- One in five UK tourism SMEs missed out due to poor connectivity
- Better connections would improve ecommerce, Wi-Fi and more
- VodafoneThree wants to roll out better 4G and 5G nationally
New research from VodafoneThree has claimed tourism-focused SMEs in the UK missed out on £1.5 billion in revenue this summer alone as a result of poor connectivity.
Although three in four (74%) tourism SMEs saw a financial boost this year from the summer sun, around one in five (19%) lost out due to connectivity issues.
The news comesshortly after Vodafone and Three merged in the UK – a deal that promised to create “one of Europe’s most advanced 5G networks.”
UK poor connectivity
One-third (33%) of the businesses involved said they could grow ecommerce, like online shopping and click and collect, with better connectivity. Others noted improved Wi-Fi for customers (41%), AI-enhanced customer service (30%) and increase social media use for promotions and bookings (43%).
“We know that tourism plays a critical role in boosting local economies across the UK,” VodafoneThree Chief Network Officer Andrea Donà explained. “That’s why VodafoneThree is investing £11 billion to build a network that provides reliable, quality connectivity to all corners of the UK.”
VodafoneThree has promised improvements to its networks during peak periods, with multi-operator core network (MOCN) technology allowing them to switch to the best available signal.
The company says 4G coverage will also be expanded to 16,500km more UK regions, including rural, coastal and countryside destinations, with 71% of VodafoneThree’s customers set to have access to the fastest 5G speeds by the end of year one.
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