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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 enquiries@neosnetworks.com.

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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Time for transformation: our objectives for digital evolution at Neos Networks

By CFO, Steve Forbes, Neos Networks

Our business has always been a home for innovation, accelerated development and positive evolution. This year, however, change within our business will take on a renewed focus, as we reach the culmination of a significant and wide-ranging transformation programme.

Transformation is always a major topic – as any of us working in the telecoms and technology sector know. But most of the time, a business like ours is looking outwards and talking to prospective or current customers about how we can help them drive their transformation. Now, this project is a chance for us at Neos Networks to open the door on our own transformation agenda, so that you can see what it’s like, what’s informing our processes and how we hope to improve our business as it develops. This is a chance to explore transformation as it’s happening, instead of talking about it theoretically.

And why? It’s simple really. This is a huge project. Transformation is so often done in a piecemeal fashion, with small projects building up over months and years. Ours is on a much larger scale, with substantial and wide-ranging transformation happening in a defined time period to significantly benefit our people, our clients and our mission.

Why we’re transforming

Initially, our transformation was driven by an important change in our business. We’re in the process of decoupling from the SSE Group, moving to a new ownership model and an exciting future for our company. Of course, being part of the wider group has been hugely beneficial – and we’ll retain some of that in the future. Yet change is always a good spur to look at how we can do things better and improve over the long term.

The watch word here is strategy. Our programme is guided by clear goals to create service improvements for our customers and operational improvements for our business. We’re cutting order to delivery times from months to weeks, with some services aiming to reduce 90 day cycles to 30. In billing, we’re making payment cycles easier to plan for and manage. And we’re creating smarter solutions, so customers can self-serve on things like routes, latency and packet loss. On top of all this, the technologies coming on stream offer greater automation capabilities, which will give our experts the time and space to become proactive, creative problem solvers for our customers.

However, our transformation is not only about tools and tech. We’re guided by ambitions that will improve our network itself, ensuring it’s in robust shape for the communications and connectivity challenges of the remainder of this decade and beyond. We know that a future-facing, modern telecommunications business needs to be agile, robust and able to grow and flex as the market demands. Our transformation work today is enabling that, creating the conditions for our success and yours.

So that’s why we’re transforming: to ensure our business is fit for the future and ready for any challenges that our customers, and our competitors, might throw at us!

Digitally transforming our systems and processes

Central to our strategy is understanding what customers need from us today and what they are likely to need in the future, and how their expectations in terms of experience are changing. That means thinking about things like remote portals where crucial information can be easily accessed, self-service offerings, and for us to be easier to do business with in all areas.

In practice, we’re focusing our transformation across three workstreams that we believe will yield meaningful improvements. The first, Business Support System (BSS), will cover transformation in sales as well as order management and billing systems. While ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) will look at HR, finance and procurement. And a new IT programme will create a new set-up process from a dedicated helpdesk, improved end user computing (including new hardware for everyone ) and better user applications.

Each workstream will inform the onboarding of key new technologies, acquired through a rigorous process that ensures the right fit for our business, our customers and our collective future. So we’re confident that the planned technological changes will drive tangible improvements in many aspects of all of our day to day jobs. Whether it’s Workday (ERP) to modernise our financial and HR planning, Talend to transform how we use data, or the major role that will be played by Cerillion (BSS) in streamlining our lead to order and order to invoice processes.

Importantly, the work we’re doing now is also about laying the groundwork for future improvements. It’s almost cliché to say that transformation never really stops. But in our case, it’s certainly true that the industry we operate in will continue to change over time, and there will be new and advanced technologies that our connectivity services will need to enable. We want to be ready for that, so you can be too.

Find out more

There’s simply no understating the scale of the transformation programme we’re undertaking here. Our separation from SSE Group is a time of huge opportunity, but also complexity as we reposition our business, and take a fresh look at how we can best serve our customers. Fortunately, we are no strangers to complex commercial challenges. And we will carry out this programme with a clear objective to offer our customers and partners better service, a better network and a better business relationship.

Follow us on LinkedIn to learn about future developments in our transformation programme.

