WM5G
Connectivity
WAY MORE connected people, businesses and communities
Connectivity
Realising the benefits from connectivity by design
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Great connectivity is key to unleashing the potential offered by the digital revolution.
From accessing public services to boosting productivity and improving transport across our towns and cities, connectivity is a crucial part of modern life. All too often patchy internet signal, slow connections and lack of bandwidth stand in the way of realising these benefits though.
We believe there is a different way.
By supporting local authorities, mobile network operators and property owners to work together, and building on our experience navigating common barriers, we can speed up network roll out; supporting communities to access essential services, helping businesses boost productivity, and creating opportunity across our villages, towns and cities.
We have proven experience working with communities, local authorities, property owners and MNOs to boost connectivity and remove barriers to network roll out.
Helping the West Midlands become the best connected region for 5G in the country
Our connectivity team has been doing great work with mobile operators, local authorities and Government to make it simpler, faster and cheaper to deploy connectivity infrastructure across the West Midlands Combined Authority region. Drawing on expertise gained through personal experiences working in the telecoms sector and with local authorities, property owners and advisors, our Connectivity team takes an agnostic position, working collaboratively with all parties to understand the challenges they face and develop solutions that reduce the pain points of network roll out. The success of this approach was reflected in the news that independent telecoms analyst Umlaut named the region the best connected for 5G (link to Umlaut article) for the second year running earlier this year, demonstrating how our work is making it simpler, faster and cheaper to deploy connectivity infrastructure across our region.
Agreeing Open Access Agreements in record time
Through our work for the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport’s Digital Connectivity Infrastructure Accelerator, our Connectivity team has been working closely with Birmingham City Council to agree the first Open Access agreements with Telecoms infrastructure providers to use council lampposts to host so-called ‘small cells’. These add greater network coverage and device connection capacity for mobile networks where large masts alone cannot meet user needs.
Typically, such agreements take more than 12 months to put in place but, thanks to our team’s previous experience in the field, this was reduced to just six working weeks. The open licensing agreement has been led by the Digital City and Highways teams in the Council and will speed up access to the city assets, resulting in faster deployment of 5G across the city.
Connected Map
During our DCMS Testbeds and Trials programmes, we collected asset data from a range of locations across the region that could be used to host 5G network infrastructure, for example buildings, land and street furniture. This was entered into a connected map to trial if compiling and holding data centrally would be useful for mobile network operators and infrastructure providers.
The concept proved successful, enabling the deployment of both Macro and Small cells more quickly and efficiently than previously. We are now building on the learnings from this initial work to develop the platform so that it not only has a map interface but also includes workflows and interactions within a single platform.
The aim? Simply to make it easier for vendors, service providers and public bodies to design and install the networks we need to make our region even better connected.
We Offer :
Bespoke training and support
Assist in concluding the valuation and negotiation process
Assessing quality of coverage and gaps for mobile and fibre. Provide case studies showcasing where this has been done before.
Site specific negotiations and guidance and legal support
Facilitating bespoke meetings with Operators, including mediation when required
Digital Infrastructure Strategies
Your Connectivity team
Rhys Enfield
Director of Infrastructure Acceleration
Rhys believes that fixed and wireless technologies are vital for digital growth, as connecting people and things is the key to unlocking the full potential of AI, AR, and VR. With over two decades’ experience in the telecom industry, Rhys is passionate about using his expertise to deliver better mobile connectivity to the citizens and businesses of the West Midlands and beyond. His collaborative approach and excellent management skills allow him to tackle challenges with a positive spirit. Rhys is inspired by how technology can help people face various challenges, such as medical conditions. However, if he were to assign one thing to Room 101, it would be social media, as he believes that it has a negative impact on young people’s self-esteem. He believes that implementing more guidelines and controls in this area is essential.
Judith Ferrarin
Head of Barrier Busting Connectivity
As an acquisition specialist in mobile telecommunications, Judith believes the speed and efficiency of technology can change the world for the better. Her work is central to speeding up the delivery of mobile connectivity across the region and beyond, working with Mobile Network Operators, local authorities and other organisations to remove barriers to faster connectivity. Having begun her career as an apprentice with BT, Judith brings her wealth of experience in the industry to bear to help customers navigate any challenges they face, and her work is pivotal to most mobile operator legal completions and town and country planning decisions across the West Midlands.
Gary Blunt
Broadband Lead
Gary believes technology can make a real impact improving people’s lives and is passionate about removing the barriers that slowdown network roll out. Having begun his career installing cable TV and telephones, he has over 30 years’ experience in telecoms – including work for central government – and is enthusiastic about the benefits the industry has to offer society. He particularly enjoys working with councils and elected members to inform residents about the benefits of full fibre broadband, and building relationships with a variety of trade and industry professionals to build reliable networks. A technology enthusiast, Gary thrives on the ever-changing nature of the telecoms industry and enjoys keeping up with latest developments and applying his experience to make a positive difference to people’s lives. When he started out in the industry, he could not have envisaged how reliant many jobs would become on connectivity but now believes this will only increase further as ‘connected devices’ take on more and more roles. He is currently working hard to get the whole West Midlands region fully connected to full-fibre broadband and would like to see greater choice, value and quality for residents.
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