First thing that springs to mind is 007, Skyfall!

The system engineers second destination was Bunree Caravan Club. Unfortunately Daniel Craig was nowhere to be seen as this site is situated by the famous James Bond A82 scene in the blockbuster film Skyfall in glencoe.               

They were welcomed by site managers Winn and Avril who are wardens of the park and provided the engineers with constant supplies of coffee and complimentary ice creams.

They were guided around the caravan site and informed of the locations on where the Wi-Fi routers were to be installed. Our team quickly replaced and installed five existing access points with new modern hardware. There are approximately 80 pitches in this location, we installed our modern hardware bringing it into the 21^st century, with the most modern uninterrupted connectivity. We walked away from this site not only with improved hardware, but increasing the scope of coverage by 20%

Bunree Caravan Club Site in Fort William is an award-winning holiday destination. Your caravan can be parked almost at the water’s edge of Loch Linnhe, with your view overlooking the beauty and the splendour of the mountains across from it.

A beautiful places to be installing Wi-Fi with views of the Scottish Highlands and certainly a convertible drivers paradise….weather permitting!

Guardian Marine Testing provides laboratory analysis and commentary on the quality for marine fuels used by all seagoing vessels. Anyone involved in the supply and use of these fuels knows how variable quality can be and the extreme dangers this can create for the ships, the crew and even the environment.

The Challenge ~ The Specialist Lab Space Environment

Their business operates in the highly secure lab space. This creates very specific challenges for our engineers:

• They must closely adhere to the stringent security and safety requirements ~ by wearing protective equipment
• All the systems are highly configured and operate highly specialist and rare software programmes ~ (so many of them our engineers have a manual and make up pet names for them)
• Very often the PCs are not networked ~ so manual connections between the      lab instruments and the computers must be configured and maintained
• The machines must be manually backed up using a highly creative and tailored manual backup schedule ~ these schedules can protect months and years worth of experiment results, so their records are highly valued
• Very often lab machines cannot be updated, (no Microsoft updates or anti-virus software is permitted) ~ this creates a whole new set of challenges, to which ITS engineers are naturally creative and offer innovative solutions
• Lab machines are delicate, highly configured and the instruments are very expensive ~ a longstanding knowledge and real world experience is essential when working in lab space

 “ITS engineers have each worked over 10 years in the lab space environment”

All of these factors means that GMT’s IT infrastructure is mission critical and its resiliency, high quality maintenance programmes and disaster protection systems are essential.

The main challenge for GMT was their exponential growth, their IT infrastructure simply could not cope. They went from 9-35 people literally overnight. This growth tested their systems and they needed rapid solutions to support and scale their business. Their business server could not cope with the extra load and this was causing some issues to reliability. With a deep understanding of their business and close consultancy, ITS have innovated solid solutions to help GMT scale up seamlessly with no impact on their own customer satisfaction. We have actively supported them during their rapid growth phase.

The Solution

With such high competition from fellow businesses and high standards in and around Halton, , we are all thrilled to have been recognized by these awards. As part of our ongoing CSR commitment ITS has worked particularly hard to implement robust environmental policies Our honored receipt of this award is testament to our entire team’s hardwork and efforts along with the high standards of customer excellence we adhere to.

The Evening unfolded – as the glamorous atmosphere builds;

Upon arrival we were greeted by the smiling ladies of the Halton Chamber of Commerce and guided into the main reception area to collect a fruity glass of fizz. The dress code for the evening was ‘dress to impress’ and everyone certainly went to town with their outfits. I am surprised there wasn’t an award for ‘best dressed’ of the evening, all  the men where suited and booted in crisp shirts, suits and bow ties and the ladies dresses were simply stunning with satin and sparkles on display around the room.

It certainly came close to the look and feel of how the Hollywood Oscars would be. We certainly felt like movie stars as we soaked it all in.