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Exploring the ecosystem set to deliver a gigabit economy for Scotland

Managing Director of Wholesale and Smart Infrastructure, Sarah Mills, Neos Networks

On Thursday 10th June, I was delighted to participate in a virtual event held by Host in Scotland, the body established to represent and promote data centres across the country and forming a key part of Scotland’s digital future. Chaired by the organisation’s founder, James King, I was joined by representatives from Moy Materials, Iomart and Ciena, but the presentations began with a view on the importance of the data centre in modern e-commerce from Will Ringer at ARC:MC.

Will kicked off the event by explaining that we are currently in the midst of very turbulent times, in which industry is challenged by the demands of decarbonisation targets, a burgeoning requirement for the rapid transfer of data and revolutionary changes in employee working environments. Combined, these lead to an increased reliance on data centres and major changes in the strategy of building new facilities.

With environmental targets in mind, the data centre is rapidly becoming integral in driving efficiencies and enabling green processes to work effectively. An example of this might be with the generation of power and its transmission across smart grids in the energy and utilities sector. In this scenario, the transfer of real-time data from sensors and smart infrastructure is imperative in ensuring the production of electricity is optimised, and carbon footprints are minimised.

Meanwhile, some businesses are now building supply chain facilities closer to their main sites in order to aid efficiencies. This is especially prevalent in the manufacturing sector. The same thinking applies to the location of new data centres, and it’s becoming more commonplace to find these built as part of the same complex as their anchor tenants. The close proximity of the data centre is important in reducing latency in the transfer of information. And with reduced space required to accommodate employees as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s predicted that more compact data centres will be established in more urban and inner-city locations, with floors of office blocks filled with racks of data rather than desks.

 

Data centres: How do they enable industrial progress?

Data centres now form a central part of local and regional ecosystems. Their proximity to industries is imperative in the growth of economies and the proliferation of job opportunities. Will’s presentation not only brought this transition to light, but also brought about the notion of ecosystems underpinning the digital economy of nations.

This was echoed in the presentation delivered by Cathal Quinn and Brian Conroy of Moy Materials; a construction firm specialising in roofing technology. They talked of the need to build data centres with both domestic and global regulations in mind, as well as the universal requirement to be more environmentally friendly. As such, they have developed solutions to diminish the reliance on power to cool data centres, as well as condition monitoring technology to detect roof leakage or structural faults in real time.

It’s this kind of technology that relies upon the core connectivity services offered by Neos Networks, further demonstrating the criticality of an ecosystem that works collaboratively and effectively. A point to which Reece Donovan of Iomart alluded, it’s an ecosystem which must receive commitment from both the public and private sector, with particular emphasis on supporting the local workforce and nearby organisations in driving forward the digital ambitions of the nation.

 

How does supporting local economy drive global investment?

This consideration of local economy is an initiative Neos Networks has prioritised in our digitisation of the Aberdeenshire council network. During my presentation I discussed in more detail how, during this build, we took on five local apprentices and upskilled the workforce in the region to ensure a timely roll-out of connectivity services. We also took the time to deliver careers presentations to schoolchildren in the region.

But on a wider scale, the CNI-grade fibre we have installed will mean data centres in the area can now perform to their full potential, and with initiatives to expand reach out to landing stations on the Scottish coastline, we are enabling connectivity options for transatlantic hyperscalers looking to route into the British Isles. In addition to this, Neos Networks are investing heavily in their exchange presence across the UK, more than doubling our reach by the end of 2021 with 550 exchanges due to be on-net, which includes an extension to our Scottish footprint. By expanding our reach across the country, Neos Networks is seeking to provide largely under-served areas with premium quality fibre infrastructure, and offers backhaul from the nation’s data centres throughout the rest of the United Kingdom.

With a range of terrains across the region, we’ve had to adopt various deployment methods in order to deliver on this project, but it’s flexibility such as this which breeds success and contributes to the maintenance of the ecosystem driving innovation and improvement of Scotland’s digital infrastructure. However, my colleagues on the call seemed to concur that greater flexibility from all those operating within the ecosystem would be welcomed.

