The UK government is in the throes of a post-pandemic recovery – with plans to ‘Build Back Better’ and a promise to ‘level-up’ all regions in the country. Its aim is to ensure there’s equal opportunity for economic growth and social development, such as access to jobs, education, healthcare and housing, for every citizen from John O’Groats to Lands’ End.
At the heart of this commitment lies a heavy focus on digital transformation to help deliver innovation, foster commercial competition, while at the same time support local authorities in providing their citizens with efficient public services. Intrinsic to any digital transformation project is having access to ubiquitous, high-speed, secure and stable internet connectivity.
With the pandemic accelerating our increasing reliance on digital services, the need for a substantial change to our connectivity options has never been greater. The full needs of both residential and business subscribers are not being met by the major Broadband Service Providers who operate services over closed networks.
As local governments face budgetary constraints, there’s increasing pressure to spend smarter with less money. The approach to digital transformation for their communities as well as their own organisations must change.
In the UK, the vast majority of operators want to control everything from network infrastructure, applications, speed, bandwidth, price, data limits and the number of services available. In these closed networks, subscribers are left with poor service, inflexible contracts and few choices; limiting competition and innovation within the commercial sector, hindering digital transformation and stifling economic growth.
VX Fiber has dismantled this model and opened-up the network by separating the network infrastructure and management of the network from the supply of services. This Active Open Access approach enables the network to become the platform through which new services are delivered – the Fibre Owner(s) or Operator is able to lease its network to multiple Service Providers, enabling them to access the network to deliver their own digital services.
In this cloud ecosystem, the private sector can compete and innovate to deliver a wider range of broadband services, while local government can then deliver more of the vital services their communities rely on at reduced costs. After all, in their intrinsic role of helping to ‘Build Back Better’ and ‘Level-up’, the digital transformation they are expected to deliver is being hampered by budgetary constraints.
What’s become the standard services list of internet connectivity, telephone and TV, will soon be joined by any and all digital services such as Online Health Services, Distance Learning, Smart Home, Private Clouds, Smart Grid, Smart Transport, Emergency Communications, the Internet of Things (IoT), Smart City Applications and many more.
It’s an open road with endless possibilities.
VX Fiber is committed to see communities, people and businesses get the most out of this enhanced, full fibre connectivity. But VX Fiber cannot do it alone – by forming collaborative partnerships and working long-term with Municipalities, we are able to help define the most appropriate business model and solutions for a particular Local Authority – helping to deliver the specific outcomes, based on goals for delivering economic, social, environmental and efficiency benefits – and ending the digital divide.
VX Fiber believes that fibre networks are fundamentally a public good, but they must be open.
To learn more, take a look at our latest video ‘VXFIBER: ACTIVE OPEN ACCESS NEUTRAL OPERATOR’ where we delve deeper into VX Fiber’s Active Open Access Model and the benefits it offers Local Authorities and their citizens.