At 7:30pm we entered the main room to be seated at our allocated table. Our table was simply stunning; we couldn’t have sat in a better position.  The food was delicious and the service was delightful throughout the evening.

Chris McGuire Editor of Insider magazine, started the evening with his topical speech.  His speech can be rounded up in three simple words; quirky, funny and entertaining. Chris made an outstanding compere really warming up the crowd and took self-deprecation to a whole new level, with muffled chuckles echoing round the room as he told his stories.

(Awards Ceremony)

The awards began around 9 o’clock; you could feel the excitement in the room and it wasn’t just coming from our table. Every candidate had their moment to shine with their business name projected onto the large screens and their names echoing down the microphone.

The room was filled with applaud to those involved, whether you came runner up or category winner you were supported by all.

You could sense the close nit community feel of Halton, with everyone supporting one another; it was a really honor to be a part of it all.

As soon as the final award was handed out, the lights were dimmed and Friday night was upon us. The classic hits from the 70s and most recent chart toppers echoed throughout the room during the course of the evening, everyone was chatting, dancing and getting to know each other.  It really was a fantastic evening and a brilliant way to spend a Friday evening. We danced and twirled until the early hours of the morning with fellow Halton community members. The entire ITS team were so glad of an opportunity to let our hair down and relax together with our colleagues.

Special thanks must go to Halton Chamber of Commerce for arranging everything so splendidly.

(Some of The ITS Team)

Paula Cain, Halton Chamber chief executive, said: “The awards celebrate excellent performance, good business practices and the successes of Halton businesses. There are many success stories out there and we want to recognise and reward the spirit of entrepreneurship. The winners announced on the evening and presented with their awards had all demonstrated significant success in key aspects within their categories. The judges were highly impressed by the calibre of the entries and this reflects the dynamism of Halton and businesses within the Borough.”

Thank you very much for the opportunity to take part in such a superb evening and to have won is the perfect way to kick start 2013. Our awards are now on display in our head offices for all to see. Congratulations to all award winners on the evening, see you next year.

When: 30^th April 2013
Where: The Custard Factory Birmingham

In addition to being a fantastically central location, The Custard Factory lives up to its childhood fantasy evoking name. There were no rivers of custard, (booh) but the entire complex is a creative space, with stunning wall art, funky décor and a bohemian feel throughout. The whole building exterior is landscaped, futuristic and the modern art statues are 3 floors high.

Squirrelled away in a quiet corner the INCA convention takes place. With the walls and screens decked with our logos, 4 members of ITS team arrived early to setup and ensure we were ready to welcome guests from all over Britain.

Well attended

Anyone who regularly attends industry events will be accustomed to the usual scenario of a table full of unclaimed name badges, empty seats and wasted food from non-attendees. It was the total opposite for INCA. As a clear demonstration of its industry popularity and support the INCA event was over-subscribed, not only did everyone turn up, but there were guests whose names never even touched the list. We even had to order up more chairs.

The agenda ran to plan and the day went smoothly until….

The presentation entitled State Aid Lessons provoked a strong response from the audience. A huge, animated and passionate debate ensued. It’s a long time since I saw polite, well dressed  business people rise up in uproar like this. It was quite shocking and thought provoking to tap into people’s emotions for their industry and their livelihood and some fascinating facts came out of the bedlam. The subject matter was how Birmingham council were challenged by BT after being awarded funding for a network. They detailed how the bureaucracy they had completed was detailed to the “granular” level, complied with legals and had taken years to research and assemble. All of this for BT to challenge the decision to award funds.

BDF, ERDF, BDUK, MEIP, SGEI, State Aid, call it any acronym you will…

IT seems the entire industry is wracked with frustration at having been awarded a huge amount of funding for networks, but none of that money is being distributed. This theme has been present for the last 2 years and many smaller agile network providers looking to give up and walk away from the funded networks route.