 

Greater government focus on regulation

One crucial part of this would be a review of legislation. To date, regulation has provided fibre suppliers with access to the Dark Fibre network, exchange connectivity and PIA infrastructure owned by Openreach, but there are still obstacles to overcome if all are to benefit. For example, there are no options to commercialise or grow the Dark Fibre infrastructure beyond an initial customer and end point, and with PIA, the OPEX can still be prohibitive when attempting to provide compelling Dark Fibre economics to the end customer.

Like all those presenting at the event, Neos Networks is committed to supporting the digital economy of Scotland.

  • We believe in the opportunity for Scotland and we are focused on supporting the ambition by bringing ubiquitous Dark Fibre network reach across the country.
  • We fully support carbon neutral targets for Scotland by continuing to focus on enabling the digital grid programme in the energy sector.
  • We can build on our existing customer base relationship with data centre owners, hyperscalers and MNOs to help grow the gigabit economy in Scotland.
  • We will always consider the community benefit as a top priority.

The landscape of Scotland requires expert engineers and field forces, with specialist tools and vehicles to deploy infrastructure at significant cost compared to standard builds. Neos Networks is experienced and equipped to design, deploy and maintain networks in the region. But we do need help to bring Dark Fibre economics to the public sector, the MNOs and the data centres through government-led regulation. I am confident that with this in place, the ecosystem driving forward Scotland’s digital future will be running as smoothly and efficiently as possible.

Why high capacity connectivity is here to stay

Director of Wholesale Business Development, Simon Willmott, Neos Networks

In a time where reliance in connectivity is more important than ever before, fibre connectivity providers are in a fortunate position.

When it comes to the much-discussed digital future, the telecoms industry has always been ahead of the curve, pre-empting the importance of being able to wholly rely on underlying connectivity from the get-go, looking at solutions that ensured business continuity, enabling remote working and providing the ability to flex services as required.

Spiceworks Ziff Davis uncovered some interesting findings earlier this year with 76% of businesses planning on long-term IT changes and over 80% of businesses surveyed expect IT budgets to grow or stay steady over the next 12 months.

What does this mean for connectivity providers?

Quite simply, it means that now – more than ever before – your customers are looking to future-proof their IT and technology.

Connectivity has always been crucial to businesses, but as more companies embrace a digital approach to working it has become apparent that investing in IT infrastructure is of upmost importance.

This opens up opportunities for Service Providers to offer higher bandwidth, secure, reliable connectivity options, like 10Gbps Ethernet. High capacity solutions, like this, enable growing businesses to provide better connectivity to their corporate networks ensuring optimum availability and access to company data, shared services and even overlaying connectivity solutions, like cloud solutions. By making this access seamless employees can work efficiently and effectively remotely.

The importance of staying connected

Ensuring connectivity is always and on, and above all – secure, is critical for any business, regardless of industry.

Just last year, the World Health Organisation reported that cyber attacks had increased five-fold. A terrifying statistic, particularly for businesses that deal with vast amounts of personal or mission-critical data.

It’s imperative that the connectivity options available offer the highest levels of security alongside in-built business continuity options. This is where high capacity Ethernet comes in thanks to its MPLS architecture. Multiprotocol Label Switching means routes can be automatically determined and re-routed instantly should a problem on the network occur.

Renowned for providing reliable connectivity to facilitate layer three and four services, our 10Gbps Ethernet service provides the simplicity of a private, secure connection alongside in-built business continuity. We even offer Shadow VLANs for additional resilience should it be required.

High flying, high capacity

For many businesses, the need to increase their capacity directly aligns with their digital transformation goals. To power their systems and programmes to the best of their abilities, the right infrastructure must be in place.

We also must consider the future advances in technology; 5G, IoT, IIoT, Artificial Intelligence and more. These exciting innovations in the tech space will, inevitably, require high capacity backhaul in order to support their applications.

And of course, it’s crucial to remember that for those businesses still growing, having underlying connectivity that offers the ability to scale is crucial.

All of the above lends perfectly to the conclusion that high capacity connectivity is not just important, it’s here to stay. To be a considered connectivity provider, it’s imperative that you have options available to your customers to support their future needs. Without adapting your product offering to the fast-changing needs of your customers you risk losing your customers to someone who can. The fruit has never been so low hanging. Now’s the time to reach out and grab it.

