Driving UK growth with better in-building mobile connectivity
By Simon Frumkin, CEO, Freshwave
The UK government has made its priorities clear. Sir Keir Starmer has stated that “Growth is the number one priority of this government”. However, for the UK economy to grow, we must address one of its most persistent challenges: low productivity. The National Institute of Economic and Social Research has found that much of the sluggish wage growth in Britain could be attributed to the UK’s poor productivity. One of the most effective ways to boost productivity and drive sustainable growth is through investment in infrastructure – including transport, data centres, small cells, and, crucially, mobile connectivity.
The cost of poor connectivity
Connectivity is not a luxury – it’s a necessity for economic progress. Yet many UK organisations suffer daily disruptions due to poor mobile coverage inside buildings. According to our Mobile Connectivity ROI Index, an alarming 87% of UK organisations report that poor connectivity causes daily disruptions at their sites. And these disruptions have serious economic consequences. Our research found that just five minutes of poor connectivity per day reduces annual productive time by 1%, collectively costing the UK economy £100 billion per year.
Infrastructure investment: a catalyst for growth
If we’re serious about growth, we must be serious about infrastructure investment. Other G7 nations have outpaced the UK in productivity growth, partly because of more extensive investment in digital infrastructure. The upcoming government spending review presents an opportunity to address this; policies that promote infrastructure improvements will be key to unlocking higher productivity and ensuring the UK remains competitive.
The link between infrastructure and productivity is clear. Just as reliable transport networks enable the movement of goods and people, robust digital connectivity facilitates seamless communication, collaboration, and innovation. In-building mobile coverage plays a crucial role in this ecosystem, ensuring organisations can operate efficiently in today’s hybrid and digitally driven work environment.
Reassuringly, our research found that of everyone surveyed, CEOs felt there was the greatest potential for productivity gains from better indoor mobile coverage across their sites, estimating the average productivity gain from better indoor mobile connectivity at 2.1% of their annual revenue or budget.
The business case for better mobile connectivity
The need for better in-building connectivity is more pressing than ever. The way we work has fundamentally changed since the pandemic, with remote and hybrid meetings now the norm. In most meetings today, at least one person will be dialling in remotely, making seamless mobile connectivity essential for productivity and employee satisfaction. Time spent struggling with connectivity is time wasted and money down the drain.
Our research underscores the financial impact of this issue. UK organisations with more than 100 employees lose an average of £4.6 million per year due to poor connectivity. However, by investing in better in-building mobile solutions, these organisations could recover up to £3.2 million per year in productivity gains. This not only benefits individual organisations but supports the economic growth agenda and demonstrates a clear return on investment.
Time for leaders to be proactive
The good news is that organisations don’t have to wait for government action to benefit from better indoor connectivity – they can take control of it now. Encouragingly, 66% of organisations expect their connectivity budget to grow in the next two years, putting the majority of leaders in a strong position to act on the insights from this report. And for the UK economy to grow from this investment.
At Freshwave, working with organisations to help them achieve the mobile connectivity they need to drive productivity and growth is what we do every day, whether that’s a hospital, a Magic Circle law firm, a stadium or an automated customer fulfilment centre. The UK economy has everything to gain from better in-building connectivity – it’s time for organisations and policymakers alike to grasp the nettle and make it happen.
Download Freshwave’s Mobile Connectivity ROI Index and start building your business case for in-building mobile investment now.