Ian Cottingham, Director of Mobile Network Operators at BT Wholesale, explains why selecting the right network and colocation partners is critical for modern businesses. As demand for high-performance, scalable data centres grows, these partnerships provide the low latency, secure connectivity needed to support data-intensive applications like AI. In an increasingly digital landscape, resilient infrastructure is essential to keep pace with technological advancements and business needs.
Modern businesses rely on data-hungry applications to stay connected and keep running. The latest trend is AI tools becoming a need-to-have rather than a nice-to-have including an emerging market of enterprises undertaking their own AI model training, with the pharmaceutical industry being an early use-case. The ‘need for speed’ – or the demand for high-performance, low-latency networks – has never been greater.
For many organisations, sustaining a resilient data centre to underpin this is crucial. In fact, a new report from MIT Technology Review Insights found that while businesses have big ambitions for GenAI, foundational data strategies need to be improved to maximise AI’s potential.
Businesses need to look for data centre and colocation providers that provide efficient content distribution, seamless network connections and cutting-edge cloud – all of which should be completely scalable depending on the business.
Choosing a connectivity partner that has your back and will help this changing landscape is crucial – here’s what businesses need to consider.
Bandwidth boom
Applications and AI models (training and inference) are becoming more complex, they’re more data-hungry and they require far lower latency. Your network therefore is hugely important in the rollout of new tech – it’s the necessary bedrock. A reliable connectivity partner that invests in network updates and future-proofing infrastructure, therefore, is a must.
One example of this is 400Gb services. Originally introduced for service providers, these high-speed services are now drawing interest from enterprises that need to mirror data centres or reconfigure their network topology to maximise efficiency.
400Gb services reflect the growing trend of businesses demanding higher bandwidth, and this will only increase. Ethernet circuits that once sold at 100Mb are now being sold at 1Gb, with large enterprises opting for 10Gb. The future will undoubtedly see a continued rise in these requirements and connectivity infrastructure must support such growth.
This forward-thinking approach should also extend to Edge Computing, which brings data processing (and AI inference) closer to the source of data generation. Colocation services provide access to the mobile Edge network, enhancing businesses’ ability to reduce latency and increase the speed of data processing.
Your Edge in your chosen cities
Colocation services are playing a pivotal role in supporting businesses across the UK, offering efficient content distribution, seamless network connections and cutting-edge cloud integration.
One of the key benefits is the ability to extend the availability and capacity of data infrastructure across the UK. Colocation facilities are no longer confined to a handful of major cities but are increasingly being established in underserved regions, creating opportunities for businesses to tap into high-performance, high-resilience infrastructure regardless of their location.
One way to do this is by transforming legacy telephone exchanges into state-of-the-art Edge facilities. Strategically placed, long-term exchanges throughout the UK can bring data closer to the end-users, reducing latency and improving user experience as well as help to manage seasonal spikes in traffic without the need for significant upfront investment.
From Edge Computing in city centres to scalable custom sites in emerging markets, businesses are gaining the flexibility to deploy their data infrastructure exactly where they need it most.
No weak links
In addition to speed and availability, resilience is a key consideration for any business looking to manage its data effectively. The importance of resilience, not only in terms of network reliability but also through robust cybersecurity measures, should not be underestimated. With over 2,000 signals of potential cyberattacks every second, we live in an era where data breaches and cyberattacks are increasingly common. Businesses need more than just fast networks; they need secure ones.
Colocation services are best when backed by carrier-grade networking and cybersecurity expertise, ensuring that business-critical data remains safe. This includes physical, energy and commercial security measures, providing peace of mind for businesses that rely on their services.
Powering success
Whether it’s supporting the real-time processing requirements of AI, handling the bandwidth needs of video conferencing, or ensuring seamless access to cloud services, data consumption will continue to grow at an unprecedented rate. Businesses need networks that can keep up with the demand for faster, more reliable connectivity combined with high-performance data infrastructure. For UK businesses looking to stay competitive, the key is having network and data infrastructure partners that combine innovation, security and reliability to meet the demands of the future.
