A rock-solid internet connection is increasingly being referred to as ‘the fourth utility’ – as important to a homeowner as water, electricity and gas. Two thirds of adults (64%) say the internet is an ‘essential’ part of their life and the average Brit is online for 24 hours a week. The average home is truly ‘connected’ with 10 internet-enabled devices, and this is predicted to rise to 15 by the end of this year. And this appetite for smart thermostats, smoke detectors, video doorbells, CCTV, smart assistants and the like shows no sign of letting up.
It’s no wonder therefore, that hyperfast broadband is now high up the home mover’s wish-list with many now expecting new homes to have a full fibre connection – the gold standard of digital infrastructure, enabling symmetrical gigabit speeds and the most reliable service. Steve Harper, Group M&E Manager from Galliard Construction Ltd, explains: “access to good quality digital infrastructure is a priority for our customers, which means it’s equally as important to us. It’s no longer a nicety – it can seriously impact the decision-making process as it affects lifestyle as much as proximity to good schools and transport links. It forms the foundation of the connected home and movers don’t want to wait to start living their lives in a way they are used to.”
Given its importance therefore one could reasonably expect that along with water, gas and electricity a high-speed internet connection would be there for the homeowner on the day they move in? Unfortunately, in all too many situations this isn’t the case. According to research by Think Broadband, one in eight new properties have speeds so slow they fall below the Government’s minimum requirement – and four in ten are still being built without fibre broadband. Solving this problem must be a strategic priority.
It’s a clear ‘win’ for the developer. Over two thirds of people (69%) now check their broadband speed before moving home and most incredibly Brits confessed that they would spend 11% more for a property with 100Mbps+ broadband. And data supports that a home-mover is far more likely to make complaints and score a developer lower if there isn’t a connection on day one. However, despite this acceptance some developers are finishing builds before services are available.
So why then, the ‘disconnect’ between demand and supply, why are so many developers not getting their ducks in a row for day one availability? As a supplier that works with over 200 developers Hyperoptic is uniquely placed to share insight. It’s certainly not rocket science – the upshot is that it’s hard and real effort is required on each and every project to achieve the result every time.
Full fibre broadband may be installed at zero cost to the developer, but it does require resource to coordinate installation. It cannot be an add-on at the end of the build; the supplier must be engaged from the beginning with a bespoke project stream that will facilitate planning and on-site cooperation.
It also requires complete dedication from the supplier. Connectivity for new builds is not a priority for many of the legacy broadband providers – they work according to their timelines, not the developers. There are also many new entrants, but they lack the experience and resource that is required to get everything done and dusted according to a strict timeframe.
Hyperoptic recognised the issue and took a different tack when founded in 2011 and set up a bespoke department for the new build sector. It was recognised that hitting day one targets was a two-way street, so to achieve the desired result target and reward employees across the delivery process, with clear and agreed goals. By using this approach and measuring ourselves on day one success, the Hyperoptic new-build installation team has hit a 99% success rate in 2019 – replicated the result from 2018, up from 97% in 2017 and 96% in 2016.
The fact is that day one connectivity will not happen organically – but with forward thinking, internal resource and suppliers that measure and target themselves on delivery, it can be achieved every time. As the concept of the home changes – with IoT devices becoming the norm across the board, from smart meters, smart heating, smart lighting and smart security, having a robust underlying digital infrastructure is something that home owners just cannot live without – they need it ready by the time they collect their house keys.
Hyperoptic recently worked with Stanhope on its icon Television Centre development find out more here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZrjwZm49RU&feature=youtu.be
David Walker, Head of Property, Hyperoptic
