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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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International Girls in ICT Day

Girls in ICT Day

28 April 2022 is International Girls in ICT Day. The initiative was established by The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) and is acknowledged in over 150 countries around the world. It celebrates girls and young women looking to pursue studies and careers in the technology sector.

At Neos Networks, we’re very proud of all the women who make up our company! Not only do we want to encourage girls to consider a career in ICT, we also feel it’s important to mark the day. With that in mind, we caught up with a number of our female employees to find out about their experiences getting into the sector and to see what advice they would give to those considering a career in ICT.

Diane Hill is Director of the Infrastructure Delivery & Cost Transformation Programme. She has a First-Class Honours Degree in Management Sciences, which was based on Technology and Science. This naturally led her to start her career in ICT as a graduate at BT.

“I initially started working as a Project Manager in the Payphones Business (I know that really ages me!), and then was chosen on a graduate high potential fast-track within BT, which involved me moving around the whole of the business getting exposure of many different types of technology and businesses. From the get-go, I was hooked on Telecoms, and haven’t looked back since!”

When asked what inspires her, Diane said “I am inspired by other’s attitude and their values in how they approach their day-to-day life. I believe that having strong and consistent integrity, values and behaviours in your professional life will not only make your time more fulfilling, it also has a positive impact on others around you.”

For girls looking to start a career in the ICT industry, Diane would advise that the most important thing is to ALWAYS be yourself!

She states, “Be fearless in your questions, never assume that because someone is more senior than you, you can’t question what their strategy is, the approach or suggest alternative ways to doing things.” 

Diane has faced challenges in her career in ICT but has always turned these into a positive. “When starting in Telecoms, I was the only female in both my graduate group and my business unit – and significantly younger than most of my project teams. However, I refused to let that define me. I actively decided to be myself, not accept that I was anything different and not accept being treated differently to my counterparts. It wasn’t always easy, but in choosing that mindset, I carved my career in the industry.”

 

Stacey Burge is a Project Management Office (PMO) analyst. She is involved in activities including supporting governance processes, as well as reporting and analysis. Stacey is also involved in various voluntary sub-groups within Neos Networks helping to improve our Environmental and Sustainability initiatives.

Stacey got into the industry by pulling together skills from previous experiences. Her professional focus has always been how we can operate more sustainably as a society. After her undergraduate degree, she sought work in many different areas to learn what part she could play in this. She went from working in flood prevention, waste and recycling, water retail services and then, more recently, moved into her current role in ICT. Each step opened the door to the next and she learned a lot about herself along the way.

When asked who inspires her, Stacey said “Firstly, the Head of Technology at Isle Utilities was my mentor in a previous role and secondly, the Director of Resilience at CPEX Louisiana, who was integral in my MSc research. They both provided me with the access, support and tools necessary in order to reach opportunities I never would have thought possible, including publishing academic work. This also led to projects that were outside my day job, giving me deeper technical skills, ultimately contributing to my now working in ICT. I plan to pay this forward as much as I can.”  

For girls looking to start a career in the ICT industry, Stacey would advise that when it comes to thinking about your future and choosing opportunities, it’s ok to have a change of heart from what you originally planned and risk stepping outside of your comfort zone to try something new.

“I think we can sometimes get bogged down with what we ‘should’ be doing, rather than what we simply want to do."

Stacey has also faced challenges in her career in ICT but has always turned these into a positive. She said “A challenge has been getting through the door and progressing with scarce technical expertise and little confidence. Instead of focussing on this, I’ve highlighted what I do have to offer and made an impact really demonstrating transferable skills which are vital, whatever industry you work in”

 

Kelly Billing is Head of Marketing and leads the marketing and campaigns team. Her role is to make sure that our brand is thoroughly represented in the marketplace and that when customers and prospects are looking for a business connectivity provider, Neos Networks is front of mind.

Kelly’s path into the ICT industry started with carrying out a degree in marketing and design. Following completion of this, she then got ‘the first job she could to pay the rent’ and found herself working in an engineering organisation as a Service Planner. Knowing her heart was in marketing, she opened up to her then-CEO and he agreed to allow her to pick up ad-hoc marketing tasks outside of working hours to better her knowledge. From here she moved into a technology-focused marketing agency, then moved in-house to a well-known communications company and, six years ago, joined the Neos Networks marketing team.

When asked if Kelly met any inspiring women along her career, she said

“I’ve met some amazingly inspirational women in my career, from my first manager in my first role in engineering who made it clear from the get-go that, while women don’t dominate our industry, that doesn’t mean they can’t gain a substantial spot at the table, to a number of women across my previous telecoms role and more recently at Neos Networks who inspire me every day with their industry knowledge, expertise and skills.

For girls looking to start a career in the ICT industry, Kelly would advise “don’t be put off by the fact the sector is still very male-dominant. The market is very much looking for new blood and new expertise, regardless of gender. The sector itself is hugely exciting with some real leading-tech changing the way that we all go about our lives (both in work and at home). It’s an ideal time to get involved.”

 

Lisa Miles is our Head of Service Management. Her role is to ensure that our customers are receiving the very highest standard of service and that we deliver a great customer experience every time.

Lisa started her career at Vodafone in 2000 working as a call centre agent, managing the mobile base for corporate clients. Back then mobile phones were really taking off and she found the fast pace of the industry exciting. It was here that she really developed her passion for people and customers. She progressed to Team Manager then Operations Manager and finally took the leap into Service Management. In 2015 we were lucky enough to have her join our ranks.

When asked who inspires her, Lisa said

“I don’t have an individual person that has inspired me however collectively I want to shout out to all of the working mums I have met during my career. Balancing full time work, managing children and day-to-day life can be tough, even more so during a pandemic when you add home schooling into the mix. It’s taken my organisational skills and tolerance to a whole new level.”

For girls looking to start a career in the ICT industry, Lisa would advise “Go for it! The ICT industry is no different to any other. If you are resilient, passionate about what you do and are focussed on achieving your goals, you can do anything.”

Lisa loves working in the ICT industry and sees a lot of positives. She didn’t have any challenges getting into the industry and although her direct peers are all male, she feels she is judged on her performance and skills and not her gender.

 

At Neos Networks, we’re really proud of the talent and skill that our employees bring to our business every day. Days like ‘International Girls in ICT’ really bring to the forefront the importance of bringing fresh, new talent to the industry. If you’re looking to develop your career in the sector, take a look at our Careers page and see if Neos Networks could be the right next step for you.

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PTSN Switch Off in 2025: Everything You Need to Know

The big public switched telephone network (PSTN) switch-off is imminent. As 2025 ends, this system – which is operated by BT – will be turned off forever.

The UK’s PSTN has been with us since 1876, routing phone calls to and from phones all over the country, using millions of miles of network cable. But there are now more efficient systems available, which is why the switch-off is happening.

In some countries, it’s already happened. The Netherlands and Estonia, for instance, have already seen PSTN lines phased out. Others, including Japan, Germany and Australia, have set dates for their own PSTN line switch-offs.

This means that individuals and businesses using PSTN-based telephony will need to upgrade their set-up to ensure they can continue communicating.

So, what options are available if you need to migrate before the PSTN switch off?

The alternative is hosted VoIP (voice over internet protocol): a digital service that allows users to make voice calls using a connected device via the internet.

In this guide, we’ll explain:

  • How PSTN works
  • How PSTN and ISDN differ
  • Why they’re both being switched off
  • The technology that’ll replace it
  • What you can do to get ready

If you still have questions afterwards, why not contact our team for further guidance?

What does PSTN stand for and mean?

PSTN is short for public switched telephone network. It’s a global system of telephone networks that use copper wires to transmit analogue voice data. But the equipment used to run it is old and expensive to maintain. That’s why providers like BT are investing in digital technology designed to better meet the needs of their customers.

But just what is a PSTN phone line?

PSTN phone lines are made of copper. They connect most UK homes and offices to cabinets on the street, which are then connected to local telephone exchanges.

It’s important to note that PSTN lines are dedicated. As a result, people can only use a PSTN phone line for one purpose at a time. This is why, in the early days of the internet in the 90s, households couldn’t use the internet and their landline phone at the same time.

How do PSTN phone lines work?

This is how the UK’s current system of PSTN lines works:

  • You pick the phone up and dial a number
  • A dedicated circuit is created between your phone and the phone you’re calling
  • When you speak, the sound waves are converted into electric signals
  • These signals are transported through telegraph lines (distribution points) to street cabinets (or primary connection points)
  • From there, the signals go to the telephone exchange (also known as a central office, switching office or network tandem)
  • Those signals are then relayed to the phone you’re calling and are converted back to sound waves

The rate of data transmission over PSTN lines is influenced by various factors, including the type of copper wire, distance covered and external conditions. 