It seems both councils and network companies have had their time and resource willingly consumed in a fruitless process. This wasteful use of council’s resource (Birmingham council being a case in point) seems like a total contradiction, when the reason for the government holding back on awarding monies is so they can SAVE MONEY. It seems yet another example of government shuffling monies and resource from one place to another in an attempt to conceal the fact that no money is really being awarded.

Propaganda??

Until a spade goes in the ground and a fibre optic cable is laid 500 million is just a number

It seems the mirage of the funding pot is exactly that…. A vain attempt at propaganda to make the industry feel good and hopeful. Perhaps sycophantic politicians feel like they have achieved some lofty target that will no doubt be spread across the media to rapturous celebrations and heralded as the saviour of the industry. (like say 500 million quid was 2 years ago for example) The reality is like so many of the other government funds it is wrapped in so much red tape it is in reality empty. The smaller companies who offer councils flexible choices for super-fast networks are trying to achieve funding in vain and rapidly becoming disillusioned.

He who shall not be named (BT) and the M word (monopoly) meets the E word (encumbent)

There are many different conspiracy theories going around about the imaginary 500 million quid pot. But one of the more popular is that BT is in reality bankrupt due to being saddled with legacy pension payments. Therefore in an attempt to bale them out on the quiet the government is simply awarding all the 500 million payments to them by means of a biased process masquerading as a fair and open tender process. Its no surprise however, that when you actually meet with councils, the word on the street is that is they don’t want BT and there is a lack of trust. It is widely known that BTs agenda is not to eliminate “not-spots”, an item which is very high on each council’s agenda, but to use this money in the areas that are commercially easiest for them to install broadband. Therefore the black and white broadband maps possessed by every council will not become evenly coloured any time soon and all the while rural populations are disadvantaged, economic regeneration is slowed and businesses cannot grow.

Provocative yes, are we sorry, no!

So we have been brave enough to question what is really going on and call out hidden agendas. Industry opinions are welcome on this. We feel it’s our responsibility to lobby government to execute a clear plan to resolve the lack of a broadband plan. (and stop playing games, perpetuating disillusionment and wantonly haemorrhaging precious resource)

What is the answer?

ITS have been working very closely with local councils to help them understand and navigate the network funding path. We have come up with a unique model for achieving this. Our close consultancy has been well received by councils in the UK to save them time and money. Our non-exec director David Cullen is a public sector expert in this field and happy to open up a dialogue with network experts.

(David Cullen presenting at the INCA seminar)

ITS Sponsors UKSPA Science & Innovation event at The Wilton Centre

When: 14^th May 2013
Where: The Wilton Centre Redcar

The UKSPA is a professional body for Science and Innovation Parks here in the UK and abroad. Delegates travelled from all over the UK to attend the event.

The audience was a mixture of academic, development, R & D projects, facilities management strongly represented by the scientific community.

We were asked to sponsor the event because of our presence in The Wilton Centre, our being their preferred IT supplier of choice. We also offer a free welcome package to all tenants to help them move in and setup their IT and telecoms configurations.

Our IT support is expertly tailored to the lab space and R & D environments. We support businesses in 3 UK Science & Innovation Parks – The Wilton Centre – Redcar, The Heath – Runcorn & Sci-tec – Daresbury.  We also provide support to AkzoNobel Research & Development centres located in Felling & Slough.

ITS had a strong presence at the event with our 5 team members and were pleased to mingle with the scientific community we support. The entire event was well managed and the world class facilities of the Wilton Centre were showcased at their best with Steve Duffield leading the event.

ITS have recently attended the TMWC in Nice, France and acknowledged new ways on how to move forward with your business.

When: 13-16th May 2013
Where: Nice, France

The digital storm that is currently rippling through the industry is all about delivering outstanding solutions to customers, via innovate relationships. There are new opportunities on the horizon but to take advantage, you must change the way your business runs and fast.

