Boosting the city economy with next-generation connectivity and experiences
2 min read
Cisco delivers the first commercial deployment of OpenRoaming in Europe to help Canary Wharf Group to thrive.
These past few months, organisations have seen their technology platforms tested to the limit with CTOs citing security, VPN bandwidth, loss of productivity, and tech outages as their top stress drivers. Without a doubt, technology has risen in prominence as a critical utility; and secure and seamless connectivity has become the must have.
As we settle into our new way of working, we must focus on not only what the next normal will look like, but how that next normal will help to re-ignite the economy and productivity. The City of London contributes to one-fifth of the UK’s GDP (Gross Domestic Product) and is dominated by the services industries, which relies on technology to connect and function. It literally can’t afford for technology to negatively impact on its productivity, or it will have a detrimental effect on a significant proportion of the British economy.
One London-based organisation who recognises the importance of this and how secure, seamless connectivity is a productivity booster, is the iconic Canary Wharf Group. With Virgin Media, we have delivered to them the first commercial deployment of OpenRoaming in Europe, to enable next-generation connectivity and experiences for its users.
Paramount to the capital’s economy, Canary Wharf is a vibrant hub for working, shopping, leisure and living. And now anyone visiting the new Wood Wharf district can automatically and securely connect to Wi-Fi 6 on their mobile device and seamlessly roam from one hotspot to another without having to log-in. Providing up to four times faster wireless speeds, thanks to Cisco Meraki Wi-Fi 6 access points, users will experience improved efficiencies and flexibility when onboarding to Wi-Fi, to help them stay connected and productive on the move – from their front door, across the Canary Wharf estate and even into the tube.
Canary Wharf is also leveraging Cisco DNA Spaces for location-based services to analyse user behaviour and optimise their experiences. The technology empowers Canary Wharf clients to build unique services for their customers, as well as help landlords and tenants to better understand how their real estate is being used to improve efficiencies. In addition, it supports end user engagement and wayfinding to enable individuals to find the meeting room or retail store they are looking for, as well as avoid overcrowded areas.
As our world begins to recover from the pandemic and we seek ways to boost the economy and productivity, businesses will accelerate towards a digitised and automated future with secure, seamless connectivity. OpenRoaming will play a significant role. By strengthening their digital infrastructure and investing in robust cybersecurity, organisations will not only be able to build more creative and unique services to give their audience optimal experiences, but also enhance and protect their productivity levels so their businesses prosper in the digital economy.
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