The electromagnetic properties of copper can also interfere with the speed of transmission. As these phone lines were usually laid underground next to electrical cables, electromagnetic fields can occur and affect phone signals.

What are PSTN lines used for?

The main function of PSTN lines in the UK has been to connect phone calls. However, some other technologies also use the PSTN system and will need to be reconfigured after the PSTN switch-off. These include:

  • Fax machines
  • Electronic point of sale machines
  • Alarm systems for houses and businesses
  • CCTV
  • Door entry systems

What are the benefits of PSTN?

The PSTN system has served us well, particularly in places like the UK, where it’s been in use for over 150 years. There are several advantages that have contributed to its longevity:

  • Reliability – PSTN lines are generally stable, with voice distortion or call dropout rarely occurring
  • Security – dedicated lines make PSTN systems highly secure
  • Low maintenance – while business lines or a private branch exchange (PBX) cost more in upkeep, residential PSTN lines need very little maintenance. This is one reason the system has endured so long.
  • Always on – as the power supply is fed directly over the phone line from the exchange, it’s not affected by the building’s electricity supply

Ultimately, however, PSTN is an outdated system, overtaken by the digital world and new ways of living and working.

What are the disadvantages of using PSTN?

PSTN has been a trusty servant, but governments around the globe now recognise its time has come. In today’s world, holding onto a PSTN system would have various disadvantages:

  • Expensive set-up – between £6,000 and £10,000 for a 30-person business
  • Expensive calls – costly international and mobiles, compared to free VoIP-to-VoIP calls
  • Higher monthly costs – it can cost up to £50 per user each month
  • Integration – PSTN offers no possibility for software integration
  • Difficult to scale – extra hardware makes scaling up complex and costly
  • Outdated – PSTN is not supported over the internet 

What is a PSTN line fault?

Typically, a PSTN line fault occurs when the PSTN line fails to transmit the connection signal from its point of origin to its intended destination, or when the digital signal quality deteriorates. 

This scenario is becoming more and more common since the lines are now so old. In some cases, the copper wires are suffering corrosion after the protective rubber covering has degraded over time.

Whatever the cause, more frequent faults are resulting in more unpredictable service, higher maintenance costs and greater repair costs. The case for switching off PSTN is becoming more and more compelling.

What is the difference between PSTN and ISDN?

ISDN stands for integrated services digital network and has (alongside PSTN) been the primary form of communication for decades. PSTN uses a single line, while ISDN supports up to 30 lines over a digital transmission connection of up to 2Mbps.

This is how ISDN enables you to manage multiple calls across the same line at once, ideal if multiple people are on the phone in the same office. PSTN lines, however, don’t – and that’s a problem if you run a business. If customers can’t get through, they’ll give up and go elsewhere.

Although ISDN uses the PSTN network to operate, it’s completely digital. This means it can provide multiple lines and a host of other useful features, which can be scaled quickly, resulting in superior call quality and video. This makes it much easier and faster than old PSTN set-ups, where each line needs to be physically plugged in. So you may be surprised to hear ISDN is also nearing the end of its lifespan.

Why is ISDN being abolished? Like PSTN, it transmits data using copper wires that are expensive to maintain. This cost is then passed on to customers in the form of prohibitively expensive line rental packages.

What is the 2025 PSTN switch-off?

The PSTN switch off will happen in December 2025, but new orders will be stopped from two years prior. BT owns the service, which includes various Wholesale Line Rental (WLR) and ISDN products. These products are purchased by Communication Providers (CPs) who sell them under their own branding at regulated prices.

Here are the key points to remember:
1. The PSTN switch off will also affect ISDN lines. However, businesses can still purchase ISDN lines until 2023. But providers are encouraging their customers to invest in newer technologies instead - because purchasing ISDN equipment will become harder and support for it will rapidly decrease.
2. PSTN and ISDN are being replaced by fast fibre broadband. The cost of maintaining these seldom-used systems makes little sense when providers could use that money to invest in a faster and more efficient infrastructure that provides a better service for end-users.
3. The PSTN switch off is imminent. This means individuals and businesses using outdated legacy systems should speak to their providers and seek advice about the next best steps if they’re to avoid costly disruption and to keep up with competitors.
4. Phase one will occur in September 2023 when BT stops selling Wholesale Line Rental (WLR). WLR is a service that lets a Communication Provider (CP) use an operator’s service and sell it under its own branding. Finally, in December 2025, PSTN and ISDN will be switched off permanently.

What will replace PSTN?

The UK government has a target of equipping every home with gigabit broadband by 2030. By the time of the PSTN switch-off in December 2025, the government is aiming for 85% full-fibre coverage. Although there is still work to do, expect IP-driven services like VoIP to become the norm soon.

Our fast fibre future will see us communicate using internet-driven services like voice over internet protocol (VoIP). Also known as IP technology, VoIP doesn’t require a circuit-switched network. Instead, it sends voice data in chunks or packets, which makes it faster than the PSTN.

In addition, VoIP offers advanced, in-built features such as call forwarding, call waiting, caller ID, conference calling and voicemail.

PSTN vs. VoIP

Compared to PSTN, VoIP is cheaper, offers unlimited scalability, can be tailored to the needs of subscribers, and removes the need to change numbers when a business moves premises. Here are some of the biggest differences between the systems:

Price

Set-up and monthly costs are cheaper with VoIP. Plus, VoIP-to-VoIP calls are free.

Security

With VoIP, how secure your system is depends on the security of your internet connection. PSTN lines are extremely secure because they’re dedicated.

Scalability

Increasing the number of users is simple with VoIP. You can even do it instantly, in many cases. Extra hardware is required for upscaling PSTN lines.

Features

VoIP gives you more in-built features, including video calling, voicemail, click-to-call services on websites, recording services, messaging and presence information.

Power

Traditional corded landline phones – using PSTN – will work during a power outage, while VoIP relies upon an internet connection and won’t work.

What are the benefits of the PSTN switch-off?

The benefits of the switch-off are clear to see:

  • No more time or money spent supporting an outdated system
  • Opportunity to replace PSTN with a more modern, efficient system
  • Businesses get a future-proofed, scalable solution instead
  • Better integration will improve productivity
  • Everyday costs will fall
  • Voice calls are available over any device

How can your business prepare for the PSTN switch-off?

One thing is for certain: the PSTN and ISDN switch off will happen in December 2025 and the impact on unprepared businesses will be extensive.

If you rely on either or both of these legacy systems, you’ll need to take steps to prepare your business and avoid costly and disruptive problems later.

Here are three initial steps you can take:
1. Audit your telephony estate
Which (if any) areas of your business use PSTN or ISDN? This is especially important for businesses operating across multiple sites. Some premises may use fast fibre broadband - while others still rely on PSTN or ISDN technology.

Auditing your infrastructure will give you the bigger picture. When running your checks, don’t forget to include other systems, like alarms, which may also rely on PSTN or ISDN to function.

Finally, consider whether these systems can be adapted or need to be replaced entirely. Your provider will be able to help with these questions.

2. Check your internet speed
Even if your system is up-to-date, is it good enough? Fast fibre broadband is becoming the go-to choice for businesses worldwide which means investing in the latest technology is essential unless you want to fall behind your competitors. Additionally, cost of fibre services are largely competitive now, meaning your business could benefit from better performance for nearly the same rate.

3. Create a plan - check it often
It may not seem it, but December 2025 is imminent. Setting a plan in motion now will help you get ready for the PSTN switch off and avoid surprises. That doesn’t mean things are set in stone. Watch developments and adapt your plan to reflect changes before committing to a strategic decision.

4. Exploring the market
There are a variety of providers who can support you throughout this migration and help you select the best solution for your needs. The research and implementation process can take some time, so it’s worth starting this process well ahead of time to avoid any unnessecary business disruption.

Working with an experienced fibre network specialist will help ensure you make the right choices. Connect with one of our knowledgeable experts to discuss your circumstances so we can find a solution that best suits your needs.

How can we help?

We’re focused on ensuring our customers have the connectivity their business needs. Whether it’s Dark Fibre, Dedicated Internet Access or Ethernet, we’ll find a tailored solution that offers you a reliable, smooth internet connection. We’ll make sure you’re thoroughly prepared for the PSTN switch-off, giving you a cost-effective service that supports VoIP and more integrated communications technology.

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Celebrating Neos Networks as we turn one!

Colin Sempill, CEO

First Birthday

Neos Networks are one year old! And what a year it’s been.

When we look back over the last 12 months, it’s fair to say that with COVID still rife, at times it’s been challenging. And yet we’ve continued to develop, expand, and enhance our business with great success. Our fantastic teams play a huge part in this, ensuring that we’re always delivering for our customers.

