Manchester’s economy - the largest in the UK outside of London - is expected to grow to £71 billion by the end of 2023. Much of this comes as a result of the city’s tech growth. Over the past decade, Manchester has emerged as a tech hub for rapidly growing businesses and according to Beauhurst, it is home to approximately 1,500 high-growth companies. As businesses continue to invest in Manchester and boost its economy, the city’s population follows suit. There are now roughly 400,000 more people living in Manchester than there were 20 years ago.
With growth comes demand, and the city’s appetite for technology has only increased as both consumers and businesses become evermore reliant on access to the digital world - and internet connectivity plays a pivotal role in that. Today, professionals and students work from wherever they want, smart devices create significant convenience for people, and leisure activities now consist of streaming TV and gaming. All of these activities are dependent on strong Wi-Fi connections at their very foundation. In order to cater to heavy demand, businesses, educational institutions and residential areas must have access to fast and reliable connections.
As Manchester continues to develop, Glide, a market-leader in ultrafast broadband connectivity and fibre, has incorporated Manchester into its network in order to deliver highly reliable and superfast connectivity for its customers across the city.
3 Layers of Resilience
As network demand increases, the real risk of congestion across existing network capacities rises. This was an issue that Glide was determined to fix with its Manchester network. With the overall goal of creating resilience to ensure continued high-quality connectivity for its Manchester customers, Glide developed 3 separate networks that feed into the city, enabling seamless scalability for increased citywide demands, as well as 3 layers of resilience that ensure consistent connectivity:
- Layer 1: The North/South Expressway – Glide’s direct route between London and Manchester provides a connection between the two major cities
- Layer 2: The Eastern City Hopper - Glide’s second layer, reaches Manchester from London indirectly through Northampton, Leicester, Nottingham, Sheffield and Leeds
- Layer 3: The Western City Hopper - Glide’s third layer, reaches Manchester from London indirectly through Reading, Bristol and Birmingham
From a network services perspective, Manchester plays an important nationwide role within Glide’s network. While London provides Manchester with resilience, the reverse can also be applied. If either city has any connectivity issues, it can claim capacity from the other. These networks into Manchester also act as a gateway to the north, and can be distributed to other major cities, such as Leeds, Newcastle and Edinburgh.
Demand for technology - and ultimately, resilient Wi-Fi connectivity - will only grow as digital capability develops on both a consumer and business level. Scalability and resilience is crucial for delivering seamless user experiences, and Glide’s activity in Manchester is providing its customers with access to long-term connectivity solutions that can grow in line with demands.