(In the heart of the city)

Some key points that raised eyebrows throughout the experience:

• Operators should look at partner value added relationships rather than just vendor suppliers
• We need to create compelling propositions for customers that are scalable, robust and cost effective
• Cloud based solutions and increased data consumption is driving the need to invest in cost effective managed network infrastructure such as FTTX
• More and more customers are running vendor and partner rationalisation programs to reduce costs, therefore, customer demand more from their partner suppliers and great value
• We have to remain agile and lean and also maintain minimum cost base and always seek efficiency improvements right across your business
• Only 1,000 telecommunications operators service over 6b subscribers worldwide and subscribers are demanding better value, quicker services and better customer care

Operators and IT providers must now focus on;

• Defending existing revenues and customer base
• Growing new customers and revenues by offering a wider range of services
• Building closer, value added relationships with their suppliers to have relationships and services based on best value partnering
• Look at smaller more agile technology and service companies to allow for greater speed to market, lower price points and increased margin- Partner eco systems will continue to flourish

Now is the time to start thinking differently!

During the month of May ITS also attended Traffex and Procurex events. Traffex is Europe’s traffic (ITS) industry specific event located in the NEC Birmingham. With the focus on traffic monitoring and data collection in the traffic industry, this exhibition is very relevant for ITS. Procurex is the North West’s public sector procurement seminar held in Old Trafford.

ITS Technology Group is a rapidly expanding dynamic, international, entrepreneurial company that’s setting the agenda for establishing and managing fibre optic based networks, IT managed services and consultancy.

We provide a rewarding and progressive career path and are always looking for exceptionally talented people with the right experience and skills. We are currently actively seeking for a Technical Engineer to be based in The Wilton Centre, Redcar.

If you’ve got experience within this role and talent, then we’ve an exciting opportunity for. You will help establish and service our growing base of key businesses. Some travel may be involved.

Please email your CV and covering letter to info@itstechnologygroup.com with a brief summary of why we should hire you and we will be in touch.

ITS are supporting Haltons Apprentice Scheme

ITS are delighted to be hiring an apprentice at the end of this month. We cannot wait to have the apprentice join our team and to bring their skill set on board.

The Halton Employment Partnership is committed to securing new apprenticeship opportunities across the borough and is looking for local businesses to consider advertising any new job vacancies as an apprenticeship job opportunity for local people.

More than 300 young people and adults across Halton have already signed up to the National Apprenticeship Service to help secure future employment and training.

The National Apprenticeship Service (NAS) has developed over 200 different Apprenticeship Frameworks covering a broad range of occupations across all sectors of industry and commerce.

The Framework consists of working towards a National Vocational Qualification (NVQ), a Key Skills certificate and, in some cases, a knowledge-based technical certificate. Frameworks are available at Intermediate, Advanced and Higher levels to suit the job requirements.

So far this project has been limited to one US city (Kansas), with two more planned for 2014 (Austin and Provo). The smart analyst money is on a small roll out designed to kick the American broadband industry up the backside and get faster broadband rolled out. And it seems to be working – one of the main US carriers has already announced a counter 1Gb for Austin next year.

Of course, the key question becomes – why is Google pushing 1Gb broadband – a speed 10 times faster than the current top Virgin Media UK product? And if Google thinks we need it, does your business need it?

If you need faster broadband, you’ll already know it

In truth, the vast majority of businesses (unless you are moving vast amounts of data quickly and safely such as hospitals, universities, central and local government) don’t need 100Mb broadband, let alone 1,000Mb. While email, social networking and the Internet are now vital to most of us, their simple use takes up very little bandwidth, however consideration should also be given to hosted/cloud based applications which you may need to access.

Speed issues will tend to occur when either the company begins to expand (creating too many users for a single connection) or if particular bandwidth heavy online activities become commonplace such as Cloud Computing. Common ones will be downloading large files or streaming both audio and video; perhaps VoIP lines, or video conferencing. If your business shares a lot of content, this can also be an issue; upload speeds tend to be an awful lot slower than download speeds.

