SSE strengthens Scotland’s digital infrastructure with next-generation connectivity

SSE Enterprise Telecoms claims to have given Scotland a boost in its connectivity ambitions with the delivery of critical, high-capacity network infrastructure into the DataVita datacentre, the country’s only purpose-built hyper-secure tier 3 facility.

Throughout the autumn, the Scottish authorities have ramped up development of the national broadband infrastructure. In October, 2,020 homes and business in rural Scotland were given access to more financial help to attain top-of-the-range broadband speeds through a new financing collaboration between the Scottish and UK governments that will see the UK government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme extended north of the border.

Weeks later, as part of its Connecting Scotland programme, the Scottish government announced that it was giving out 23,000 iPads and Chromebooks to low-income families and care leavers, along with two years of mobile data.

As a provider of connectivity directly into DataVita, SSE Enterprise Telecoms is offering separate routes for the network into the datacentre and public infrastructure, to maximise bandwidth, minimise latency and deliver optimum service levels. The project will help deliver speeds of 100Gbps to Scottish businesses and public sector organisations, enabling them to benefit from the next generation of high-speed connectivity.

SSE designed and managed the entire 100Gbps connectivity project, from design stage to full data deployment.

With its new network infrastructure, the DataVita datacentre will support the deployment of 5G networks, which will underpin the roll-out and adoption of technologies such as cloud, the internet of things (IoT) and the industrial internet of things (IIoT). And with SSE’s UK-wide network, it argues that Scotland’s businesses will no longer have the region’s connectivity limited by geographical constraints. Better access to these digital services will particularly support the manufacturing, finance and public sectors, as well as the Scottish economy, it says.

“Increasingly, we are seeing social impact as the driving force behind enterprise connectivity,” said Sarah Mills managing director, wholesale at SSE Enterprise Telecoms. “This is not merely a functional deployment to keep businesses ticking along, but a project that will help to drive Scotland’s digital economy and open up new possibilities for the public.

“The importance of digital has been highlighted of late. Our reliance on connectivity is rising greatly. We cannot afford to let connectivity be the obstacle for the great companies and institutions we rely upon, when they strive for better.”

Danny Quinn, managing director at DataVita, added: “Digital connectivity has never been more important, given the situation we find ourselves in today. The addition of this infrastructure is a substantial upgrade to what we have available in Scotland and will support continued working from home and the development of new industries that rely on access to high levels of connectivity, as well as helping to underpin the greater adoption of technologies and trends such as IoT and smart cities.

“The new infrastructure directly connects DataVita to SSE Enterprise Telecoms’ more than 20,000km UK-wide network. As a result, Scotland’s businesses will have easy access to next-generation connectivity and service providers and mobile network operators will have access to a more expansive network when rolling out connectivity and 5G services.”

James King, chairman of Host in Scotland, a Scottish Futures Trust initiative to represent and promote the interests of the Scottish datacentre sector, welcomed the development as strengthening connectivity and capacity in Scotland. “The investment by SSE Enterprise Telecoms into DataVita demonstrates the capability of Scottish datacentres to satisfy ever-growing demand for digital services,” he said.

“The ability for Scottish-based providers to attract and deliver high-quality, secure, low-carbon data storage is of critical importance to the growth of this sector and of the economy, and we are keen to work with others to further develop this space.”