IN February 1986 when a lady asked me what I knew about cellular technology I thought she was asking me about her diet and the possible effects on her cellulite! How wrong could I be?
I was soon to learn that it was the latest form of radio telephone that could be fitted in your car and allow you to make and receive telephone calls in an ever-expanding coverage area throughout the UK.
All for just £2,000 installation, £25 per month line rental and 25p per minute, unless you were inside the M25 when calls were charged at 35p per minute all plus VAT (only at eight per cent if my fading memory is correct).
This new modern marvel of technology had a liquid crystal display, eight-number memory and last-number redial. The handset was attached by the standard curly cord, hands-free was yet to come and text messaging was a thing of the future.
Who would have thought that speech-only devices would develop into the handheld wizardry we now have. (Obviously me! 31 years later I’m still involved).
Let’s move quickly forward to the new millennium. By 2005 we had 3G, ADSL internet at home as well as work, HDTVs and drones. 10 years on we have FTTC (fibre to the cabinet) good internet speeds on mobiles, (when you can get a 4G signal), 4KTV and lots of other things all controlled over the internet and via our mobile devices, all adding to the ability of our connectivity to cope. This situation will just compound in the next 10 years as more and more uses and applications are found!
What is the solution? In my humble opinion we all need to take off our blindfolds, pull out our earplugs and realise that as local businesses we must futureproof ourselves by assisting telecoms networks to install proper fibre to our premises. By that I mean if a business park’s SMEs and corporates get together, ultra-fast fibre can be put in to that area alleviating any costs for the dig, as it is known.
One such collaboration is planned for the St. James area of Northampton when the Saints held a breakfast meeting at Franklins Gardens in April. Many companies were in attendance including Elite Motors Body Shop, Cosworth, EAS Mechanical, Plumbing Trade Supplies Northampton, Spencewood Interiors Ltd. and Churches English Shoes to name but a few.