In fact, providing great service to our customers continues to remain a top priority. It’s therefore extremely pleasing to see that the key indicator of our customer relationships – our Net Promoter Score (NPS) – remains strong with the business currently averaging a market-leading +67. This comes as a result of the business working tirelessly to ensure our customers always get the very best experience every time.

Another key focal area for the business is in positioning ourselves as an ethical leader in the industry. One way we’re leading the way in this is through our ambitious target of achieving carbon neutrality by 2030. Something we’re well on track to deliver.

We also remain strong in our delivery.

Across the industry, delivery is often a sore point. This year we’ve managed to deliver a number of key projects and initiatives to budget and to time including for Aberdeenshire County Council and Perth and Kinross Council. Then of course there was our exchange roll-out programme which saw us invest in and deploy 172 new exchanges over the year. We also have some exciting projects in-flight with Oxfordshire and telent making great progress.

Earlier this year we also announced the launch of our first direct access proposition – due for deployment across 2022 and 2023. This will see us bring end-to-end connectivity, delivered wholly by Neos Networks, to businesses across Birmingham, Liverpool, London and Manchester.

One of the key highlights of the year for me has been the progress made transforming our business. Can you believe it’s been one whole year since we launched the Neos Network brand?

In July, we migrated to our own IT platform, with a stand-alone version of Office 365. Also in July we launched our new Workday ERP system. Finally on our transformation journey, we are in full testing mode for our new end-to-end BSS system. All this collectively means that we are on track to be a standalone business by the end of this summer.

It’s fair to say that there is a lot for our business to be proud of as we celebrate 12 months as Neos Networks. Over the next 12 months we plan to keep up the momentum, continuing to grow our reach, develop our partnerships and forge new and exciting relationships.

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Why self-service should be the first choice for resellers

Business Development Director for Wholesale, Simon Willmott

In the digital age, self-service is becoming the first choice for many. Long gone are the days where multiple phone calls and emails were required in order to price up a service. Nowadays, it’s imperative that answers can be found in a few clicks of a button.

Recognising this, we invested millions in a customer quoting and ordering portal, LIVEQUOTE, to provide our partners with more convenience, better transparency and greater choice than ever before.

We had a chat with our Business Development Director for Wholesale, Simon Willmott, about why our LIVEQUOTE portal is ideally placed to support our partners current and future needs.

Why is it important to make complex quoting simple?

Rather than reaching out to multiple providers and often waiting days to review responses, our partners can easily and instantly compare connectivity quotes side by side in a centralised place, before making their purchasing decision. We also allow our partners to compare a range of services including Business Ethernet, Optical Wavelengths, Dedicated Internet Access and Cloud Connect, where they can also compare suppliers, postcodes, bandwidths, bearers and more.

LIVEQUOTE is not just limited to Neos Networks’ reach either. We work with third-party providers including BT Wholesale, Openreach, Virgin Media Business, TalkTalk Business, Colt, Sky and CityFibre, meaning we can offer complete nationwide coverage beyond our own network, providing visibility and choice to end users.

In addition, we’re continually reviewing, improving and expanding our tool. Over the next 12 months we’ll be looking to add new products, continue to review our pricing and add additional suppliers to make the portal as intuitive and useful to our customers as possible.

For those partners with high demand, we also offer an API (Application Programming Interface) which allows users to connect their platform into ours in a seamless way.

Why is high capacity connectivity such a hot topic right now?

Up until now, when looking at high capacity connectivity options, choices have typically been restricted to Optical and Dark Fibre services and not many providers could offer a digital interface to understand availability and pricing immediately.  More recently however, due to increased popularity and reduced cost to serve, demand for high capacity services is becoming more commonplace within the wholesale community. This led us to introduce our national 10Gbps Ethernet services.

Historically 10Gbps capacity have been limited to Optical services. At Neos Networks, our fully diverse 10Gbps Ethernet service provides a new option to the market. It offers built in resilience and increased availability while reducing costs.

High capacity services are imperative in serving the needs of your business and the needs of your end-customers. Couple this with a number of next-generation technologies also being introduced, including 5G and IoT devices, high capacity connectivity is becoming more necessary than ever before.

Today, we’re proud to have one of the most pervasive national 10Gbps networks in the UK. Even better news, many of our services can be quoted and ordered easily from LIVEQUOTE.

In short, it’s evident that high capacity connectivity is here for the long-haul and we want to be the provider who you turn to in order to facilitate your high capacity needs.

What is backhaul and how can it propel our partners into the future?

Backhaul connectivity allows you to take connectivity from our unbundled BT exchanges to other exchanges or data centres across the UK, connecting directly into your customer premise and back to your core network. This effectively allows you to connect end customers more quickly and cost-effectively enabling them to access next generation connectivity.

This effectively enables service providers, like yourself, to take advantage of the network of other providers (like us), without having to foot the hefty bill that comes with delivering diverse fibre into exchanges yourself.

Our backhaul service can be accessed on LIVEQUOTE  in both Ethernet and Optical variants.

What does the future of Neos Networks look like?

We’ve just completed the latest phase of our network expansion programme, Project Edge, pushing our reach further than it's ever been before. Today, we can provide you with access to 550 unbundled exchanges, 676 PoPs, 90 data centres and 34,000km of fibre infrastructure. We specialise in high capacity national services and we’ll continue to invest in our network in areas with high customer demand.

We also recently announced the launch of our metro access network. Once live, this will allow us to provide full end-to-end fibre connectivity directly to businesses within Liverpool, Manchester, Birmingham and London – all connected to our UK-wide network. Our access proposition provides a cost-effective alternative to EAD LA services, allowing customers to reduce their dependency on Openreach. This will ensure a single supplier delivers your full connectivity service from the end-customers building directly into a Network-to-Network Interface.

As we continue to invest in our own network, there has never been a better time to discuss how we can help you deliver more services to your customers. To discuss your network strategy and how we can help send us an email by clicking here, and we’ll get in touch.

If you would like access to LIVEQUOTE our Account Directors can provide you with a demo. Simply request access here. Alternatively, if you have an account, log in here.

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Connectivity for an energy-efficient future

Andy Ainsley, Sales Director Head of Energy

Energy

Over the last few years, the energy sector has seen seismic change in the way that it operates. With increased energy demand, rising costs to deliver energy, challenges on consumer pricing, political pressures, and strict regulations all underway, the industry is at a crucial turning point.

But in order to be successful, we must embrace change.

When it comes to the future of energy, there are four topics leading the conversation within the sector…

The soaring cost of energy

A hot talking point of late is the steady increase in the price of energy. It has, of course been evident in the media the impact this is having on the end-user, but what is less talked about is the strain also being felt by the energy industry.

Over the last 12 months alone, over 30 energy companies have collapsed due to the increased cost of service. This has come about following a worldwide squeeze on energy supplies and a rise is wholesale pricing of over 300% since the beginning of last year. These actions, alongside a price cap implemented from Ofgem, has led to firms offering energy services at rates lower than their wholesale buy price.

If energy doors are to remain open, they must look at new ways to buy and sell energy services to the market.

The rapid growth of renewables

While those providing traditional energy services feel the pinch, those in the renewable sector are continuing to thrive following another record year of growth. In fact, it’s been stated that renewables will account for 95% of growth in global power-generation capacity over the next few years, exceeding that of fossil fuels and nuclear energy.

This growth is in part thanks to a range of new climate and energy policies being implemented worldwide in order to help us meet our green credentials. Something that was a huge talking point at last year’s COP 26 summit.

Regardless, renewable energy clearly has a key part to play in the future of UK energy with wind and solar energy a crucial incumbent in our move to become truly net-zero.

The rise of the Internet of Energy

The latest buzzword across the industry is the Internet of Energy (IoE). The service involves merging Internet of Things (IoT) technology into the national grid to optimise energy usage and reduce wastage.

This technology allows energy providers to better balance energy demand while also allowing consumers to reduce costs by running appliances at a time where the cost per wattage is at its lowest.

For example, should a household wish to run their dishwasher at a time where it will cost the least, IoE technology should identify off-peak times from the grid, and turn on the dishwasher at the most appropriate time.

By combining the internet and solar energy in this way, the benefits could be great. So much so that, UK based utility company National Grid have stated that between 30% – 50% of fluctuations in the grid could be solved if both households and businesses adjusted their demands at peak time.

The move to demand-based models

Much like it’s ‘as a service’ counterparts, Energy as a Service (EaaS) allows the end-user to consume energy using a service-led business model. This means they broaden their offering from ‘just energy services’ to also include technology, analytics and reporting and even access to the grid. By taking energy in this way, the consumer will gain better visibility over their usage and expenditure, taking individual services in exchange for a recurring fee.