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Contributing to the story of Neos Networks

By HR Director, Vicky Bori, Neos Networks

Building on decades of experience in telecoms, SSE Enterprise Telecoms now emerges under a new name: Neos Networks. With this rebrand, we’ve renewed our mission to, in the words of our CEO Colin Sempill, “build a new network for UK businesses that has the specific high capacity, high resilience that they demand” while continuing to win notable contracts and stay relentlessly focused on customer satisfaction.

Going beyond establishing a new external-facing identity – we also looked inwards. We called upon colleagues across our operations to play a part in shaping the values and purpose that drive them and keep them grounded. And as a result, Neos Networks has realised a fresh, dynamic reflection of its identity.

Looking back to move forward

We found the name “Neos Networks” within the pages of our own story. The name means “new network” and still holds a great deal of positive association in the telecoms industry from when it was the company’s trading name in 2003.

We’ve promised customers for over 20 years a quality network to stand the test of time. That combined with Neos Networks’ reputation for being innovative, was a no brainer – we now have a premium UK network and the ambition to keep going.

Making company values personal

As part of the rebrand, we asked employees working from home, in the field and at our Reading, Portsmouth and Perth offices to dig deep and articulate what it means to be part of the Neos Networks story. I see these new company values as a core pillar to the growth of our new company. Through brand development workshops and Inclusion and Diversity (I&D) programs, we included employee perspectives in identifying the six ways of working that guide us;

Ambition
Our ambition is what drives us to seek out new opportunities and continually develop the knowledge, skills and capabilities of the business. We believe in giving everyone the confidence, direction and support to grow and improve.

Simplicity
By making the complex simple, we allow colleagues and customers to focus on the important things. Simplicity is driven by common sense, smarter systems and processes and effective collaboration.

Service
With a relentless focus on the customer, colleague and stakeholder experience, we consistently aim to exceed expectations and challenge the norms of service delivery.

Expertise
Our knowledge and expertise are what set us apart from the competition. We believe that every customer and stakeholder interaction is an opportunity to create confidence and trust in our capabilities.

Teamwork
We are stronger and more effective when we work together towards a common goal. We recognise and embrace everyone’s diverse strengths, are open and collaborative and support one another. We learn from setbacks and celebrate success as one.

Safety
We are passionate about the safety and wellbeing of our people, and the security of information and data. Our culture is about looking after one another and empowering people to challenge in the interests of safety and security.

These principles reflect our aspirations and commitments. They empower how Neos Networks’ colleagues strive to realise their full potential and deliver on the company’s wider goals to grow its network.

Transforming from within

Neos Networks has now evolved into an agile telco with an improved value proposition. So, to welcome colleagues , we’ve established a new onboarding process and retrained our customer-facing staff to ensure the right culture permeates the organisation.

Additionally, we are introducing strategic new software to attract, manage and retain talent within the organisation and give us better visibility of the colleagues that make up our staff. This will also allow us to continue improving learning and development opportunities and help us introduce digital solutions that suit our needs.

Achieving more together

Even with a new brand, a new statement to the market, and a new way to position ourselves, a lot remains the same.

As a provider of Critical National Infrastructure (CNI), we’re staying committed to providing superior delivery, outstanding customer experience, commercial innovation and technical excellence. Having already achieved an annual average NPS score of +68, we will continue to deliver on our goal to ensure a superior customer experience that is recognised across UK businesses.

But with a revitalised spirit of collaboration, partnership and integrity, we can achieve more together.

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Drivers of change? The future of the transport sector

By Amelia Streeter-Smith, Transport Account Director 

Ethernet

The transport sector is often an early adopter of more digital, efficient ways of working to improve services and profitability. The restrictions to travel and movement during the last year brought this to an abrupt halt, with digital transformation ambitions stagnating and ‘making do’ prevailing until lockdown measures eased.

However, as businesses look to reduce their overheads and operational costs for the longer term, and employees consider permanently reducing the time and costs of commuting, working from home is likely to be the way forward for many – even with the current easing of restrictions.

