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Streetwave creates mobile network performance maps to continuously monitor and check the quality of the UK’s 2G, 3G, 4G and 5G networks
Tell us about your start up?
Streetwave is the market leader in providing independent mobile coverage surveys. They set themselves apart by focusing on user experience and ensuring that their online web application (digital map & analytics) is incredibly easy to use, ensuring everyone can understand the information presented e.g. identifying if a user can HD video stream or browse the internet in their location. These real-life use cases give users of the platform, such as local authority customers, the ability to effortlessly assess the coverage and quality of the mobile networks that they depend on both professionally and personally.
Streetwave has a strong capacity for surveys, giving clients maximum flexibility on how data is collected whether on roads, rail, foot, buses or ferries. Clients can even permanently install Streetwave’s autonomous data collection equipment on their own vehicles, giving daily updates on user experience of the mobile networks from wherever the vehicles have been.
The comprehensive nature of Streetwave’s data collection ensures that more technical customers (digital leads, mobile network operators, tower companies, consultancies) can also benefit from the unique platform.
For local authority customers, insights from the data can drive decision making when selecting which mobile network to procure for service provision and employee connectivity. Benchmarking coverage enhances economic development plans, regeneration efforts, and highlights where digital divides are located. These are all strategic considerations for local governments who are working to unlock the digital economy.
Why did you establish the business?
Streetwave was established to tackle the significant issues that arise when government, businesses and individuals don’t understand the coverage quality of the mobile networks that they depend upon.
Everyone understands the importance of the mobile networks. Smart phones are essential to modern living – allowing us to do banking, shopping, socialising, working and navigating all while on the move. However, this is only made possible when users are well connected where they are located. Unfortunately, around 9% of mobile customers in the UK remain unhappy with their mobile contracts. Many of these consumers commit to long-term contracts without accurate insights into the quality of the mobile network that they are signing up for, only to bring their phones back to the places that they live and work to find they can’t get signal. With the average cost of a 12-month mobile contract being £566.40 in 2021, this represents a very real financial burden to millions of people across the UK when they are not receiving mobile connectivity from their network.
This is also a problem for businesses that depend on the mobile networks for some aspect of their service delivery. For example, electric car charging stations are essential infrastructure for the government’s plans to replace petrol/diesel cars by 2030. However, many require users to connect to an app to pay digitally before charging. When these sites are built in areas with poor connectivity, people are unable to make the payments required to charge their vehicles. Understanding connectivity at charging sites is therefore a vital prerequisite before building begins.
Furthermore, this issue affects government. Poor coverage data will make it difficult for the UK Home Office to assess whether the new Emergency Services Network has the necessary coverage to consistently keep first responders connected before its Airwave TETRA network is switch off.
Streetwave established itself to be the leading provider of independent mobile coverage surveys so that consumers, businesses, governments, and operators could understand how users experience the mobile networks no matter where they are in a country.
What are your USP’s?
- Unparalleled insight into user experience of mobile networks.
- Extensive capacity for mobile surveys, giving clients maximum flexibility on how and where data is collected.
- Exceptional presentation of survey results, making it easy to communicate with all stakeholders.
What is your relationship with the telecom sector?
We work directly with tower companies, collecting data to improve their site selection. We also work with MVNOs to help them better understand which operator to lease infrastructure from. Our data can also be used by MNOs for their marketing and by regulators to check coverage claims.
How have you got to your current stage of development?
As a team we were fortunate to have been hosted by an incubator called the Alacrity Foundation for the first 15 months of building up Streetwave. The Alacrity Foundation is a Newport based charity that is actively building the next generation of UK communications and cyber start-ups. The Foundation brings together business and computer science graduates and presents them with real industry problems that need solving.
Our team were presented with the challenge of building a solution that democratises access to high fidelity mobile coverage intelligence for people and businesses. Each co-founder received a stipend during the programme that allowed us to focus fully on developing Streetwave. Alacrity also supported us in meeting investors as the 15-month programme ended.
Recognising the significance of the challenge Streetwave is solving, we were able to attract a seed investment round led by the Wesley Clover investment group. Wesley Clover also support Streetwave through more than just capital investment. They have given us free office space, access to an experienced designer and used their international presence to help us enter the North American market. The team is further complemented by two successful industry veterans who have joined our board as Non-Exec Directors.
Who inspired you?
Something that has surprised us as a team is just how generous people in the industry have been in lending us time and advice. If we were to list all of the people who have gone out of their way to support us, we would probably have a list that is 100 names long! These people continue to inspire us through both the intelligence they have earned through past successes and the modesty they retain in their willingness to give back to others.
What does the future hold for your business?
Streetwave continues to grow its client base and the locations surveys are carried, with recent expansion into the North American and European markets. The company will not waiver from achieving its mission – to create the world’s most detailed mobile coverage map.
HEADQUARTERS: Newport – Wales
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES: 5
LAST FUNDING TYPE: Seed Funding
WEBSITE URL: https://streetwave.co/
FOUNDERS
Angus Hay – CEO and Co-Founder
George Gibson – Operations Director and Co-Founder
Nick Broom – Technical Director and Co-Founder
You can meet Streetwave in the Startup Village at Connected North: 17 – 18 April 2023 | Manchester Central. Register at www.totaltele.com/connectednorth