Historically, energy has been sold in kilowatts per hour but more recently it’s come to light that there is an appetite to simplify energy requirements, to ensure better sustainability and more cost-efficiencies. This realisation led to some energy providers looking at how they could better manage their overheads through the introduction of demand-based energy options.

EaaS proves beneficial both to the energy companies providing the service and the consumer thanks to its user-centric model which enables both to leverage cost savings while allowing the provider to diversify their product offering.

The part connectivity can play

One thing is clear, to truly succeed in such a fast-changing market, energy providers must not only be flexible enough to adapt to this changing world, they must also have robust, underlying networks in place to support their future ambitions. Embracing the aforementioned new technologies and initiatives is a sure-fire way to elevate the energy sector into the future.

To ensure success however, they must consider partnering with a network provider who not only understands their business, but can also work with them to overcome their connectivity challenges.

That’s where we come in. With over 20 years of industry expertise, Neos Networks has been supporting the energy sector to meet their connectivity ambitions thanks to our critical national infrastructure and expansive knowledge of the sector and the challenges and opportunities set to come its way.

We’re proud to own and operate a pervasive UK business-only network spanning 34,000km fibre network, 550 unbundled exchanges, 676 points of presence and 90 on-net data centres. On this we provide robust, reliable connectivity options to suit the energy market, all with capacities up to 100Gbps.

Regardless of who you partner with, finding a provider with a range of core connectivity options that can support EaaS, IoE, the changes in the way customers consume energy and more is imperative.

Once found, a world of opportunity will be opened, allowing those in the sector to achieve a more fruitful and energy-efficient future.

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A guide to Optical connectivity

A Q&A with Mark Charlesworth, Product Director, Neos Networks and Richard Horton, Account Manager, Ciena

Business data demands have evolved significantly in recent years. Data centres continue to be built to support the data driven economy and migration to the cloud, and new digital use cases and advanced technologies are impelling digital transformation. At the heart of this is the underlying communications infrastructure that enables the deployment of applications and services that can enhance productivity, efficiency, and business operations. One such solution that supports the ambitions of data hungry organisations is Optical connectivity.

In this blog, Mark Charlesworth, Product Director at Neos Networks and Richard Horton, Account Manager at Ciena, discuss the ins and outs of Optical connectivity and the benefits it can bring to businesses across all industries.

What is Optical networking and how has it revolutionised connectivity solutions for businesses?

Richard: Optical networking is a means of communication and data transmission that starts at the very bottom of the Open Systems Interconnect (OSI) model with the multiplexing of waves and transmission of information encoded in light signals. Without going too far into the technical details, what this means in terms of real, noticeable benefit is that the network technology is capable of transporting large amounts of data. Optical can deliver connectivity services that are exclusive and deterministic, while offering the lowest possible latency of any type of network. It also provides a much better cost point for the bandwidth received for organisations with large data demands – for example those businesses with large data lakes or data centres and cloud infrastructure that they need to stitch together. Ultimately, it is the least complex and most cost-effective way of achieving the transport needed to move vast amounts of data and it removes a lot of the complexities that are experienced further up the OSI model.

Mark: From the perspective of a network provider, Optical Wavelength networking is focused on alleviating the traffic pressure from Ethernet and IP networks. This allows our customers consuming the service to achieve better efficiencies and economies of scale, subsequently receiving better service options and availability. Optical transport has also revolutionised the service provider’s solutions offerings, to meet the demands of those customers and vertical industries that require increasing amounts of data consumption, with a service they can rely on, whatever their industry.

The reason why Optical is so critical for customers who consume high capacities is because Ethernet simply cannot efficiently handle the transport of huge quantities of data, or the types of data demands we see from sectors like media and finance. Equally, what Optical has given our customers is complete control on quality, on processing, and also greater transparency of service. In its purest sense, Optical has advanced large-scale transportation and is the ideal solution for multi-site enterprises with significant data demands vs more simplistic, small-scale business that can be handled over a computing platform.

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What specific business and industry challenges does Optical connectivity help to solve?

Mark: Optical is fundamental in enabling any business that requires network transparency and transportation, but also high capacity. Some of the industries that immediately spring to mind are finance, media and broadcast. These types of organisations carry vast quantities of data between data centre sites and often across international borders. The use cases could include high frequency real time trading or sharing large broadcast quality multimedia content almost instantaneously without the need for file compression. Optical networks are also critical in solving challenges for data centre providers, system integrators and wholesale carriers that have vast networks to connect and don’t want, or cannot operate with, an army of Ethernet connections between their sites. Critically, Optical gives those high data demand industries the fluidity of data exchange between one system and another. Employers and employees alike don’t want to be overly concerned with the technicality of compressing files and data to ease their transmission, they simply want to focus on the objectives of their business.

Richard: Mark is right to highlight those uses and another industry I would call out is healthcare. When we speak to customers in the healthcare sector, they’re often sending high-quality, high-density images, scans and files, data sets that can be difficult to compress. Not only that, but healthcare professionals must work quickly, sharing those high-density files in raw format, and in real time, creating some astonishingly high bandwidth demands, another challenge Optical communications solve.

Additionally, Optical is inherently more secure. If you’re running an Optical circuit, you aren’t going up in OSI layers, so with an exclusive dedicated circuit there is no control plane or any other protocol that could be interrogated by bad actors. What’s more, the entire pipe can be encrypted, securing the data at the lowest possible layer to ensure robust communication and smooth transport of data. The final thing I’d add is that we see some enterprises making use of Optical to hedge their cloud application use and run multiple workloads with various cloud providers. We’re starting to see more enterprises adopt this hybrid-cloud model, buying resources at different times based on the economic benefits it creates. This might involve moving different workloads at different times of the day from one provider to another. In doing so they need that Optical layer to move those workloads at scale and in real time, for that added flexibility and agility in managing their cloud environments.

Why should businesses choose an Optical solution over other connectivity solutions such as Ethernet?

Mark: There are three key considerations for why a business should choose Optical: price, capacity and transparency. Of course, a business can buy an Ethernet service at a lower cost to a 400Gbps Optical service; however, if you are in the market for high scale, high availability data then you simply can’t compare an Ethernet connection with the capabilities of an Optical network to meet your capacity and bandwidth demands. Critical National Infrastructure is an area where Optical is fundamental in supporting an always-on operation, to consistently monitor and manage high levels of network traffic.

Richard: Additionally, businesses that need robust protection mechanisms in their network should certainly consider an Optical solution. The further up the OSI stack you go, the more difficult it is to achieve the switch over performance of close to 50ms – in fact, it’s impossible to achieve that with Ethernet. Some businesses might look at the opportunities with Dark Fibre, but those businesses must consider that they will then have the responsibility of lighting their own Optical systems and the complexities that come with it. Consuming Optical products is very simple however, building Optical networks is not nearly as straightforward.

What Optical connectivity solutions are available to businesses and how do they use them?

Richard: Optical connectivity solutions range from point-to-point, relatively low bandwidth connections like 10Gbps all the way up to large switched optical networks of 400-800Gbps using Optical Transport Networking (OTN) and virtual private networks where you may even build a virtual Optical network core.

Mark: Demand is highest for the point-to-point connections, everything from 10Gbps up to 100-200Gbps services. The important thing to remember though is that you don’t buy Optical networks off the shelf. They are dynamic and flexible solutions that are tailored to meet specific and unique business needs. The solution will always be designed with careful consideration of what the customer will use the network for, and the level of service they want. Deploying an Optical solution fulfils a lot more than just providing internet access, with X amount of bandwidth. There are elements such as short-haul and long-haul considerations. Optical solutions aren’t just about meeting capacity demands, they also solve challenges with distance and interconnects – particularly in the data centre market. Data centres need a long shelf-life. They involve much longer planned investment and deployment meaning the Optical solution must fit current and future requirements with the option to scale as the business and its customer base grows.

How are Optical connectivity solutions unlocking the potential of advanced network technologies like 5G, IoT and edge networking?

Mark: The IoT opportunity is an interesting one when considering the potential benefits of supporting a connected ecosystem with Optical. IoT has always been seen as large amounts of small packet data and information, with a mandatory requirement for that data to be shared constantly in real time. As the number of IoT devices proliferates, there will be this enormous build-up of data that will need to be transported from multiple point A’s to multiple point B’s, and that represents a very different challenge to moving, for example, that large high-density data in a healthcare organisation that we discussed earlier. Finding a dedicated way to transport that information creates a challenge that wasn’t around before, and it’s a challenge that Optical technology can solve.