During March and April 2021, we conducted industry research to better understand the current state of the transport sector, and to dig a little deeper into how the biggest challenges might be addressed with the right connectivity infrastructure and solutions to support its recovery.

Navigating the challenges

When asked about the biggest challenges facing the transport sector in 2021, project funding came out on top. Closely followed by the implementation of infrastructure upgrades.

This is not surprising as, along with Crossrail, HS2 and the Road Investment Strategy, the Department for Transport has a further 24 projects on the Government Major Projects Portfolio. Some have seen dramatic cost increases from their initial estimates, whereas others have completely stalled, such as the third runway at Heathrow Airport.

We also asked about the top addressable challenges for telecommunications within the transport sector in 2021.  Again, two clear leading challenges emerged: reliable accessibility to multiple sites and reducing costs.

From the results, three core themes stood out as having an impact on transport’s digital transformation:

  1. Funding and cost reduction, both capex and opex. Access to funding has been seriously impacted with the lack of revenue generation from customers across all modes of transport during the pandemic. There is no current understanding of the long-term impact this will have in ensuring the UK’s travel network remains sustainable and modernised.
  2. Multi-site accessibility – prevalent in this sector due to the multiple sites (warehousing, depots, distribution centres etc), where access to central systems and access to those based in the field is critical. Accessibility is especially challenging as organisations are reliant on Global System for Mobile Communications (GSM), 4G and 5G networks to maintain connectivity for field-based staff.
  3. Physical implementation of infrastructure upgrades – a particular challenge for rail companies, as critical infrastructure needs to be ‘always on’ even whilst undertaking upgrade works. Keeping existing infrastructure live, whilst new infrastructure is implemented, can increase the cost to upgrade (for a limited time) to ensure continuity of service.

Simplifying and optimising national networks

At Neos Networks, we believe in taking the complexity out of connectivity and simplifying UK networks. We can help navigate a clear pathway through the main challenges for this sector with:

  1. Co-investment of network assets to improve connectivity on the move, as well as flexible cost models to suit any business budget.
  2. Multi-site visibility and accessibility can be better managed with our network management and optimisation services, such as SD-WAN and IP-VPN.
  3. Our fast-growing UK network is ideal for rail companies in need of physical infrastructure upgrades. By the end of 2021, we will have a total of 550 unbundled exchanges on-net, reaching more businesses than ever before. Our new network has been designed to deliver 100Gbps services right across the nation, making our network one the most pervasive in the UK and ideal for transport companies with regional and national routes.

Finally, we understand the importance of network resilience along transport routes. Our network is responsible for critical national infrastructure, such as the work we’re doing for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) through Telent to deploy a resilient Ethernet network directly into 165 of the MCA’s remote radio sites located around the UK coastline, supporting Telent to keep them online 24/7, 365 days a year, and helping to keep the public safe at sea.

 

To find out more about our network reach, download our UK-wide network map, or try out our interactive version by simply entering the postcode of the location you want to connect.

 

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What’s next for business connectivity when broadband is no longer enough?

Director of Wholesale Business Development, Simon Willmott, Neos Networks

EoFFTC and EoFTTP

When it comes to business connectivity, it’s crucial you have a solution in place that supports the required capacity needs of today and that it can scale to suit the demands of tomorrow, all while being robust, secure and resilient.

More and more businesses are looking to dedicated connectivity options that ensure their services are always-on and to eliminate the risk of downtime. Just recently connectivity partner, Beaming, conducted a survey in conjunction with research company Opinium, which determined that internet downtime cost UK businesses upwards of £12.3 billion in lost productivity, clocking up 149 million lost business hours!

Historically SMEs with demand for lower bandwidth connectivity would opt for broadband services, but this comes at a cost, for example; sharing internet access with surrounding buildings, and relying on lengthy fix times should there be issues with the connection. In a world when connectivity is more important than ever many are starting to question if it is worth the risk.

Yet there is still much uncertainty for those looking to upgrade their connectivity service as to which option is best suited for their business. With options including Broadband over Fibre to the Premise and Broadband over Fibre to the Cabinet (FTTP and FTTC), Ethernet over Fibre to the Premise (EoFTTP) and Ethernet over Fibre the Cabinet (EoFTTC), Ethernet First Mile and even Full Fibre Ethernet to contend with, making an informed decision can be tricky. Further insight in to what is available to businesses looking for sub-10Gbps bandwidths is necessary.

