What Does It Mean to ‘Future-Proof’ Your Business IT?
June 8, 2022
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4
min read
Highlights
The term ’future-proof’ is used a lot in business today, particularly in sectors where the IT investment is higher and there’s a need to keep systems updated and well protected. But, before we go gung-ho on upgrades and cyber security, it’s important to ask a few questions up-front. Such as, whether the technology you have is fit for purpose? And if the tech starting point is right?
Business leaders and IT management have a responsibility to make the right technology choices to make a business run more smoothly and everyone’s lives easier. That means implementing IT strategies that save time and money and leave enough resource to look ahead and dabble with innovation to keep your IT infrastructure up to date.
What is the starting point for future-proofing your IT?
It’s important to think about the market you operate in, how it’s evolving and whether your proposition is keeping pace with industry change and the competition.
A thorough review of your IT system will help you assess how efficiently you run right now and, coupled with any ‘wish list upgrades’ in the pipeline, you’ll have a starting point for where you are and where you need to go with your IT roadmap.
If you don’t have IT experts in-house, an outsourced IT service provider or IT consultancy can help you make that assessment and talk you through the options for protecting what you have and moving things on at the rate you can afford.
Don’t worry if there’s a sizeable gap between where you are and where you want to be. Every business sits on that trajectory to some degree and the rate at which you can (and should) move up it is relative. Even small businesses can avail of affordable IT to help them grow. There’s a comfortable path for every business, and understanding what that is, is the first step.
There are a number of key questions for business owners and management teams to ask of themselves, to really get inside the nature of the business, the market and what future development might look like:
- Is the core product my customer buys changing (e.g. movies in video format to online streaming)?
- Are the core technologies of production changing (e.g. 3D printing)?
- Is the competition changing (e.g. new entrants claiming market share)?
- Is my relationship with the customer being disintermediated (e.g. search engines)?
- Is my industry undergoing regulation, deregulation, or re-regulation (e.g. have my responsibilities around data protection and information security compliance changed, as they will with GDPR)?
When you know the answers to these questions, you will be better able to decide what IT upgrades you will need to not only meet current operational demands, but those that will shape the future of your business. For instance, acknowledging that your server is in danger of becoming outdated may mean a move to the cloud is advisable, while an increase in IT demands may require considering hiring a virtual CIO or the support of an IT service desk to handle the day-to-day tasks that are getting in the way of you focusing on running the business.
In such a scenario, you may have to think about upgrading your IT architecture with enhanced project information management software so you can keep on top of all files and important emails to increase efficiency and enhance the service you provide.
By staying on top of these issues and knowing what plans to put in place, a business can help minimise the impact of change, focus their energy and IT budget where it will benefit it most and future proof in a much more complete sense.
Discover how effective project information management is just one way in which you can future-proof your business.
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For many landlords and building managers, the word “wayleave” feels like the responsible route whenever a fibre circuit is being installed on their property. It sounds formal and safe – a neat legal box to tick.
In many cases, however, a wayleave adds unnecessary complexity and delays, frustrates tenants, and can expose landlords to long-term legal risks.
At Vorboss, we’ve connected thousands of office spaces across London without a wayleave, keeping landlords in full control and getting tenants online faster.
What is a wayleave?
A wayleave is a written agreement between a landowner and a telecoms operator. It gives the operator permission to install and keep equipment on private property.
What many people don’t realise is that signing a wayleave also activates “Code rights” under the Electronic Communications Code. These rights go beyond simple permission, they give the operator legal powers to stay on the property indefinitely, access it when needed, and even refuse removal of their equipment in certain situations.
For a typical connection into a commercial building in London, a wayleave can make the fibre installation process slower, more expensive, and limit the landlord’s flexibility long term.
Why a wayleave isn’t required for standard in-building fibre connections
For a standard in-building fibre connection serving a tenant, a wayleave isn’t a legal requirement. Important protections, like building access, fire safety, repairing any damage, and removing equipment, are already covered by the tenant’s lease and usual building rules.
If no wayleave is signed, no Code rights are triggered, meaning the landlord retains full control and the installation exists under a simple, fully revocable licence.
In practice, this gives landlords far more protection and flexibility:
- No legal lock-in – the telecoms operator has no long-term rights to stay or refuse removal.
- Landlords keep full control – equipment can be moved or removed when the building changes.
- Faster fibre installation – no time lost in drafting contracts or solicitor reviews.
- Happier tenants – connections go live quicker; tenants get to move in faster.
By contrast, signing a wayleave and granting Code rights introduces a complex and expensive legal process for any fibre removal or relocation. This can take at least 18 months, plus potential court or tribunal proceedings, making it slower, and far less flexible for the landlord.
Public services across central London are evolving, and the City of London Corporation is leading the way.
Whether you work, live or study in the Square Mile, you’ll soon feel the difference that faster, more dependable connectivity brings.
What is the Future Network Programme?
The City of London Corporation is rolling out the Future Network Programme, a major project to modernise its entire digital infrastructure and bring everything under one unified network.
From offices and schools to iconic green spaces like Hampstead Heath, cultural destinations like the Barbican, and historic markets such as Leadenhall and Old Spitalfields, this upgrade will mean more reliable connectivity across the City’s buildings and public spaces.
It also extends to essential services, including critical sites run by the City of London Police. This enhanced connectivity will support everything from secure communication systems to faster, more resilient networks for emergency operations.
Leading this transformation is Roc Technologies, supported by Juniper Networks and Palo Alto Networks; all powered by the Vorboss fibre network. Together, we’re bringing the City onto a modern digital foundation that’s ready to support its future.
Who the Future Network Programme benefits and how?
The programme is designed for everyone who depends on public services in the Square Mile:
- Students in City-run schools will have fast, reliable connectivity to fully access digital learning tools.
- Public-sector teams will experience smoother hybrid working, better access to online platforms, and more efficient collaboration across locations.
- Residents and visitors will see improvements in public Wi-Fi, digital services, and online access in libraries, community hubs, and other shared spaces.
- The City of London Police will gain a more secure, faster and resilient network that enhances CCTV reliability and enables more effective frontline operations.
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