Richard: Another technology that Optical can enable is the machine-to-machine infrastructure on the back end of the network. Currently this involves lots of small communications, but much like IoT, as that scales it becomes significant and the more applications running means significantly more data that needs to be transmitted between data centres and end points. As Optical has evolved, there has been an inevitable driving down of the cost and where those data centre environments were previously centralised, more and more compute is now being pushed out to the edge to enable more real time processing, analysis, and communication of data. Underpinning all of that is a solid Optical backbone.

The industry has of course talked at great lengths about the potential for 5G, and Optical is undeniably critical in supporting the mobile network with reliable backhaul infrastructure. With 5G, the access technologies and the Radio Access Network (RAN) changes. A variety of RAN technologies, whether that’s virtual RAN or Open RAN, create significantly different service requirements. Optical makes a real difference in enabling the convergence of the fronthaul, backhaul and midhaul transport within the mobile network, leading to the concept of the xhaul infrastructure changes that come with the advent of 5G. Again, due to the decrease in the cost of Optical networks that has occurred over time, there is more flexibility for these technologies to become more distributed, changing the economies of the network for the mobile operators, and that is supported by the flexibility and agility of the Optical infrastructure.

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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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Cutting Edge connectivity: why the expansion of our network can help our partners to thrive

Business Development Director for Wholesale, Simon Willmott

Bringing better connectivity to the nation is a key priority for many in the telecoms space. But achieving this common goal is no mean feat. It requires incredible foresight and significant capital investment to develop networks that not only offer reliable connectivity solutions, but also capacities to match a fast-changing and often unpredictable future.

Since our initial investment in our exchange footprint in 2016, we haven’t looked back. Today we have one of the fastest growing B2B networks in the nation spanning 34,000km, 90 on-net data centres, 676 points of presence and 550 exchanges, all of which serve millions of businesses across the UK.

We spoke with our Business Development Director for Wholesale, Simon Willmott, to discuss why the exchange roll-out project was so important and how it has benefitted our 400+ partners to deliver better connectivity across the UK for their customers.

Why has Neos Networks invested in unbundling exchanges?

We recognised early on the importance of business connectivity services, like Ethernet and Optical, and how they, and the bandwidths that comes with them, can help better serve fast-paced, growing businesses.

A few years back we launched our Ethernet investment programme, Project Edge. We initially identified 54 exchanges in highly populated business regions to connect our services into. The investment quickly paid dividends and the rest, at they say, is history. Today, Project Edge has seen us unbundle 550 exchanges and we’re proud to be able to serve near-on 750,000 business postcodes across the nation.

Does Neos Networks plan to invest further in its network in 2022?

Quite simply, yes. At the end of last year, we announced an exciting new initiative for the business, bringing high capacity direct fibre access to the door of businesses in four key business districts; London, Liverpool, Birmingham and Manchester. This metro access project will enable us to provide direct last-mile connectivity services to nearly 34,000 regional business and office locations, allowing us to deliver full end-to-end connectivity while bypassing third-parties like Openreach.

In addition to this, we’re already well underway in analysing a new tranche of exchanges to be added to our network and are also looking to broaden our data centre presence.

How have you seen the industry change over the last few years?

It’s evident to us that the market is seeking out higher capacity services than ever before, particularly following another tricky year with the pandemic that led to many businesses re-evaluating their IT strategy once again. As part of our Edge investment, we therefore made sure to increase the capacity of our exchange network.

Today, most of our on-net exchanges offer Ethernet services up to 10Gbps as standard with NNIs and Optical connectivity available up to 100Gbps. This not only gives our resellers access to bandwidths to suit an advancing market, it also allows them to backhaul connectivity using our network, gaining access to exchanges through Neos Networks rather than having to invest themselves.

For an industry where just a few years back, 1Gbps Ethernet services were enough to support business requirements, the move to 10Gbps connectivity feels like the natural next step for many.

What does your exchange programme mean for your wholesale partners?

By offering high capacity connectivity services out of 550 exchanges we enable our partners to take advantage of our well established, highly reliable fibre infrastructure which in turn provides you and your customers with more choice and better availability.

More excitingly, our entire network and connectivity services can be accessed via our online pricing and ordering tool, LIVEQUOTE. This allows our partners to compare pricing for our Ethernet, Internet Access and Optical products against other key UK suppliers in a matter of minutes. And because our reach is now so extensive, we’re confident that where a requirement falls directly onto our network, we will more often than not offer the most competitive rates as well as the best route to market.

To discuss a partnership or gain access to the quoting and ordering tool, contact the team at Neos Networks today on [email protected].

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.
“The investment made in Neos Networks fibre footprint was not just in core cities but also second and third tier regions as well. This made them unique as it allowed them to offer high capacity connectivity in areas other providers couldn’t reach. You can make a difference here, by connecting communities. With Neos Networks, delivering our backhaul network we feel confident that we can deliver the service levels we want to provide our subscribers – we’re now actively reaching these local communities to help address their specific needs.”
“It is very important for us to be able to offer to our partners high-speed, full fibre with both local access and nationwide fibre coverage. Working with Neos Networks across the UK helps us to deliver on this connectivity ambition.”

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5 focus areas in connectivity for digital transformation success

Colin Sempill, CEO, Neos Networks

It’s well documented that digital transformation has been on the agenda for many businesses across a multitude of industries for some time now. But with the COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacting many sectors from early 2020, plans to digitise operations, systems and processes were accelerated in order for many to adapt and survive.

We wanted to understand the extent in which UK organisations were making progress and building out their digital strategies around activities, including cloud migration and digital transformation. Moreover, we were keen to understand the extent to which connectivity is being considered as part of these transformation plans.

With this in mind, we conducted a survey to almost 250 respondents across various verticals in the UK, getting under the skin of their digital transformation strategies. We were eager to learn more about when connectivity was considered in the process, the level of investment in network infrastructure and the ways in which organisations are implementing forward looking solutions to maintain sustainability.

Working with B2B International in a survey conducted throughout the first half of 2021, it was possible to unearth a number of interesting, and sometimes alarming, facts around the attitudes towards connectivity and network infrastructure.

From our findings, perhaps most pertinent was that 65% of respondents expected reliance on connectivity solutions to increase in the future, while 64% agreed that their digital transformation projects were at high risk of failure due to poor or inadequate connectivity. And yet, fewer than half (45%) of organisations include connectivity and networking requirements as part of their digital transformation roadmaps, while just four out of ten (41%) deem it a high priority.

There is an obvious disconnect here, and one which could prove costly given the average budget dedicated to digital transformation among large organisations is £14m. Thankfully, our research did also reveal a cohort of respondents for whom a very positive correlation was observed; the 28% that reported their digital transformation programmes to have progressed with a high level of success.

Within this group, we observed significant correlation between the level of focus and attention attributed to connectivity in comparison to those who have endured unsuccessful digital transformation programmes. For example, our research revealed that at least 11% of total digital transformation budget was allocated to connectivity for eight out of ten (81%) successful programmes. For the 62% of programmes that failed, budget attribution was 10% or less.

This was not an isolated occurrence. Consistently, organisations that had succeeded in their digital transformation projects had also focused considerable attention upon the importance of connectivity. As such, it was possible to construct a 14-point framework; a set of success factors to which organisations should adhere when looking to embark on digital transformation journeys. These centred around five key mantras:

  1. Prioritise connectivity: regardless of the technologies you might be implementing as part of your transformation programme, appropriate resource should be made available to ensure adequate connectivity is in place to optimise operations.
  2. Improve connection quality for cloud solutions: with the transition to forward-facing cloud technologies under way, it’s imperative that connectivity solutions are future-proofed and offering the capacity capable of dealing with exponentially increasing demands on data.
  3. Address connectivity challenges of hybrid work: the way we work is changing. Connectivity should not be delivered using a ‘one size fits all’ approach. Organisations must adapt accordingly and provide the capacity, resilience and security to remote sites just as they would a central HQ.
  4. Enhance visibility, security and control: businesses should be involving and, more importantly, empowering IT teams from the outset. Supporting their recommendations for connectivity solutions specific to individual SaaS and cloud solutions, while also appreciating the value SD-WAN has to offer in this regard.
  5. Recruit the right connectivity partners: your connectivity partner should be supportive of your digital transformation ambitions, offering strategic advice and providing solutions designed to add value. If you can’t score them highly for levels of satisfaction, perhaps it’s time to consider an alternative vendor…

In the current climate, digital transformation must be delivered at an accelerated rate, and in some industries, it could be the determiner of survivability. You can explore our 14-point success framework in greater depth as part of our report, Core connectivity: The key enabler of digital transformation. Take a look today and give your organisation the best shot of joining that elite group of businesses winning when it comes to digital transformation success.

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Network security: What is it and why is it important?

Product Director, Mark Charlesworth, Neos Networks

Network Security

Network security should form the cornerstone of any solid IT strategy. Failure to invest in - maintain and update – a best-in-class infrastructure could give rise to costly and avoidable breaches. Fortunately, there are steps organisations can implement to prevent such attacks.