However, multiple fibre broadband lines should solve these issues. While this is currently considered an expensive solution, in most cases it will at least solve the issues you have and actually if designed professionally, can provide a compelling return on investment. And believe me, your staff or IT department will soon tell you if they’re struggling – in fact you’ll often notice a palpable tension in the air if poor broadband is slowing people down.

Future proofing: What’s on the horizon

In terms of single-use technology, nothing is currently pushing the envelope in terms of 1Gb Internet speeds. However, as 1Gb (and now 2Gb in Hong Kong) speeds begin to filter into the marketplace, you can guarantee there are boffins in bunkers working on the next generation of online software that will push this new hardware to its limits.

Google or not, 1Gb broadband speeds are an inevitability.

However, future proofing at this point seems unnecessary. If you feel the need for speed, despite the hype over Google Fiber, there are already 1Gb broadband projects online in the UK. such as B4RN, which is making amazing progress in bringing ultra-fast broadband to even the most rural of areas. There are many other examples available- they key here is adoption and the commercial model which is wrapped around the project.

Of course,many companies don’t have Google’s news clout – but the truth is that, behind the hype, the future is already here. And as both business professionals and consumers, when we need it, we’ll start clamouring for it – and it will come.

Author Bio: Chris Marling writes for the broadband information site Broadband Genie, where you can find more information on the latest broadband issues and discussions.

The team spent a total of four days installing Wi-Fi at the Paradise Wildlife Park in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire to provide full internet access and coverage to the public throughout the park.

Paradise Wildlife Park is a fantastic Zoo, an amazing day out, an award winning family attraction and arguably one of the best venues for animal experience days in Europe.

Please enjoy going through the Wildlife Park pictures.

Monday morning the vans were packed with the tools and equipment required, team spirit was at a peak and all that was left was to sort out the music for the journey for a good old fashioned sing along.

A broad spectrum of Wi-Fi installers were located in many areas indoor and outdoor to provide internet access to the public. These areas included the Tiger pen, Zebra pen and one by the Gibbons, Monkeys.

For three days the sun was shining but there was no time for the engineers to top up their tan at the first site of summer this year, and certainly no time to expect the job to run smoothly in this environment without any challenges, they had to keep an eye not only on the caged animals getting too close but the parrots who had a good chew on the cables which resulted in them being damaged and in need of repair, once at night and once during the day.

Tony Perry, Systems Engineer, even had to keep an eye on his two colleagues and their practical jokes.

It’s hard not to smile at Tonys expense. The Wildlife Park had to move the lions into a different section of their closure so we could access the area we needed to complete the work and be inside the lions den. Tony was working up the ladder connectiong the mast whilst his colleagues, Andrew and Adam, thought it would be a good idea to start making lion noises and pretend the lions had returned. Well, Tony has never had to work as fast as he did, whilst i’m sure his heart skipped a beat and the sweat was gathering on his brow, he thought the lions had been released back into the den without anyone realising he was still working in there. Sooner rather than later he realised he was the victim of a practical joke and breathed a sigh of relief. I’m sure he is thinking of a way to return the gesture to the lads.

This is certainly the workplace environment where you need eyes in the back of your head. Unfortunately on their final day the rain started and the team brought the rainy weather back with them.

The benefits we have delivered to this job are:

• Wi-Fi is the future of internet connectivity therefore ITS have brought the Wildlife park into the 21^st century
• Staff and customers can access the internet on their laptops, tablets and phones throughout the entire park, as phone signal isn’t great there they can still be connected to the outside world
• The souvenir shop can make orders in store rather than relying on the reception process  for them which provides efficiency in time management
• Customers off the park can use this to access the Parks website which has extensive information about each animal

Our team have nothing but positive feedback about the staff at the Paradise Park. They were beyond friendly, very welcoming and even provided the team with a discount for food and coffee. Very generous, thank you.

