A fast internet connection is now one of the first things any business expects, but there is so much more to consider. Can that connection support the way people actually work across an office? Can it serve different sites in different cities? Is there a backup if something fails? Is the network secure enough for the data moving across it?
It’s the answers to these questions which determine whether connectivity is simply a utility, or whether it becomes part of a business’ resilience and growth.
Elevate is a business internet and managed IT network service provider. We build and operate our own networks, and Cardiff is the sixth hypercity where we have delivered fibre-to-the-premises infrastructure. We provide business internet connectivity, managed WiFi networks and cybersecurity services to organisations ranging from small SMEs to large banks and public sector bodies.
In Cardiff, the project began because the need was clear. Parts of the city were still dependent on legacy copper infrastructure at a time when businesses increasingly need high speed fibre optic networks. Cardiff Council championed the case, secured Welsh Government support and went out to tender for a new network. Elevate won that contract, in large part because we had already built effective metro networks in five other cities and understood the challenges of delivering fibre in a city centre environment.
The result is 174 kilometres of fibre beneath the streets of Cardiff, delivered through a public-private partnership with Cardiff Council and Welsh Government. Our own infrastructure team built the network, working closely with the council on the practicalities of street works, permits and access. As part of our bid, we also included social value commitments, including community connections that provided 10 charities across the city with free 1Gbps internet connections for life.
That fibre network is the foundation, but the lesson from our other hypercities is that businesses quickly start to look beyond the connection itself. A company may have a fast 10 Gbps connection into its comms room, but if the WiFi network inside the building is poorly designed, staff may never experience the benefit properly. Modern offices, with glass, steel and thick walls, can create weak spots that undermine performance. That is why we offer WiFi design and heat mapping, so the connection is distributed securely and effectively across the workplace.
Cybersecurity is another important part of the same conversation. Strong connectivity increases what a business can do, but it also makes secure network design more important. Elevate has a team of cyber experts who can support customers with areas such as Cyber Essentials Plus, firewalls and wider cyber security requirements. For businesses becoming more dependent on cloud systems, digital tools and remote collaboration, connectivity and security increasingly have to be considered together.
Where Elevate also comes into its own is with businesses operating across more than one location. We already work with organisations that have offices in different UK cities, and in some cases global connections as well. If a business has one office in Cardiff and another in Manchester, or needs reliable secure connectivity across several sites, we can provide that through one provider relationship. Technology becomes much easier to manage when responsibility is clear.
Customers often tell us they value having one provider, one account manager and a named person they can contact directly. In Cardiff, that is part of the role Awen Evans plays as our Hypercity Manager. The aim is not simply to sell connectivity, but to build relationships with businesses, understand what they need and support them as those needs change. That personal service is one of the ways we differentiate ourselves from larger legacy carriers.
Another area where Cardiff businesses should be thinking carefully is resilience. Even if a company is satisfied with its current provider, it may still need an auto failover backup internet connection. Businesses are now so dependent on internet access that if the connection goes down, operations can stop until the problem is resolved. A damaged fibre line outside the building, for example, can cause disruption very quickly. It happens more often than people might assume.
A diverse backup connection reduces that risk because it sits on a different network. Depending on the requirements of the business, that could be diverse fibre, fixed wireless or mobile 5G. The right solution will vary according to business size, budget and operational bandwidth needs, but there are options for businesses ranging from small teams to large international organisations. The question every company should ask is straightforward: what happens if our main connection fails?
Cardiff can draw confidence from what we have seen in other hypercities. Once the underlying fibre is in place, businesses begin to use it not only for faster internet, but for better WiFi, stronger cyber controls, multi-site networks and backup resilience. The connection is the starting point; the opportunity lies in building a more complete, secure and reliable technology environment around it.
That is where Elevate’s role extends beyond infrastructure. We have built the network, but the greater value comes from helping businesses use it properly. For Cardiff, the hypercity network provides a stronger digital foundation. For the businesses that take advantage of it, the next step is to make sure the whole network around them is fit for the way they work now, and the way they intend to grow.
Andrew Stout talks about this and more on the Elevate podcast Powering Cardiff’s Digital Future here:
