  • Safety and risk:
    With so much emphasis on safety and risk, it’s no surprise that the biggest digital transformation challenge for the sector is information security. This undoubtedly will impact the level of pace and innovation afforded when trying to evolve digital estates.
  • Resource:
    Another common challenge was the extent to which internal IT teams are stretched, with plans suffering setbacks as a result of Covid-19. While most respondents, including those in the public sector, have suggested the outbreak accelerated transformation programmes, it is here that you are most likely to find an organisation that has experienced a reduction in the pace of roll-out also.
  • Connectivity:
    More than eight out of ten (84%) in the sector are plagued by slow lead times when implementing new technology solutions. It’s also the sector most likely to suggest it needs more help and advice regarding the optimal balance of connectivity performance versus cost, and the most likely to be uncertain about which connectivity technologies will be fit for purpose in the future.
  • Supportive telecoms providers:
    Just a fifth of respondents in the public sector stated they were happy with the advice provided by their current telecoms provider on which new technologies can help with digital transformation; a key differentiator between the sector and those businesses successfully progressing their digital transformation programmes.

Emulating organisations leading the way
Despite these challenges, public sector organisations are taking positive steps towards achieving success with their digital transformation programmes. The sector’s priority focus on adoption of cloud infrastructure and cloud applications is testament to this, given those succeeding in digital transformation are taking the same approach.

One of the most promising indicators of all however, is that almost six out of ten (58%) in the sector acknowledge their organisation is extremely reliant on the robustness and reliability of its connectivity solution – another common characteristic of those businesses reporting high levels of success with their digitisation processes.

That being said, the sector appears to be failing to attribute an appropriate amount of budget towards improving it. 43% of respondents within the public sector revealed that, at most, 20% of the IT budget would be spent on digital transformation with just under half of those respondents (48%) spending between 5% and 20% of that budget on connectivity. Furthermore, the public sector is likeliest of all to attribute less than 5% or in some cases even zero digital transformation budget to enhancing connectivity solutions.

Replicating a successful rollout
It’s important to gain a greater appreciation of exactly how the solutions implemented will add tangible value to the organisation. The majority of respondents demonstrated a lack of faith that their current digital transformation plans will address the connectivity challenges experienced. Those in organisations achieving high levels of success in digital transformation appear to show far more concern about the solutions they are implementing. This might suggest organisations in the public sector have too much blind faith in their digitisation plans, when in fact they should be doing more to comprehensively understand what they need and how it will deliver benefit, both immediately and in the future.

The level of visibility and control over the network has been key to highly successful organisations, with 90% recognising significant benefits of SD-WAN (Proactive management, better performance info., control of applications). This can be achieved with the latest WAN solutions, such as SD-WAN and IP-VPN, and should be considered by organisations in the public sector looking to achieve more in this regard.

Our research into the relationship between connectivity and digital transformation success highlighted much to consider. Ultimately, to maximise impact and demonstrate value, organisations in the public sector must re-consider their approach, their priorities, and the extent to which they are prepared to invest in improving connectivity solutions as part of their digital transformation programmes.

To find out more, read the full report, Digital transformation in the public sector: How core connectivity can deliver a brighter digital future for UK citizens

 

End note –

During the summer of 2021, Neos Networks partnered with B2B International to investigate the relationship between the level of attention paid to core connectivity and the extent of digital transformation success experienced by large UK organisations. By way of an independent survey, 247 respondents across a range of industries were interviewed in order to understand more about the attitudes and strategies around digital transformation, the challenges faced and what good looks like.

 

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Normalising anxiety: making the taboo commonplace

Kelly Billing, Head of Marketing at Neos Networks shares her experiences on Mental Health Awareness week

Over the last few years, mental health has become a hot topic. Friends, families and even businesses are recognising the impact that mental health can have on a person and are offering increased support.

And yet, when it comes to mental health, in particular anxiety, the subject can still feel taboo, especially to those living the experience.

It’s all very easy to say, “If you’re struggling, speak up”. But the reality is often not so simple. It can be daunting to tell someone that you’ve been battling internally with worries and anxieties. Then there are the additional concerns around telling your manager. By admitting how you feel, will you raise red flags over your ability to do your job? (It’s worth stating right now that no, this is not the case).

This fear has become ever more real for many as we start to return to offices more and more following over 18 months working in solitude.

What does anxiety feel like?

I wish I could answer that simply, but the truth is that anxiety comes in many forms. What for one might feel like butterflies in their tummy, for someone else could result in physical symptoms making them unwell. Common physical symptoms include; increased heart rate, hyperventilation, shaking, dizziness, increased headaches, pins and needles and sickness. I know this all too well having battled, and learnt to manage, anxiety over many years. I wanted to share my story to put out one simple message; you’re not alone and it’s ok to own – and even accept - your anxieties.

Where it all began

They say that mental health issues can start from one small act. In my case it was as simple as being homesick and encouraged (what I saw as forced) to eat breakfast on a middle school trip – yes, it goes back that far. Nothing much happened at that time, my parents picked me up at the end of the trip, I went home, and life returned to normal.

Years later – yes years – I went on another school trip, as a teenager and everything flooded back. I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep and was hyperventilating and being sick daily. This started a battle in my head that has continued ever since, one that – for me – is very much linked to feeling out of control.

What followed were a very turbulent few years.

I lost a lot of weight…fast. Anxiety wasn’t understood in the early 90s, and so my classmates assumed that I had an eating disorder. I then became too scared to join in with everyday things – like going to class – and so had to take a large proportion of my lessons in the school library, alone. GCSEs came, and I also had to do these in solitude.

Around this time, it all came to a head. Luckily, thanks to a great and understanding doctor (and very concerned but patient parents), I was provided with the support required to help start my recovery. By the time I got to college I felt back to my old self and had a renewed sense of confidence. But this also made me acutely aware of how uneducated people are on anxiety and so I started to speak out about my experiences.

The present

Fast-forward to today and I’m lucky enough to have learnt how to manage my anxiety. This was by no means an easy feat, it involved hours of therapy (both talking to psychiatrists and participating in cognitive behavioural therapy), a lot of growing, learning and accepting of who I am and, for me, being able to confidentially and calmly talk about what I’m going through. That’s not to say I don’t have flare ups. We all do. But I now try to accept these as what they are – a blip to overcome in my day.

Did I tell Neos Networks and my manager about my anxiety? I never brought it up as a specific subject. For me it’s become such a part of my life that it came out naturally. And when it did, no-one batted an eyelid. Support was offered should I need it, but otherwise I’ve continued on and developed my career, regardless of my history of anxiety.

The moral of the story is this. Yes, it may seem petrifying to open up and be honest but (I promise) honesty really is the best policy. At Neos Networks we’re extremely lucky to, not only have a great support system in place, but to also have mental health first aiders we can confide in and, most importantly, a group of welcoming, accepting colleagues.

The importance of Mental Health Awareness

This years theme for Mental Health Awareness week is Loneliness. The Mental Health Foundation outline that one in four adults feel lonely some or all of the time and that, the longer we feel lonely, the more we are at risk of mental health problems. Some people are also at higher risk of feeling lonely than others. For Mental Health Awareness Week this year, the Foundation is raising awareness of the impact of loneliness on our mental health and the practical steps we can take to address it.

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