COMMUNICA | Issue Five
Viewpoint
FUTURE
CONNECTIONS
Exploring the possibilities and barriers to a better-
connected future. By Rob Andrews at Connected Britain
2018.
IN JUNE, some of the leading
designers, builders, product retailers
and network delivery partners from
across telecommunications gathered for
two days at the Connected Britain event
to discuss the nation’s fibre optic future.
Despite topical conversations around
the challenges of the final phases of
delivery of broadband in the UK and
overcoming the barriers to build the
next generation of networks, there was
also a clear focus on the development
of the Internet of Things (IoT) - that, by
definition, is technology which relies
upon being ‘online’ or powered by a
form of internet connectivity, to support
its functioning.
IoT has the potential to add much value
to society but requires the support of
‘full fibre’, to ensure the realisation of its
potential is achieved.
IoT has already changed the way we
access content through mobile devices,
down to the way we order food and
even interact with each other - as
consumers it has changed our interface
with product purchasing online and, will
play a key part in enabling ‘Smart City’
growth.
Dubai’s ‘drone taxis’ concept is one
such futuristic example - the UAE city if
already planning a rollout of this air taxi
service.
Similarly, Netflix has changed the way
‘TV’ as we know it, is delivered to the
consumer, content is now streamed on
demand, not broadcast.
In fact, as of 2017, Netflix users
collectively watched 1billion hours of
content, combined, per week.
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This is just the beginning of change in
the way we buy, consume and interact
with content and products online.
In business, there are similar, if not
more powerful developments.
IoT has enabled Domino’s Pizza to, for
the first time, out-sell its greatest rival
Pizza Hut, with the utilisation of new
technologies.
“Domino’s is not just in the pizza-
making business,” its CEO, Patrick
Doyle, has emphasized, “it has to be in
the technology business.
“We are as much a tech company as
we are a pizza company”.
To emphasise out of the 800 people
working at Domino’s headquarters in
the US, about 400 work in software and
analytics, which is amazing.
All that technology has changed how
customers order - using the Domino’s
app, or directly via twitter, or even by
texting an emoji; how they monitor the
status of their order; and how Domino’s
manages its operations.
A key part of the future of UK
connectivity is also reliant on 5G.
Not only will 5G deliver gargantuan
speeds on mobile but it will wirelessly
enable technologies like available to
order automated vehicles from an app
on smartphones, which will transport
you to your destination.
Mobile operators know that 5G is just
around the corner but they agree that
if the technology is to become fully
fledged and deliver its full potential in
the UK, a greater emphasis on ‘pure
fibre’ rollout is essential in supporting a
better connected future.