We are delighted to have been given the opportunity to complete this work at the wildlife park. Our engineers had a brilliant time doing what they do best, being experts in this field and at the same time, in an environment they have never experienced. They are now more knowledgeable about animals than ever before and enjoyed taking pictures of their time at the park.

April is continuing to be a busy month for ITS with many more up and coming events. We are having the opportunity to meet fantastic, high-level individuals within our line of work, we are delighted to be attending these events which is result in business leads, brand awareness and potential clients for life.

Traffex Convention, Wednesday 17th April, 10:00hrs – 16:00hrs, Birmingham

Traffex convention was highly industry specialised with all manner of quirky traffic lights, cones and bollards on offer. Distracting though they were…we had other things on our minds. The main area of interest for us in the traffic sector is the very high growth and upward trend in data collection. This proved to lead to some interesting conversations and partnership propositions.

We were honoured to have the offer of face to face introductions from Keith Mccabe Member of Regional Transport Systems Management and Operations Committee at Transportation Research Board, who is a well respected guru in the traffic world. We recently attended the ICT Big Data Techelerate event he was speaking at. His specialist area is in traffic algorithms and collection and analysis of data. He has consulted with some of the major transport agencies and conducts R & D on ways to improve their systems.

Upcoming Events

Sefton Economic Forum and ‘Exporting for Growth’ – Wednesday 24th April,

• Are you interested in getting new customers and opportunities for your business?
• Do you know what demand there is for your goods or services in overseas markets and how you can access it?

Come along to this special 22nd Sefton Economic Forum with added workshops to find out more. Most businesses are always looking for new clients, but with the global economy forecast to grow by over 4% in 2013 (the UK is flat at 0.6% growth) now might be the time for your business to consider overseas markets as part of your growth strategy.

On behalf of InvestSefton, Sefton Council, Sefton Chamber of Commerce and Liverpool Vision, businesses are invited to attend a special Economic Forum event, ‘Exporting for Growth’. Whether you export, are new to exporting, or want to win new customers at home and overseas, this event will have something.ITS are delighted to be attending this event.

Procurex North Seminar – Old Trafford, Manchester, 10:00hrs – 16:00hrs, Thursday 25th April

What is Procurex Live North?

Procurex Live North, supported by organisations such as the Government Procurement Service, will provide a unique platform for personnel engaged within the public procurement process to enhance their understanding and knowledge of the latest developments, initiatives and legislative changes taking place within today’s ever-changing marketplace.

Packed into one day, Procurex Live North offers visitors the chance to see the latest solutions, understand the challenges facing the sector, hear from colleagues and experts alike and learn how to apply new skills within their role.

Free to attend for public sector personnel, Procurex Live North offers unrivalled educational content that is critical to career advancement, bringing policy makers, experts and practitioners together to deliver insight and expertise on the purchasing, commissioning and delivery of public services.

Procurex Live North is the central place for the public, private and third sectors to find out about the marketplace and acquire the tools to become more knowledgeable, innovative and skilled in order to deliver efficiencies and improved services.

Convergence Summit North (CSN)  Tuesday 30th April – Wednesday 1st May, Central 1, Manchester Central Convention Complex, Manchester, M2 3GX, 11:00hrs – 15:00hrs

Michelle Findlay, ITS’ Group Marketing and Communication Director and Frank Harrison, Director, are attending the Convergence Summit North on Wednesday 1st May. This event has firmly established itself as a key date in the Channel calendar following six years of successful events held in Manchester. Exhibitors and visitors alike have responded with enthusiasm to a conference based exhibition which offers the northern based reseller community their own regional event, helping them keep pace with the latest technologies and the issues facing the reseller community at large.

At ITS we continue to research and attend as many events as possible. We enjoy making new connections and shouting about our services. If you would like to rub shoulders with our staff, please attend these events and we will connect.

