If connectivity is productivity, then two of Scotland’s biggest cities are about to take a massive leap forward in what they can achieve.

Following in the footsteps of Aberdeen’s recent ultrafast broadband installation – which gave it the title of Scotland’s first Gigabit City and sent speeds skyrocketing to as high as one gigabit per second – Edinburgh and Stirling are now set to seriously benefit from the same exciting upgrade.

It’s all being masterminded by a partnership between CityFibre and Vodafone that’s aiming to bring gigabit-capable full fibre broadband to up to five million UK homes and businesses by 2025, thus transforming the online experience.

At the heart of the project is the basic principle of improving reliability and speed through the deployment of fibre optic cables for every stage of the connection, with Vodafone using CityFibre’s network to bring Gigafast Broadband to customers.

Last week, Vodafone UK Chief Executive, Nick Jeffery welcomed Edinburgh and Stirling to “the full fibre club, with a broadband service like no other” – and the knock-on economic boost they will enjoy from that £110million investment is set to be significant.

Think of how frustrating it can be when the red light on your home broadband hub starts flashing and the movie you were streaming is interrupted. Put that same frustration in a business context and it can mean angry customers, crucial emails not getting through, and lost earnings, but ultrafast broadband is set to reduce those instances. 

The long-term vision for CityFibre is of realising a true ‘Gigabit Britain’ and it’s clear that Scotland’s cities are firmly leading the charge.

Under the agreement, Edinburgh and Stirling will effectively be future-proofed for many years to come thanks to world-class connectivity, while the game-changing infrastructure that will result is set to be a cornerstone of good business, not to mention a platform for the imminent introduction of 5G networks.

It will also provide a strong foundation for smart city innovations – in other words, better integration of street lighting and traffic management systems for smarter decision-making that will realise more efficient approaches, cost savings, and sustainable benefits.

The potential is huge – and limitless too – for Scotland’s biggest settlements. 

Indeed, not to be outdone, Glasgow City Council signed up earlier this year to extend its existing Gigabit City fibre network under a 19-year framework agreement that totalled £15.7million. It will mean the construction of an additional 243km of infrastructure, supplementing the city’s existing 50km.

Glasgow is also fostering some of connectivity’s biggest exponents. One of the city’s leading business telecoms providers is at the heart of the UK’s connectivity revolution and is on the cusp of some truly big things.

Innovation-led Exchange Communications has been ahead of the curve for some time now, and is about to announce its key involvement in major projects in London and across the UK.

Managing Director Tom Sime has continued to espouse the virtues of smart connectivity and has now found himself and his staff lending pivotal support to some very big players. All will no doubt be revealed soon.

With governments and global giants alike increasingly switching on to these massive opportunities but too often coming to the table late, proud Scottish companies like Exchange are in a brilliant position to take advantage.

There’s often a misconception that the march of technology inevitably means job losses, but the more we connect, the more openings will be created – just look at the Exchange example – and the Scottish economy is poised to thrive on the back of it.

That’s the kind of future I want to connect with.

 

SIDE

I often use this column to write about up-and-coming Scottish businesses and I like nothing more than to follow up on their success.

Kangaroo Self Storage is one of those unqualified success stories, and it’s now taken a significant step forward thanks to an acquisition that will effectively triple its size.

Kangaroo has acquired Smart Storage in a £13m deal that will extend its footprint into England for the first time.

The company, based in East Lothian, already operates three freehold stores across Scotland including Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow.

Smart Storage meanwhile has a portfolio of six self-storage units prominently located in north-west England, and it makes huge sense for Kangaroo to tap into that market through an established local business. 

Kangaroo’s Managing director, Chris Stevens, says the acquisition comes in response to rising customer demand, and the future is looking bright with further growth plans for the company.

Both companies have performed well in their respective local markets, but the pooling of their assets and knowledge will likely reap huge rewards.

Making further business waves has been the announcement of the green light for Scotland’s first artificial surf park.

The securing of approval for Wavegarden Scotland to turn Craigpark Quarry near Ratho into a world-class surfing and family leisure facility is sure to make for an exciting prospect.

Edinburgh will benefit greatly from the ambitious Wavegarden project which will not only provide a surfing destination, but also self-catering luxury guest lodges, glamping pods, a waterfront café and restaurant, and several other sports facilities within the grounds.

Its revolutionary new wave technology has been developed in Spain and will no doubt bring surfer enthusiasts and families from all over the UK to Edinburgh.

And most importantly, it is expected to create up to 130 jobs and generate up to £11m for the local economy every year.

Again, it is inspiring to see such business plans come to fruition – and let’s hope that the splash it makes is felt way beyond Scotland.

 

LAUGH

I’ve not taken the time to seriously trace back my family roots but it seems like it might take a little longer than I might have thought.

Ancestry DNA conducted a survey and revealed, believe it or not, that the average Briton has over 16,000 relatives.

It seems these distant relatives would be our eighth cousins.

To make things simpler and to put it into context, if you were at Wembley Stadium, which holds 90,000 people, then at least two people in the crowd could be your cousin.

Just when you thought family gatherings were chaotic enough, imagine having 16,000 cousins over for dinner.

I think I’m going to hold off on the family history research and put up with the relatives I already have.

 

WEEP

Time and time again, the topic of Brexit has appeared on this page - and no doubt this will not be the last time.

The latest Brexit blow comes in the form of the news that we could be forced to pay if we want to holiday in the EU.

Similar to the US Esta Scheme, holidaymakers may need to fork out £7 to enter European countries, as well as providing personal details and their criminal history.

It might not seem like a lot of money, but I’m certain Scots will not welcome this news, particularly when they’re already forking out significantly to jet off to sunnier climes for some well-earnt respite.

And with good weather remaining just a fleeting occurrence this year, we need our summer holidays more than ever.