What is network security?

Network security encompasses drivers, devices, software, and technologies. Its core aim is to control how and when data is accessed – and, just as crucially, by whom. As such, it helps protect organisations from financial harm, operational disruption, and reputational sabotage.

Architecture must adapt to prevent hackers from exploiting weaknesses in applications, devices, and programs. Furthermore, IT teams must implement new technology and processes to prevent mistakes from being made by end-users. By regularly updating passwords - and putting in place robust administrative controls – the risk of a breach can be greatly minimised.

How does computer network security work?

Organisations must control who can access their network and to what degree. Failure to create robust policies and processes could lead to systemic intrusions by attackers. Either that, or disgruntled former employees who attempt to modify, disrupt, or destroy network resources.

Examples of preventative security measures might include:

  1. Encrypting devices Data isn’t just at risk while in motion. It can also be stolen while on a device. By encrypting files, an organisation can prevent attackers from locating and stealing sensitive information.
  2. Network protocols Also known as cryptographic protocols, these processes encrypt, authenticate, and transport data securely to prevent unauthorised users from accessing or stealing it.
  3. Review security policies Organisations must stay abreast of network security trends by continually reviewing their security policies. This will enable them to adapt IT infrastructure to anticipate and neutralise new threats.

Computer network security comprises two levels: authentication and authorisation. Authentication checks if a user belongs to the network. Presuming they do, the network limits access based on their job role. For example, an IT manager would need to use an entire network. An administrative assistant would only require access to some of it.

Different types of computer and network security

In this ever-changing landscape characterised by newly emerging technologies, cyber security is of paramount importance. With thousands of attacks occurring daily, organisations must invest in well-designed network solutions to keep data secure – while still providing seamless and reliable access for employees.

This can be done on three levels:

1. Physical network security

Intruders don’t always attack from afar. Sometimes violations occur on-site with attackers sabotaging routers, servers, and other vital equipment. Investing in pin-controlled keypads, biometric authentication devices, and better-quality locking systems will help prevent this from happening.

2. Technical network security

Data is often conceived of statically: information stored on a system that’s accessed when needed. But information flows two ways, meaning technical network security controls must also protect against external attacks hidden in attachments or those activated by malicious links.

3. Administrative network security

Threats can originate internally too. That’s why administrative controls are important. Organisations can limit access levels, decide how users are authenticated, and influence the level of control IT has over secure network infrastructure.

How can you benefit from cyber network security?

Building a secure network infrastructure is essential for any organisation that values its reputation, employees, and clients. Without continual investment, it’s all too easy to fall prey to cybercrime – an activity that cost the global economy over $1 trillion in 2020 alone.

Improving cyber network security:

  1. Saves money. In 2020 four out of ten (39%) of UK businesses reported experiencing a cyber breach.
  2. Protects reputations. An intrusion can undermine customers’ and investors’ faith in an organisation.
  3. Improves compliance. This factor is especially important in regulated sectors where trust is important – for example, financial services or healthcare.

Overall, by improving network infrastructure, organisations become proactive – as opposed to passively waiting for problems to occur. For example, in 2015 when TalkTalk was fined £400k due to a series of security failings that allowed attackers to access customer data. Investing in a reliable network security partner prevents breaches like this from occurring.

Organisations that proactively maintain devices run safer networks. Failure to update to the latest security patch, regularly change passwords, or invest in virus software creates vulnerabilities that can be exploited by cyber attackers. Here are some tips to help you secure your organisation:

Change your router’s IP address

Even complex usernames and passwords can be hacked. If an organisation changes part of its IP address intruders will need to guess the new sequence and username and password. Changes can normally be made via router settings under the ‘Network Configuration’ sub-heading (note: headings will vary depending on the manufacturer).

Disable remote access to prevent intrusions

Turning off remote access prevents most cyber-attacks. This change can be made by visiting the ‘remote management’ section in the router’s interface. The remote access feature is often turned off by default. If not, the change can be made by an authorised user.

Set up a separate network for IoT devices

The Internet of Things (IoT) – connected devices that aren’t smartphones, computers, or servers – presents multiple cybersecurity issues. For example, an employee’s smartwatch that’s connected to the corporate network could be the entry point for attack - because IoT devices aren’t as secure. Setting up a virtual local area network (VLAN) would mitigate this issue by creating two networks: one for IoT devices and another for everything else.

Invest in a firewall to protect devices

A firewall is a virtual barrier that defends an organisation’s network from intrusions while allowing safe outbound access to websites, apps, and other devices. High-quality routers usually include firewalls as standard, but the software can also be downloaded and installed manually to create a more secure network.

Use a VPN for additional security

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts data – preventing cyber attackers from watching an organisation’s online activity or isolating its location. That’s because a VPN works via the router – rendering encryption data useless. It also masks the IP address, sending saboteurs a fake location. VPNs can be installed on most devices, including laptops, phones, desktops, and tablets.

Create a strong router password

Router passwords are manufacturer specific. Each one uses a unique pattern defined by the manufacturer which hackers can easily predict. To prevent this, organisations should change their default password to something unique that intruders couldn’t second-guess.

Update router firmware often

A secure network can only be achieved if software is frequently updated. Firmware is no exception and becomes vulnerable over time as hackers find new ways to bypass security features. In most cases, firmware can be updated via a web browser. Some versions update automatically.

Strengthen wi-fi encryption

Modern wi-fi routers have in-built encryption that’s switched off as default, but which can also be activated at set-up. There are various types, but WPA 2 and WPA 3 are the newest and most secure. Setting up a guest network is also advisable. That way organisational data isn’t exposed to malware hidden on visitors’ devices.

In addition to these steps, organisations should regularly run penetration tests and vulnerability scans. This will isolate access points that attackers could otherwise exploit – thereby anticipating and preventing future breaches.

Take the next step

Has this guide raised questions about your organisation’s ability to deflect cyber-attacks? If so, talk to a knowledgeable member of the Neos Networks team to discuss your next steps.

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What Is WAN & Its Advantages and Disadvantages

Product Director, Mark Charlesworth, Neos Networks

WAN is a hot topic in the industry right now, but with several service options available, how do you know which is right for your business? As technology and connectivity evolves, WAN has become a vital component in every IT leader’s armoury. The need to have clear visibility over your network is essential and assembling a business case to improve your existing WAN or to implement SD-WAN can be complex. IT leaders must find a solution that not only aligns with their own priorities but also with the wider company agenda.

Ensuring the network is performing to the best of its ability, as well as reducing spend is key in today’s climate. With this in mind, we’re going back to basics, looking at what a Wide Area Network is, what types of WAN are available, and the advantages wide area networking provides.

What is a Wide Area Network?

A WAN is a collection of Local Area Networks (LANs) joined together to form a connected, typically private, network. Organisations have historically used WANs to enable geographically distributed sites to communicate with each other effectively and privately. There are a large number of technologies involved in creating a private WAN, including Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), Ethernet, Wireless (cellular) and Internet connectivity.

More recently, WANs have evolved to take advantage of more advanced orchestration of connection types and relative importance of different applications and traffic.  This has become known as Software Defined WAN or SD-WAN.

What is the purpose of a Wide Area Network connection?

Quite simply, its purpose is to securely connect multiple sites together in order to exchange data privately. This kind of network is essential for modern businesses, particularly when those businesses are multinationals. It can be used to:

  • Provide internet connectivity to remote offices, data centres or employees
  • Create seamless communication and collaboration between employees
  • Open up remote access to company resources, such as servers, software and databases
  • Allow video conferencing and other methods of real-time communication-
  • Maintain visibility and control of traffic and applications being used across the WAN
  • Enforce common policies and deploy common security controls

What is WAN optimisation?

When you have a valuable WAN, you want it to work as efficiently as possible. This is the goal of WAN optimisation: using various methods to enhance data transfer on WANs.

Those methods include:

  • Deduplication – replacing duplicated data with references, avoiding the need to transmit identical data across the WAN multiple times
  • Data compression – compressing data flowing through WAN acceleration appliances, which can be either hardware-based or virtual machines
  • Traffic shaping – enabling network operators or administrators to regulate the flow of data and prioritise the WAN use of specific applications
  • Simple rate limits – restricting the bandwidth available to each user, which can help alleviate a congested connection or WAN link
  • Connectivity aggregation – enabling a WAN to intelligently combine multiple underlay connectivity types to improve traffic throughput or enhance SLAs

What are the disadvantages of wide area network?