Being greeted by the uber modern cityscape view from the top floor of City Tower Manchester was uplifting, just a shame about the grumpy weather as we all bumbled our way in scoffing butties on a murky Tuesday afternoon. Manoj Ranaweera from Techelerate did a sterling job of putting the line up together, attendance at the event was good and the speakers were engaging.

Curiously, I was there to learn

Making small talk in the lobby I was caught off guard by a fellow delegate mumbling away about inserting check points in data sets. I didn’t have the heart to confess that I knew a big fat zero about big data so I just smiled in duplicity…but was eager to learn.

With the title of the first presentation being “what is big data” I was really hoping for some kind of laypersons definition or perhaps a “For Dummies” style explanation but I was wrong.

Academic Bias – The data makes pretty pictures and tells a story

As soon as John Taysom a Fellow of the Advanced Leadership Initiative at Harvard University was introduced I knew there would be no dumbing it down. As a technology visionary and successful angel investor his speech was in depth with a strongly academic bias that made me feel like I was back at uni, (he even put up a blackboard from within his powerpoint, which I found fascinating) and he was most engaging. The one thing I gleaned from the event is that Big Data and the Cloud are intrinsically linked and the way the IT world is trending right now, big data is at the leading edge. I struggled to get the gist of what he was saying, until he put up pictures of the big data models, and noticing how when plotted on a chart all the big data makes a pretty picture and tells a very helpful story it all clicked into place. I also found it somewhat quirky that big data is mostly teeny tiny bits of data that is only very big and cumbersome when collected.

So what’s the point of big Data?

There’s the human element – Lifestyle and the way we live – big data makes things easier.

• Making peoples journeys safer and easier
• Letting people go where they want to go, when they want to and how they want to get there and most importantly avoid delays
• Pioneering research that takes years and saves lives

Let the boffins get their geek on

To the egg heads and statisticians all of this is very exciting…the data crys out to them with a crystal clear message that not only conjures up the pretty pictures, it also tells a compelling story…most of the time the story is – even tiny changes can make huge differences to the way we live with the ripple effect of these efficiencies being – saving time and money, easily 2 of the most valuable commodities on the planet. Take transport for example, consider how wearisome a disrupted commute is, now imagine never encountering that again?? Idealistic and visionary, probably, but is it a possibility, absolutely. (15-20 years away in fact)

Natty methodologies

It seems the data is in demand before the technologies have evolved quickly enough to collect the data. We heard tell of such crude methods as weighing people on and off buses to see how and where they travel. There must be an easier way?

What’s the real money value of the data?

There is no question here – Big data itself is worth big bucks. It’s all in the efficiencies, we heard all about millions of pounds being saved by transferring patients from branded to generic drugs and saving time and money through small tweaks made using Big Data. Studying the way we move and live. Then we get to the money bit…..cost savings going on. The detail is all in the numbers.

Transport Efficiencies – the money at stake

The first part of the seminar focused on the transport sector and how big data effects that. There has been a huge push for councils and travel agencies to tighten up on their efficiencies and provide better services. The pots of monies available for these plans runs into the millions and of course the key to smashing open that pot is data. The Transport for Greater Manchester agency and Glasgow both recently won huge amounts of funding because they had the data that proved they could make measurable differences to transport in their area.

The benefits of better transport are:

• Passenger safety – first and paramount
• Allowing users to get to work – Employment boosts the local economy
• Cost savings – Efficiencies of fuel consumption
• Green technology – fewer carbon emissions

Why are ITS interested in Big Data?

Data collection is pointless unless you can move it and examine it. For example we work with transport agencies whose entire networks run on a data network backbone that literally keeps the entire network running smoothly and collects all manner of data about journeys, payments and safety as well as disseminating real time travel data within seconds to the end users – (passengers)

We also hear of companies needing to move terabytes of data in seconds. To move it you need a high bandwidth data network. For that you need…..well us of course!