As the post-lockdown landscape begins to take shape, the dust is settling on the new normal, says Paul Beacham, senior manager, Data Networking Portfolios at BT Wholesale. While the government has asked people who can, to return to offices, in reality business premises will be housing far fewer employees than pre-lockdown levels.
Of course, there are some advantages for organisations. Enforced remote working has enabled some to see that the model works. It can be just as productive and offers increased agility with workers more geographically dispersed. Such arguments fuel the belief that centralised city offices aren’t quite as essential as first thought. As such, moving forward, we’re likely to see a blend of office-based and remote working, helping to decrease overheads, while improving agility, productivity and even carbon footprints from reduced travel.
Yet, ensuring continued business performance isn’t quite as easy as simply asking employees to work from home – there needs to be a more permanent infrastructure shift, one that can support ever-more sprawling corporate networks and get companies, and the economy, back on track. Simply put, organisations must place connectivity at the heart of operations.
Making the jump to all-IP
Driving more performance from existing networks in built-up urban areas, while also ensuring those in rural areas have the connectivity to operate smoothly, has become a more pressing responsibility for IT teams. While many individuals have accepted that being on a few video calls with flickering visuals, audio feedback and delays is simply business in lockdown, it was always seen as a short-term solution.
As we move forward and individuals become more accustomed to this new way of life, not relying on the best available connectivity will begin to impact business performance. Communication tools are just the tip of the iceberg, with the shift to a more permanent remote working setup requiring the adoption of cloud applications to support core business fundamentals.
Lockdown has forced many to think about their own technology journeys, with digital transformations picking up pace and likely to continue accelerating as companies witness first-hand the advantages provided. However, supporting these new initiatives and driving the most value from them is dependent on access to consistent connectivity, and organisations that try to forge ahead on an unstable foundation will soon be left behind by those who can take advantages of the torrent of digital opportunities.
Another reason to make the switch to more robust connectivity is that the all-IP world is fast approaching, and if businesses don’t jump, they will effectively be pushed. The year 2025 will see the UK switch-off of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN) and Integrated Services Digital Network (ISDN), ending analogue provisions within certain major telecom networks. For businesses that continue to rely on older legacy access solutions, they will be forced into a quick decision come switch-off, while also missing out on years of strategising and implementing digital transformation, growth and opportunities.
Providing businesses with the full spectrum of access solutions
When it comes to adopting the right solution, companies need a choice. What works for one won’t necessarily for another and it’s the role of service providers and channel partners to provide what’s needed and ensure companies know what’s available. Also, vitally, not all solutions are created equal, and neither are the networks they’re granting access to, so businesses must consider what they need based upon a variety of criteria such as bandwidth, resilience, performance and flexibility.
Similarly, as we enter a period calling for fiscal caution, businesses don’t want, and are unlikely to, shell out for connectivity solutions that require too much investment or require interaction with multiple vendors. Getting the country up and running again is reliant on simplicity and providers must ensure all the various markets and geographies can receive what they need.
A singular update to connectivity packages won’t cut the mustard. Instead, it’s vital to offer a multitude of options that give businesses choice on the best available speeds. Fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP), which removes the copper element from the equation and provides superfast connectivity, and Single Order Generic Ethernet Access (SoGEA), which provides broadband or ethernet without a phoneline, are two examples of technologies that sit in each other’s footprint to provide internet connectivity to much of the nation.
Both solutions can be delivered down one digital connection line, minimising installation time, while also leveraging the capability of migrating to new hosted voice solutions; empowering organisations to digitally transform operations to future-proof themselves ahead of the 2025 switch off. Indeed, the Unified Communications (UC) market has been described as an ‘industry boom’, and businesses that are empowered with a suite of voice and collaboration tools, alongside a full spectrum of access solutions, will be equipped for today’s new world of working.
Forging ahead post-lockdown
As the country begins to find its feet, connectivity will play a key role in businesses taking advantage of new opportunities. The quick-fix solutions that may have been suitable for lockdown can’t support the new digital wave that’s coming; firms need to act. They have an opportunity to begin exploring the potential of all-IP future long before the switch-off, and those that grasp it with both hands will flourish and forge ahead.
The author is Paul Beacham, senior manager, Data Networking Portfolios at BT Wholesale.
Comment on this article below or via Twitter: @VanillaPlus OR @jcvplus
