High-speed internet has been the focus of development across the United Kingdom for years. Faster internet with reduced latency leads to better productivity, predominantly in the urban areas of the country. While the metropolitan areas were, naturally, the focus for upgrades, the power of modern connections can also bolster rural spots to enable those who live far from the hustle and bustle of the cities to be just as productive.
This is very clearly the vision of Northern Ireland and its primary full-fibre broadband provider, Fibrus. Now, Northern Ireland boasts the highest proportion of homes in the UK to have full-fibre broadband. Reaching some 780,000 homes, people across Northern Ireland can get speeds of up to one gigabit per second. With such speeds, every aspect of our increasingly online lives can become much more reliable and productive.
Reliable Internet to Empower Work and Play
Northern Ireland leading the way in full-fibre broadband connections is a huge deal. A reliable connection is essential for the current performance of local economy-boosting businesses and works as a big selling point to future businesses. Fast-growing regions will be able to rely on convenient, quick, and high-powered online tools like cloud-based storage and video conferences to be more productive.
Beyond the urban hubs, those who live in more rural areas or simply don’t want to use their time commuting can also benefit greatly. Opening this year, some 28 per cent of working adults in the UK had a hybrid agreement with their employers. Some polls even show as many as 39 per cent of people working from home entirely. This year, Belfast even managed to jump into the top ten cities for remote workers in the UK.
It’s not just work and productivity that increasingly rely on strong internet connections, though. This year, the time adults spent on their phones overtook watching TV, with screen hours now at around 7.5 hours per day. Online streaming, game apps, general scrolling, and casinos all offer convenient and popular entertainment options in the UK.
Some will use an alert for live events, as eBay does, and others will offer rewards like a casino bonus for signing up or partaking in daily and weekly events. It’s all about winning the attention economy, be it with a shot at a daily cash drop from a casino or an alert that says there’s a sale on or some books are recommended, as the Waterstones app does. Whatever the preference, British people are increasingly relying on having a fast and sturdy internet connection in all areas of their lives.
The Future of Northern Ireland with Full-Fibre Broadband
Source: Pexels
Looking ahead to 2050, the provider of much of Northern Ireland’s full-fibre broadband, Fibrus, published the Future of Rural report. Here, it’s said that rural areas could be a leader in “economic, environmental, and social transformation.” Their predictions include advances in metaverse infrastructure, AI, and modern management tools that will enable rural areas to house many more people who work from home.
From here, by 2050, more people will realise the benefits of living in rural areas even for work, inspiring a wave of new startups from these regions. Naturally, the focus of these would be on bolstering the surrounding local rural businesses, such as with robots for farming and bio-science. Finally, the rural connectivity and normalisation of businesses, entrepreneurs, and workers moving beyond cities will make rural UK a top destination for visitors.
High-speed internet connections are the clearest path to increased productivity and enjoyment during downtime, and right now, Northern Ireland is leading the UK in this regard.
