Glasgow businesses explore city’s digital future

Chaired by Glasgow Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Gigabit City developer, CityFibre, the event gave local professionals the chance to find out more about the opportunities the project presents for their business and the city itself as the world moves increasingly online.

It also highlighted the importance of the project in terms of Glasgow’s competitiveness, growth and future resilience as demand for digital services grows, and rival cities and nations race ahead in terms of fibre investment.

Speaking at the event, James McClafferty, head of regional development in Scotland at CityFibre, said: “Glasgow’s Gigabit City project is transforming the city into one of the most connected in the world. This will open its doors to a host of new opportunities, for example, improved mobile coverage, more competitive and productive businesses and safer, greener communities enabled by smart city infrastructure.

“As we move further into the digital age, the case for new, full-fibre infrastructure instead of continual upgrades to aging networks is made clear. By driving this investment, Scotland can position itself for future opportunities and economic growth whilst also laying foundations for innovation, skills development and the creation of high-value jobs.”

Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, added: “Glasgow’s telecommunications infrastructure has been a high profile concern for chamber members for many years as the city’s businesses strive to keep ahead of digital trends.

“We are very excited that CityFibre is investing in Glasgow and already transforming the digital experience of city businesses. This will ultimately help them become more productive and competitive and enable them to invest in the latest business tools which depend on resilient, reliable fibre connectivity.”

Other event speakers included CityFibre’s CEO, Greg Mesch, who spoke of his ambitions for Glasgow and the UK as a whole, EY’s David McIntosh who explored the Gigabit City movement in the global context, and HighNet’s David Alldritt MBE, who discussed emerging technology trends such as augmented reality, ‘Internet of Things’ and big data.

Brightsolid’s Neil Campbell and Graham Cantlay from Glasgow-based Robb Ferguson Chartered Accountants also shared their experiences as ‘gigabit businesses’ connected to CityFibre’s networks in Aberdeen and Glasgow.

For more information about Glasgow’s Gigabit City project, visit: www.cityfibre.com/gigabit-cities/glasgow/