4 Reasons your London-Based Business Needs a Virtual CTO
June 8, 2022
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4
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Highlights
Ambitious agencies and SMEs know good tech support is key to productivity and operational success, but not all of them want to, or can, master the art of IT management. Smart businesses understand it’s better to concentrate on what you’re good at and get expert help for something as important as IT, if you don’t have the skills you need in-house.
Even companies with IT resources on-site can struggle to stay on top of everyday issues, and the machine maintenance required to keep the show on the road - leaving little time for strategic, innovative thinking that will future-proof your business. As any business in the cut-throat London market knows, keeping pace on the IT front will keep your head above water, but to swim in bigger ponds among bigger fish, you need to do more than simply stay afloat.
That’s where a Virtual CTO or Chief Technology Officer, can play their part.
How can a Virtual CTO help your business?
A Virtual CTO offers a portfolio of IT solutions, delivered by an expert team of service providers. They can take on the role that would normally be filled by a business’s Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer and/or technology consultants, making them:
- Ideal for businesses that don’t want to develop an in-house tech team or
- A smart addition to an existing team that’s focused on more immediate, day-to-day issues such as break-fixes
Why use a Virtual CTO?
- Virtual CTOs take care of everything from IT infrastructure management, firewall and virus protection, to WAN/LAN health monitoring, disaster recovery and scheduled on-site support. The list goes on, but their main objective is to keep systems and data safe, secure and accessible, while keeping your IT costs down.
- Virtual CTOs are proactive, not reactive, and that’s important for fast-paced city businesses, because they’re fastidious about monitoring, measuring and sharing insights that can help improve the way you do business, or give you a competitive edge.
- A good outsourced IT service provider will be at the forefront of IT innovation too, and offer a wealth of knowledge on new business technology, industry trends and the competitive landscape. That means you’ll reap the rewards of what they can do functionally, but you’ll also benefit from the experience they’ve gained along the way, which can be invaluable.
- They can provide remote IT support or work on-site. So, if having an expert opinion in the room is beneficial for workshops, consultations with clients, or you want them in the office or worksite to troubleshoot issues as they arise, that’s all within the realms of possibility.
Virtual CTOs understand how to:
- Use IT as a tool for business growth
- Optimise IT budgets
- Manage the cost of IT maintenance
- Customise business processes and
- Design IT infrastructures to keep businesses lean and efficient
4 more good reasons London-based agencies are using Virtual CTOs
#1 Great IT support can take you from mediocre to magnificent
Strong IT management and maintenance is key to uninterrupted productivity. Virtual CTOs deliver this in spades, keeping the day-to-day operation in good shape, while planning for the future. It’s not about throwing huge amounts of money at IT to make it great, it’s about smart use of what you can do within your means, so spend is not only justifiable, but reflected in returns on the bottom line.
#2 Tech road-mapping
The most successful businesses are agile, innovative, and have a clear vision of where they want to go. Virtual CTOs can help realise those ambitions with immediate improvements and longer-term strategic plans that use technology to meet operational and commercial goals. As such, their skills can help build the business in a very tangible and accountable way.
#3 Fool-proof security and disaster planning
Conversations on the best ways to tackle international fraud, global terrorism and even natural disasters are on the up, and disaster recovery and security are particularly hot topics with the GPDR set to kick in, in May 2018.
As the details of the GDPR begin to sink in and the legal obligations of businesses that rely on personal or sensitive information start to mount, expert help (even if only temporary) may be the only way for some businesses to get ship shape and compliant, in time for the May deadline.
#4 Unlimited expert help
Specialist full-time IT consultants are expensive to recruit and notoriously difficult to retain, but even having in-house resources is no guarantee you’ll always have the right person to resolve a specific IT issue.
With a Virtual CTO, there’s total peace of mind that you’ll always have access to the expertise you need to handle any tech task.
At Optimity, we can offer you the full range of IT support services you need to keep your business on top, and bring the experience and expertise you need to grow.
Find out what we can do for you by booking an audit with us:
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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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