What is Broadband over FTTP and FTTC?

A fibre optic broadband option, FTTP and FTTC are commonly known in both the business and residential space. It is well suited to start-ups looking to establish themselves as a player in a market and for smaller businesses that don’t have the need for higher capacities and faster speeds nor have concerns around sharing service bandwidth or any major data security challenges to overcome.

Generally offered in bandwidths up to 30Mbps, fibre broadband provides connectivity over a mix of fibre and copper (FTTC) and pure fibre (FTTP) dependant on location. It typically has longer SLA and fix times compared to their Ethernet counterparts, often as long as the next working day (and usually excluding weekends and bank holidays) – in fact, often fibre broadband comes with no SLA at all.

What is Ethernet First Mile?

While Ethernet First Mile (EFM) has been around for some time, there is still a lot of uncertainty around when this service should be considered. Seen as a low-cost alternative to low capacity Full Fibre Ethernet, EFM provides uncontended bandwidth in capacities up to 20Mbps. It uses purely bonded copper and tends to cover vast distances hence the lower bandwidth availability.

Often known as the entry level service into Ethernet connectivity, it guarantees better SLAs and more robust connectivity options than FTTC and FTTP broadband, but with only low bandwidth options available it’s often overlooked.

What is Ethernet over FTTP and FTTC?

Collectively known as EoFTTx, this service is well placed to fill the niche for those looking to upgrade to a full fibre Ethernet solution but who aren’t quite ready for the financial commitment. It enables smaller businesses still establishing themselves and multi-site organisations where some of their holdings have minimal on-site employees, to take advantage of dedicated Ethernet connectivity – but at a fraction of the cost and at capacities better suited to their business.

As with Broadband FTTP and FTTC, EoFTTx is delivered over either a mixture of fibre and copper (EoFTTC) and pure fibre (EoFTTP), however the range of capacities available are substantially higher, with sub-100Mbps services readily available for EoFTTC and sub-1Gbps services available for EoFTTP, all with agreed SLA fix times of just seven hours.

Our recently launched EoFTTx services are available in over 650,000 UK business postcodes and counting, delivered from just shy of 1,150 exchanges across the nation. Learn more about our Ethernet over FTTx services here.

What is Full Fibre Ethernet?

Full Fibre Ethernet connectivity has been around for some time. In fact, the service was originally launched in the UK by Neos Networks back in 2001. Originally available in capacities ranging from 10Mbps up to 1Gbps, more recently we have launched 10Gbps Fibre Ethernet options in more than 170 exchanges across the UK.

Known for providing a synchronous, high bandwidth service, Ethernet Fibre is best suited to well-established businesses with a strong reliance on shorter SLA fix times and with a need for higher capacities and a faster network service.

We’re proud to have one of the largest business Ethernet networks in the UK, spanning 20,000+km, 90 commercial data centres and over 350 PoPs. In addition, our national footprint is on-track to connect over 550 on-net exchanges by the end of 2021.

With so many connectivity options available it can be hard to find the solution best suited for your business. At Neos Networks, we’re proud to offer a range of connectivity options to suit all business types, with both our Ethernet over FTTx and Fibre Ethernet services available to quote and order immediately via our online price comparison engine, LIVEQUOTE. Take the first step in supporting your digital future by requesting access to our pricing portal today.

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Unleashing Scotland’s digital potential

By Sarah Mills, Managing Director for Wholesale and Smart Infrastructure, Neos Networks

Good connectivity is more than just a ‘nice to have’. It can boost business opportunities, create new jobs, and has the power to uplift entire communities.

It’s why initiatives like the Shared Rural Network (SRN), Scottish 4G Infill (S4GI), Scottish Futures Trust Strategic Data Centre analysis, and Scotland 5G have been established; to bring mobile broadband to rural communities and digitise Scotland. Arguably, it’s the part of the UK that needs rural community connectivity the most, and with S4GI already in deployment and the SRN first build phase planned to start in 2022, a boost to rural business turnover of nearly £200m has been forecast.

