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Modern businesses rely on rapid , secure connectivity to succeed . Whether that ’ s for using Internet-of-Things ( IoT ) devices to monitor critical equipment performance , connect remote workers across multiple sites , or cut down on waste and inefficiency , high-performance networks underpin critical infrastructure for most organisations . Armed with high-speed , high-performance connectivity across their entire IT estates , team leads have the tools and information they need to make informed decisions – whenever , wherever business takes them .
Whether it is the availability of reliable high-speed fibre services or consistent connectivity disruption that creates network downtime , lack of reliable connectivity can have a wide-ranging negative impact on a company . From loss of potential sales and access to core infrastructure , to important sustainability projects being delayed . Unfortunately , this is the situation many firms find themselves in . Fortunately , there are emerging connectivity solutions available that can help address these challenges .
Poor connectivity costs European businesses millions
Reliable connectivity is fundamental for business success . Yet , according to our recent State of Connectivity in Europe report , 74 % of senior decisionmakers reported an average of up to two hours of downtime every week . Gartner estimates network downtime costs businesses an average of £ 264,700 an hour , a financial impact many simply can ’ t afford . Additionally , nearly half ( 46 %) of the European firms surveyed admitted connectivity issues had increased operational costs and a third ( 33 %) said they had led to a loss of potential business .
Beyond the direct financial cost , poor connectivity also holds organisations back from achieving their broader business goals . For instance , while 78 % of respondents said they are planning to use IoT devices to make their office environments more efficient , 64 % also stated their sustainability projects had been put on hold due to poor connectivity . This is a significant blow for businesses looking to reduce their carbon footprint , with buildings being responsible for about 40 % of global energy usage and up to half of that being wasted . Similarly , threequarters ( 75 %) of buildings are also highly energy inefficient , so addressing this issue has become critically important .
Enhancing sustainability efforts and employee safety with private networking
In response to this growing challenge , many businesses are turning to private LTE and 5G
networks . These networks provide a novel approach to meeting operational needs without sacrificing visibility , control or security . They allow for predictable capacity and bandwidth while improving latency to ensure the businesses using them can support critical applications such as Artificial Intelligence ( AI ) and Machine Learning ( ML ), IoT deployments and autonomous robots .
On top of this , private cellular networks can be more reliable than Wi-Fi . Operating on unlicensed spectrum , Wi-Fi networks can sometimes appear to be available , but aren ’ t necessarily useable because of signal interference , traffic congestion or minimal coverage areas . Private networks have their own dedicated frequencies controlled by the organisation , which means less interference from adjacent networks and improved network security .
Private cellular networks can help industries like manufacturing rapidly set up connectivity in large areas more easily than using their wired counterparts , which would require hundreds , if not thousands of Wi-Fi access points to be individually installed and managed .
Donna Johnson , CMO at Cradlepoint
Gartner estimates network downtime costs businesses an average of £ 264,700 an hour .
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