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A study undertaken by Cebr on behalf of Virgin Media O2 has found that excellent levels of digital connectivity in rural areas could increase turnover for rural manufacturing businesses by more than 7%, adding an extra £8.8 billion to the UK economy
The report, called The Great Rural Revival, noted that a large number of factories are located in rural areas, meaning that nearly half of all jobs in the UK manufacturing sector are based rurally. The sector has been struggling with productivity (as have many industries) partly relating to the current economic conditions in the UK.
These issues can be aided through technology, through processes of automation that reduce human error, for example. However, these solutions require high-speeds, reliable connectivity. The operator gives the example of their work with British Sugar, which has benefited from UK’s first multi-site 4G (and 5G ready) private network in Norfolk, Suffolk and Nottinghamshire, which has supported the implementation of automated process and the introduction of AI, which have streamlined production.
The operator is further working to tackle rural “not spots”, those areas with poor levels of connectivity, through the Shared Rural Network (SRN) scheme.
The SRN is a £1 billion scheme, designed to improve the 4G coverage in rural areas across the UK. It is a joint project between the UK’s four mobile operators and the government, aiming to help expand to expand the geographic coverage of 4G to 95% of UK by the end of 2025.
This involves upgrading existing infrastructure and deploying new equipment, which will be shared by all four operators. The SRN is backed by £500 million of public funding and £500 million provided by the mobile network operators.
“The last decade has been fixed and mobile networks rolled out to new corners of the UK and we are committed to continuing this rollout. By working closely with industry partners, the UK Government, planning authorities and landowners, we can deliver the essential network upgrades that will enable rural manufacturers to adopt new technologies and continue to thrive,” said Janie York, Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media O2.
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