The benefits of improving connectivity for any area are clear, from making jobs safer and easier by enabling automation, to boosting productivity and raising the chances of investment in under serviced areas. But in Scotland, where as many as 45% of rural small-medium enterprises and a third of those in more metropolitan areas report a poor or variable broadband service, improvements to digital infrastructure are likely to be most appreciated.

Neos Networks has been supporting Scottish infrastructure projects, from Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) and local government, to energy and utilities for many years. The government also recognises the importance of this, having matched investment of £500m from Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) to produce a total fund of £1bn to help Scotland reach its full potential.

We work with businesses and local authorities to enhance operational efficiencies in the quest to address climate change, deliver the digital estates required to develop smart cities, maintain license obligations with OFCOM and underpin CNI to keep the country up and running.

The story so far

Neos Networks will have unbundled 550 exchanges across the UK by the end of 2021, greatly expanding our network and better connecting organisations across the country. In Scotland, Neos Networks already runs connectivity into 11 data centres and has 50+ Points of Presence (PoPs). We’ve unbundled 26 exchanges across the region, with this number set to almost double upon the completion of our exchange project.

Our ongoing network expansion is not only helping enable our customers to utilise high capacity fibre services, but will also facilitate use cases such as IoT for manufacturing, as well as the rise of autonomous vehicles. Our infrastructure is also supporting one of the most powerful data centres in Scotland (and by extension the wider UK) to ensure it is no longer limited by geographical constraints. This provides businesses with greater access to ultra-fast connections and empowers MNOs to roll out connectivity services on a more expansive network.

One example of our investment in Scottish infrastructure is with Seagreen Wind Energy. Seagreen is an offshore wind farm 27km from the Angus coastline and Scotland’s largest generator of wind power, and required robust and resilient connectivity between its operations centre in Montrose and sub-station at Tealing. Neos Networks was able to install a comprehensive new network to maximise operational efficiency. This helped nudge the UK ever-closer to meeting its net zero targets. On completion, the development will be able to generate enough renewable energy to sustainably power 40% of all Scottish homes.

Beyond major enterprise, Neos Networks also partnered with Aberdeenshire and Perth & Kinross councils to deliver gigabit-capable connectivity to public sector sites, directly facilitating digital transformation by making full fibre connectivity possible, and enabling future smart city plans to take flight. The completion of these programmes will unleash potential for years to come.

Looking ahead

Boasting some of the largest connectivity hubs in the UK and uniquely positioned between the US and mainland Europe, Scotland is facing opportunity unlike any other country. In particular, running large content providers’ data through subsea cable networks.

FAMGA organisations and other hyperscalers need to traverse data from country to country, and transatlantic crossings into Europe have traditionally connected into Ireland. However, with Britain having now left the European Union and Scotland benefitting from an extensive western seaboard, the country is situated favourably, should these global behemoths identify advantages to connecting into sovereign nations.

Meanwhile, in the north of Scotland, a project to build the world’s first data centre powered solely by tidal energy is under way. Conscious of maintaining a carbon neutral footprint, this is expected to be an attractive prospect for hyperscalers, as huge global enterprises seek to find increasingly innovative ways of operating more responsibly. Together, the projects showcase how sustainability and connectivity can go hand in hand.

The future looks bright

Scotland stands to unlock tremendous potential by improving regional connectivity. There are endless benefits to this for businesses and end users alike, and advancing its digital economy will be all the more straightforward with the right partner. With a strong footprint and regional heritage, Neos Networks is well equipped to help Scotland realise its digital potential, and we will continue taking proactive steps to ensure the opportunity is fulfilled.

Neos Networks is engaged with Scotland 5G and Scottish Futures Trust with committed interest in supporting their great initiatives on 5G networks for major business and industry installations around Scotland and to support subsea cable landing station connectivity into the country. It’s expected that these initiatives will bring economic growth, increase employment and connectivity, delivered better by Neos Networks, to Scotland.