Although many can be mitigated through WAN optimisation, WANs do have some limitations:

  • Cost – setting-up and maintaining bandwidth can be costly, particularly if you need high-speed and / or private connections
  • Performance – factors such as distance, network congestion and bandwidth limits can affect performance and lead to higher levels of latency
  • Difficult set-up – specialised skills and expertise are needed to implement WAN networks
  • Security – WAN equipment and connectivity is spread across multiple sites, as well as a carrier’s network. Thought needs to be given to how this is best monitored and controlled from a cyber security perspective

What are the types of WAN connections?

Despite IP-VPN being an ideal solution for many businesses for years, a trend to SD-WAN is evolving. The transition between platforms is often motivated by evolving demands, a change in cloud strategy or the need to gain more visibility of the underlying network. For companies looking at their WAN strategy, there are seemingly endless options – from the types of technology available, to the providers offering them. The smart choice is to find a strategic partner and collaborate with them to find a managed WAN solution that is right for your business priorities.

An IP-VPN connects multiple Local Area Networks (LANs) to one another through routers and Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). It’s commonly used for connecting organisations with multiple sites or offices and has long been the go-to technology for IT, voice and data networking infrastructures. IP-VPNs mostly rely on Multiprotocol Label Switching (MPLS), which provides resilient and efficient network traffic flow.

SD-WAN is a network overlay that combines different traditional WAN technologies, like MPLS and broadband connections. This creates a single, seamless view of the network no matter what transport type is used, empowering organisations to implement real time changes to bandwidth allocation and create cost efficiencies. It also allows organisations to connect all of their offices to a central network in the cloud, increasing control and flexibility.

What are the advantages of SD-WAN?

Implementation of SD-WAN enables a number of benefits for companies; typically, a company will gain better visibility and control over the type of data being generated and used on the network, which allows them to take advantage of the following:

  • Increased flexibility – separating out the data being sent across a network from the connectivity and overlay applications enables companies to introduce new elements into each area much more flexibly. This is combined with central co-ordination using an SD-WAN orchestrator. This orchestration makes it quicker and simpler to update rules across your entire WAN infrastructure, and to introduce new connectivity options for sites or entirely new cloud services to your company.
  • Higher efficiency – different connectivity types will have different cost bases. Understanding what data types are being seen on the network, enables the organisation to route data across the most appropriate connection type. For example, business critical data might be routed across higher availability and faster private connectivity, which also costs more. Whereas, data which is less important might be routed across lower availability and slower, but cheaper connectivity.
  • Higher availability – historically a business premises would have had one connection to a WAN, possibly a second/back-up connection for important sites. Each of these would have been comparatively expensive private connections. Today, there are many more connectivity options being used by businesses – from consumer-grade broadband, Ethernet over Fibre, mobile (cellular) as well as dedicated Ethernet, higher capacity and available private connections. An SD-WAN enables a business to direct traffic according to the business’ ruleset on priority so that if a particular connection becomes unavailable or saturated, traffic can be sent across the next choice, taking priority over other types of data. When the primary network route is restored or traffic levels fall, the data automatically returns to that first choice of connectivity.
  • Better control – by identifying different applications and traffic types, your SD-WAN can make decisions based on an organisation’s rules, over how to prioritise data of one sort over another, and how to get data to the end destination. For example, traffic from an employee accessing a non-work website during a break could be sent directly over the internet to the final destination. The company can de-prioritise this traffic when compared with other business critical data. Whereas data being generated via IoT sensors on manufacturing equipment could be routed across a completely private connection to a company’s data centre or cloud storage provider.

Considering global changes, your business’ specific requirements and what your ideal network looks like are all important starting points when it comes to choosing your WAN solution. The right WAN could be the key to thriving in this digital future. And while the choices in technology and provider are numerous and overwhelming, with the right information, businesses can find the solution that will work now and for years to come.

There is no one-size-fits-all model when it comes to WAN. As with all technology requirements, a good business case needs to clearly demonstrate the business benefits of implementing a new solution.

Take a look at our interactive comparison tool ‘IP-VPN or SD-WAN?’ to learn more about both solutions and discover the right option for your business.

“As a Critical National Infrastructure provider, ensuring our production facilities and multiple sites have a reliable, resilient network to operate is essential. The power of SD-WAN technology delivers independence to our sites, with improved network visibility and resilience, ensuring maximum up-time for our essential production facilities.”
"Neos Networks has been our managed network provider for many years, thanks to the partnership our teams are now better equipped to do their jobs and collaborate with their peers, from anywhere in the country."

– Chris Barnicott, CTO, SSE Group

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Outlining our commitment to tackling the climate emergency

Written by James Milner-Smith, Director of Governance and Assurance

EV charging

If you’ve switched on the news just once in the past week, then you will have undoubtedly caught reports on this year’s annual UN Climate Change Conference – COP26. Hosted in the UK, global leaders are gathering to address our very real and urgent climate emergency. Some have billed this conference as the last real chance for the world to unite on an agreed plan to inspire action in order to tackle climate change.

Net Zero by 2030

Over the past year, the UK government has outlined its own plans to make the UK a leading green economy. Initiatives like the ten-point green plan outlined the steps for a green industrial revolution and more recently its Net Zero strategy to “Build Back Greener” summarised the government’s commitment to reaching net zero emissions by 2050.

Technology can be a fundamental enabler of a much greener, more efficient future, and the tech and telecoms industries have a vital role to play in addressing sustainability and reducing their impact on our planet to prolong quality of life for generations to come. According to a recent Ericsson report, 5G will be critical in supporting Europe to achieve its climate targets, potentially reducing CO2 emissions by 15% by 2030. So how can we ensure we capitalise on the opportunity to use technology for good while ensuring our industry, technologies and solutions do not leave their mark on our planet?

At Neos Networks, we want to contribute towards building a sustainable future. As such, we have committed to aligning carbon emissions with the Paris Agreement and Science Based Targets Initiative in order to achieve our ambition of net zero by 2030. If, as a collective society, we don’t act quickly to do more to transition to a low-carbon economy, we will push past a point of no return which will have devastating effects on our planet. Neos Networks is aware of the part we have to play, and we are ready for the challenge.

How are we doing our bit?

Our ongoing carbon reduction plan measures the emissions produced by our office, exchanges, data centres, and as a result of our business travel. At our offices we’ve implemented Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points, more efficient lighting controls and recently we renewed our IT equipment, so it is to the highest energy efficiency rating available to reduce our footprint. Through more flexible working practices, we’re encouraging our teams to travel more economically, for example we provide loans to employees that want to take up our cycle to work scheme.

As part of our efforts to achieve our net zero pledge, we will decarbonise our vehicle fleet by 2030. In fact, 100% of all new company vehicles and all hired vehicles up to 3.5t will be decarbonised from 2025. Renewable energy will be top of the agenda at COP26, and we have committed to change all Energy Tariffs at Neos Networks properties to certified “100% Green Energy Tariffs” before 2024. We also realise that legacy systems and old equipment and infrastructure still running on our network are inefficient and harmful to the planet. That’s why we have created a £6m fund dedicated to the network obsolescence programme, to rip and replace outdated, energy-hungry equipment with economical technology that supports our network’s future green approach to growth.

Green connectivity

We have deliberately aligned our carbon reduction plan with our values, and we project that our carbon emissions baselined in 2019 at 5661 tCO2e will decrease to substantially less than 2000 tCO2e by 2024. As the world looks to what will come out of COP26 in the coming weeks, we believe all industries have a responsibility to action change that will have a lasting, positive impact on the environment. As a supporter and enabler of critical infrastructure and business connectivity across the UK we have a key role to play in improving efficiency and supporting our transition to a greener, more sustainable future.

You can read more about our net zero 2030 pledge and future measures here, or if you’d like more information please get in touch.

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What challenges do smart cities face – and what solutions can digital infrastructure provide?

An interview with Stephen Blackburn, Smart Cities Lead for Leeds City Council 

There is no doubt that smart city technology is increasingly being factored into urban planning. Confronted with ever-increasing populations, cities around the world are striving to make urban areas more liveable, in easily scalable ways. For many local authorities, investing in forward-thinking smart technology is a great source of pride, and there is often competition among cities to implement the most innovative solutions.

During pandemic lockdowns, it’s become clearer than ever that everyday human activity has an immense impact on the natural environment. Greatly reduced emissions and office energy demand gave nature a chance to breathe and inspired a new push for sustainability. Smart city planning will certainly benefit from this increased appetite for eco-friendly initiatives and ideas.

But as much as public sentiment is turning in their favour, smart cities are still in their infancy and governments and authorities attempting to get them off the ground still face a raft of challenges.

Where are the roadblocks?

As the Smart Cities Lead for Leeds City Council, one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the UK, Stephen Blackburn is familiar with the obstacles.

