Connect the whole of Wales and the whole of Wales will benefit

Guest blog by Dave Rachel, Country Manager- Wales at Virgin Media O2 Business #LocalDigitalIndex #StrongerTechEconomies

These days, tech plays a big role in everything we do, whether that’s navigating a path on a windswept day in Snowdonia, paying for dinner at Cardiff’s coolest restaurant or organising deliveries for a retailer in Bangor.

Yet we’ve always struggled with connectivity here in Wales, especially in rural areas.

If we can change that, we’d unlock opportunities for everyone and give a massive boost to the levelling up agenda.

Which is good news for everyone.

Bringing Wales together

If you’re sitting in a café in Wrexham or working from home in Swansea, connectivity probably isn’t a huge issue.

But if you’re farming cattle in Powys, it’s a different kettle of fish.

And therein lies the problem. To do business effectively in the digital age – and get the best possible beef prices perhaps – our cattle farmers need to be as well connected as our home workers, because that way everyone benefits.

There’s still a way to go though.

Full fibre broadband is below the national average and available to just 55% of premises in Wales, with only 31% of those taking up full fibre services, according to Ofcom.

And 4G coverage from all four operators has remained stubbornly at 62% of the country.

That’s why we’re working hard to bring more and better connectivity to every corner of the country.

For instance, we’ve boosted 4G network capacity in 5,800 postcodes in the last year and our 5G network now reaches 66% of Cardiff’s population.

Our fixed network is growing too – we’ve connected 104,000 more homes and businesses since 2015.

Good news indeed. Because as Simon Hart, Secretary of State for Wales put it:

‘High-quality digital connectivity in Wales and across the United Kingdom is essential to help us level up the economy and increase opportunity for all’

Ofcom, Connected Nations 2023

We won’t go forward if we don’t look ahead

Increasing connectivity throughout Wales is undoubtedly critical, but we’re also looking forward to tomorrow. Next week. Next year. And the next decade.

That’s why we’re pushing hard at technical boundaries and running trials throughout the country.

For instance, we’ve brought a mobile broadband capable 4G signal to the (extremely remote) area around the South Stack Lighthouse in Holyhead.

Achieved via Starlink’s network of ultrafast broadband satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and a Wavemobile small cell from Cellxica, it represents our commitment to the power of connectivity.

Because that’s what brings people together.

Connectivity isn’t just there for the lovely things in life

Now all this connectivity is fabulous for doing a spot of shopping on the sofa, chatting to your gran or getting stuck into your latest work project from your home office.

But it’s absolutely critical if you’re in the public sector and especially the emergency services. After all, connectivity can mean the difference between life and death, as our recent 5G drone trials in Snowdonia show.

As part of our efforts to help emergency services patrol national parks, we installed 5G drone technology with the Snowdonia Aerospace Centre. It’s aim? To extend network coverage into remote areas so more visitors can reach emergency services when they need them.

Very reassuring at a time when record numbers of people are visiting national parks, yet 35% are worried about getting lost. And when mountain rescue teams responded to a record 3,629 callouts in England and Wales over the last 12 months.

A helping hand when it’s needed

So it’s obvious that good connectivity is more than a ‘nice to have’. In many situations it’s a game changer.

But what if that connectivity comes with exclusivity attached? What if many people who could benefit from being online can’t get online?

Well, that seems to be the situation right now, since the level of digital exclusion in Wales is higher than anywhere else in the UK.

A full 7% of the population – or 170,000 people – are not using the internet at all. (1)

Figures like this are behind our support of ventures like Wrexham’s Venture Community Centre with free ultrafast broadband.

Alongside the 15 laptops and data dongles we’d already supplied together with the Business in the Community charity, it’ll help The Venture run key community services. Sitting at the heart of the community, it now helps more children with schoolwork and young people with job applications than ever.

Want to know more about our work in Wales and how we’re helping out with levelling up?

Take a look at our website

1) Welsh Government, Digital inclusion in Wales

techUK – Building Stronger Local Economies

techUK champions the tech sector throughout the UK. We work with local authorities, devolved government, and local and national policy makers to advocate for the tech sector in strengthening economic growth and resilience. We provide opportunities for our members and local stakeholders to meet, build relationships, and collaborate to drive forward local projects. For more information or to get in touch, please visit our Nations and Regions Hub and click ‘contact us’.