Related resources

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Bringing best-in-class connectivity to the Aberdeenshire region

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Enabling Perth and Kinross Council’s smart city ambitions

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Neos Networks and Grain deliver fibre-to-the-home to new £800 million development

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We can connect you anywhere in the UK

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SSE Enterprise Telecoms is now Neos Networks: a new network for the UK

A new name in telecoms built on decades of experience

By Colin Sempill, CEO, Neos Networks

Change has been the one constant for us all lately, both in the ways in which we work and how we do business. We’d embarked on a major business transformation journey even before the pandemic took grip. Early in 2019, Infracapital acquired 50% of our business to create a partnership with the SSE Group. Long-term, sustained investment in the UK’s telecoms infrastructure was needed then, and it’s needed even more so today, in order to meet the growing demand for high capacity, resilient and ultrafast connectivity.

For me, Infracapital’s investment recognised the success we had achieved to date in building out a great network, winning notable contracts and being relentlessly focused on customer satisfaction. Since then, their investment has enabled us to extend our full fibre network out at an even faster pace.

Now in 2021, we find ourselves with a unique opportunity to provide high capacity fibre connectivity across the UK as a premier B2B partner focused on delivering the UK’s digital future.  As a result, the next part of our transformation journey is underway with a rebrand that will give us a clearer, more recognisable and relevant long-term identity in the telecoms market – independent from both of our parent companies.

Something old, something new

When we started the process of choosing a new brand name, we were looking for something that represented our heritage as well as the new network we are building in the UK.

You may remember that SSE bought Neos Networks back in 2002. Whilst we were doing our brand research, we discovered that not only was the name still relevant and recognised in telecoms, a great deal of positive association was still held with it amongst our customers, even after all these years.

Neos Networks, after all, was the first company to launch national Ethernet services in the UK, which established it as a dynamic and innovative organisation as well a challenger in the market. We felt that this story wasn’t finished, and we could build our future on this heritage of challenge and innovation.

We’re passionate in our belief that the market needs a new network alternative to the large existing providers, to scale up the high bandwidth, high resilience services needed across the UK. That’s why we’ve built our exchange network at such high capacities, so that we can offer Wavelength services of up to 100Gbps and Ethernet services of up to 10Gbps, thereby futureproofing UK business networks as technologies such as 5G, IIoT and 4IR come to life.

The result is that Neos Networks, literally meaning ‘new network’, is our new name, built from a business with decades of experience in delivering connectivity solutions around the UK.

A new network for the UK

We’re excited to have one of the fastest growing networks in the UK and will be continuing to invest heavily in expanding it throughout 2021. By the end of this year, over 550 exchanges will be on-net and we will have increased our network reach from 20,000+km to 30,000+km with access to over 680,000 UK postcodes.

Our metro networks expansion programme is also well underway with regional networks for Aberdeenshire and Perth in delivery, as well investments in more cities to be announced soon.

Class-leading customer care

Whilst our network is expanding, what hasn’t changed is the trustworthy reputation of our business; we’re still dedicated to providing outstanding customer experiences characterised by clarity, integrity and service efficiency.

As Neos Networks, our customers can be assured they’re dealing with the same people, the same teams and the same expert delivery approach they’ve come to rely upon.

We understand the importance of clear communications. In fact, our commitments-based management culture ensures we keep our customers up-to-date every step of the way with regular contact and clear timescales. We know this works, because our Net Promoter Score (NPS) is consistently class-leading. We were proud to have achieved an annual average +68 NPS in 2020 on orders delivered.

However, our real target is always to use our customers’ feedback to ensure we’re delivering the best customer service and experience. That’s why NPS is more than just a score to us, the customer insight we gather really does shape the way we work.

Connectivity reimagined

Connectivity can be complex, but it doesn’t have to be. At the heart of our new brand is to simplify how connectivity works in the UK and find ways to make connectivity easier for businesses.

As a network operator, we are an established one-stop-shop for service providers across the UK. Our simple and user-friendly quoting and ordering tool, LIVEQUOTE, makes purchasing connectivity a really simple process. We also help the public and private sectors with simplifying and balancing bandwidth, reliability and cost challenges to achieve their digital ambitions or smart city goals.

We’d love to hear if we can help you on your connectivity journey. In the meantime, if you’d like to know more about who we are and what we do, watch this video or download our Introducing Neos Networks infographic.

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