He says: “One of the key challenges we need to overcome is finance. Investment into the use of new technology needs to be made, which will enable a switch from traditional, often people-based processes. Because of this, winning over ‘hearts and minds’ will be essential – with both staff who may feel threatened by new technology and customers who may be wary or less tech-savvy.

“A human-centred approach is required. We need to increasingly involve members of the public and users from the outset to co-design and produce solutions – this will increase the likelihood of take-up.

“We should also bear in mind that in a world dominated by the likes of eBay and Amazon, customer expectations of how they request and have services delivered, are constantly increasing.

“Of course, we also have to be innovative, co-designing solutions that address city challenges, test and trial new technologies in safe environments, and generally accept a fail-fast culture.”

What are the answers?

Leeds is making some impressive progress in its smart city efforts. A notable example is the Careview app, which develops heat maps of social isolation hotspots by collating reported signs of potential loneliness such as piles of rubbish or post.

Travel also features prominently in Leeds’ smart initiatives. The council is investigating how sensors can be used to advise drivers of parking spaces, while traffic lights are being rebalanced to favour sustainable modes of transport and three local urban traffic management systems are being consolidated into a single, cloud-based system.

Blackburn sums up Leeds’ collaborative approach: “Local authorities act as the convenor, to bring relevant parties together. There needs to be a clear strategy as to what the focus of the city is over the next five to ten years, and who are the partners and contributors that can assist in the delivery of it.”

Above all else, Leeds is concentrating on the benefits of open data and connectivity. Over 60 organisations share their data with the Data Mill North website, managed by Leeds City Council. While real-time data on air quality will be used to encourage more environmentally friendly habits in citizens.

In terms of connectivity, the council is ensuring residents have access to the fastest and cheapest broadband possible, as well as introducing free Wi-Fi to community buildings. Leading this charge towards total connectivity, Blackburn is well aware of the importance of the underpinning dark fibre networks. He says: “The infrastructure needs to be future-proofed. For example, facilitating the roll-out of gigabit fibre broadband that can support the delivery of 5G, which in turn supports the delivery of enhanced services.

“As technology progresses, bringing with it increased automation, it’s important that the infrastructure is already in place to facilitate its roll-out. 5G will revolutionise our lives in the future: how we deliver and access services and how we travel, for example. Therefore it’s important that as a nation we are not left behind and build the infrastructure today.”

What’s next?

As Blackburn says, 5G will have a huge impact on people’s lives, particularly in its support of the Internet of Things (IoT). Some of the changes will be highly visible: autonomous cars, robots in healthcare and highly advanced augmented reality. Other technologies will play a much more understated role, with everything from smart bins to parking apps quietly making our everyday activities easier and easier.

But what experts like Blackburn get really excited about is what 5G and greater connectivity means for data – and what we’ll be able to do with that data.

“As we collect more data, we’ll be increasingly reliant on machine learning and artificial intelligence to help us better understand it. This may be a slow transition as we will need to assure ourselves that the data is correct and that the recommendations the system is producing are accurate and what we would expect to see. End-to-end processes could also become increasingly digitised, for example with systems automatically instructing tradespeople to carry out remedial work on properties without any human intervention in between.

“Digital and data ethics will become an increasingly important issue, for example with machine bias potentially leading to decisions being made that exclude certain individuals or communities. These may not be realised until it actually happens, but we need to be mindful and mitigate wherever we can.”

However, before cities can even contemplate using big data, they need to invest in the prerequisite core connectivity. 5G and other networks need this foundation to make IoT connections possible. For any cities that are serious about becoming smart cities, now is the time to invest in digital infrastructure. Otherwise, they risk being left behind in this exciting new stage of digitalisation, and to the detriment of their citizens.

“We have been working successfully with Neos Networks for 20 years, evolving how we collaborate over time. In 2020, we decided to use Neos Networks' robust, ultra-fast connectivity to improve the delivery of public services in our region. All with the aim of boosting economic activity and quality of life for citizens and businesses in the local area.

Neos Networks is combining its existing extensive fibre network with Physical Infrastructure Access to create a brand new end-to-end Dark Fibre network, improving efficiency in 190 public sector locations, including schools and NHS sites in and around Aberdeen. They are conducting the work with a clear strategy from the outset which has enabled the total construction requirement to be reduced by around 80%, meaning the project is minimally disruptive.”
“The gigabit-capable connectivity provided by Neos Networks is a key part of future-proofing not only our city but also the wider Perth and Kinross rural area. Neos Networks’ technical expertise in enabling smarter cities, combined with its ability to undertake this project as economically as possible with minimal disruption, means that we’ll be getting great value for the DCMS and Tay Cities Deal investment, alongside our ongoing collaboration over the next 20 years.”

– David Littlejohn, Head of Planning and Development, Perth & Kinross Council

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FTTP vs FTTC: What's the Difference for Business?

Product Director Mark Charlesworth provides a detailed introduction to EoFTTx, from service availability to business benefits.

In a world of hybrid working and vast data demands, having the right business connectivity solutions in place has never been so vital. So, it’s great news for companies across the UK that the Government is investing millions in replacing the country’s old copper network with a full fibre alternative. But to really make the most of this upgrade, businesses must be prepared to change their connectivity strategy.

At Neos Networks, the product team is always hard at work identifying and responding to the changing needs of the market, leveraging the expertise of our engineering teams and assessing customer feedback to spot new opportunities.

It was this process that led us to the realisation that smaller, evolving businesses were in need of a hybrid solution that sat between traditional fibre broadband and a dedicated fibre ethernet connection. The answer: Ethernet over FTTx (EoFTTx) – a hybrid solution for businesses that want all the benefits of full fibre Ethernet but at a more achievable price point. It can also work just as well for larger businesses that have diverse network needs.

As Product Director Mark Charlesworth believes: “Traditional broadband has been used as a sticking plaster for too long, but it has failed to provide the levels of quality and data throughput that our customers demand within their networks.”

We sat down with Charlesworth to answer the pressing questions about EoFTTx, from service availability to business benefits. Here’s what we discovered.

What types of EoFTTx services are available?

FTTx is an amalgam of terms. The various acronyms that we use cover multiple iterations of broadband network architecture, depending on the use case and configuration.

Currently, there are two types of EoFTTx services available: Ethernet over Fibre to the Cabinet (EoFTTC) and Ethernet over Fibre to the Premise (EoFTTP).

They are both robustly monitored to ensure connectivity services operate at peak efficiency 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

What is EoFTTC?

EoFTTC traditionally utilises an access tail from a third-party organisation, like Openreach. It then combines the selected third-parties network with an underlying copper telephone line.

Offered in capacities of up to 80/20Mbps, it works by running fibre from the exchange to the street cabinet, and then copper from the street cabinet on to the customer’s premise.

What is EoFTTP?

Where EoFTTP really differs from EoFTTC is its use of pure fibre connectivity, end to end.. This means it can provide fibre from both the exchange to the street cabinet and onwards into the customer’s premise. This in turn provides higher bandwidths (EoFTTP bandwidths range from 115/20Mbps to 1000/220Mbps), sub-1Gbps.

We offer EoFTTP on a national basis meaning as soon as the FTTP services are available in the street cabinet close to a customer’s premises, we can offer them this upgraded service.

What types of businesses can benefit from EoFTTx?

EoFTTx is a great fit for small to medium sized businesses looking to upgrade their connectivity services, in particular retail, education, offices and business parks.

EoFTTx will benefit those looking for a more reliable connection at capacities better suited to their expanding business models versus business broadband – all with business continuity options included as standard.

Neos Networks offers asymmetric bandwidth with higher downstream bandwidth available to upstream. We configure the service over our network to give customers the maximum downstream and upstream available with their level of access.

EoFTTx is also a scalable solution. For customers looking to move data between sites, providing connectivity for homeworking or allowing access to buildings via wayleave permission, EoFTTx offers a cost-effective, low bandwidth connectivity service at the lower end of the Ethernet spectrum. It essentially delivers an ethernet connection from a device in one location to a device in another.

How quick is EoFTTx to order and roll out?

EoFTTx is a solution that can be delivered up to 50% faster than full fibre Ethernet. Typical delivery timescales average around 15 working days, making it a perfect solution for businesses looking for a speedy implementation.

We all know that business connectivity needs have changed dramatically over the last few years. Services like, EoFTTx are well placed to support this change in attitude. The service is ideal for growing customer segments who want cost-effective business connectivity, without the full-scale commitment that often goes alongside.

Neos Networks provides class-leading connectivity and our experts have the industry experience and knowledge to develop and scale as your customers evolve.

Contact us to learn more about the technology in detail, including how it compares to other solutions in the market, how to identify customers the service might be suited to and understand why you should be adding this service to your product portfolio.

Request access to our self-serve portal LIVEQUOTE to start quoting and ordering the service for yourself.

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