Digital Infrastructure: The New Battleground for Office Buildings

If you still think fast internet is just a “nice to have” for office buildings, think again. 

A new white paper from Modern Networks Ltd makes the case that digital infrastructure is rapidly becoming a decisive factor in commercial property value, leasing success, and investor confidence.

The report, titled From Brown Discounts to Digital Premiums, explores how robust connectivity, smart building capabilities, and independently verified digital performance are reshaping expectations in the office market. In short: buildings that are digitally prepared are increasingly outperforming those that aren’t.

Certified Connectivity = Higher Rents

The evidence is mounting. Research examining Central London leasing data alongside certification records from WiredScore found that digitally certified buildings command noticeably higher rents.

Analysis by Cushman & Wakefield showed WiredScore-certified offices achieved an average rental premium of 4.1%, with the most digitally capable buildings reaching uplifts of up to 5.1%.

It’s not just about rent either. Occupancy improves too. Research summarised by WiredScore using data from Moody’s Analytics suggests that vacancy rates are around 3.8% lower in certified buildings compared with similar properties lacking digital credentials.

Tenants Now Expect Digital Certainty

The shift reflects a simple reality: tenants increasingly view connectivity as a basic utility, not a luxury.

Reliable internet, strong in-building mobile coverage, and smooth digital onboarding are now central to decision-making when businesses evaluate office space. If a building cannot demonstrate dependable connectivity from day one, it risks being discounted by potential tenants.

Introducing BuildingConnect

Alongside the white paper, Modern Networks is launching BuildingConnect, a service aimed at helping landlords and managing agents improve digital readiness across multi-let office buildings and flexible workspaces.

The approach focuses on several key elements:

resilient building-wide connectivity

clear separation between landlord and tenant IT systems

defined responsibilities for infrastructure management

documented evidence trails to support certification and due diligence

According to Managing Director James Tizzard, digital performance has moved from the server room to the boardroom.

When connectivity is reliable, documented and independently validated, it reduces friction in the leasing process and helps investors and occupiers clearly understand risk and resilience.

The New Value Narrative for Property

The wider message of the report is clear: digital infrastructure is becoming as important as location, sustainability credentials, or transport links when assessing office assets.

For landlords and investors, that means connectivity strategy is no longer just an IT issue — it’s a core component of asset performance.

The white paper From Brown Discounts to Digital Premiums is available from Modern Networks on request and through the company’s website https://modern-networks.co.uk

IoT SIM Card disrupter transits 70m MB in 2025 on track for 100m+ in 2026

KeySIM, the UK-based IoT SIM connectivity provider, has reported significant growth across its network with total data throughput nearly doubling year-on-year.

The company processed 36.5 million MB in 2024 increasing to 71.5 million MB in 2025, an impressive 49% rise driven by growing demand for resilient, multi-network IoT SIM Cards. 

This growth is being fuelled by UK organisations migrating major connectivity contracts to KeySIM as they seek greater control, security, and performance from their IoT deployments.

Built on a Tele2 core network and enhanced through private breakout across multiple UK data centers KeySIM delivers high-performance IoT services including private APNs, VPN connectivity and fixed IP addressing.

The business supports over 500 UK enterprises across sectors including security, healthcare, retail, and infrastructure and remains firmly on track to exceed 100 million MB of data throughput in 2026.

KeySIM is led by co-founder Graham Robinson who brings over 20 years’ experience in IoT, including the development of a SIM-powered lone worker solution — experience that has directly shaped the company’s network architecture and service offering.

Graham Robinson, Co-Founder of KeySIM, told That's Business: “This level of growth reflects a broader shift in how organisations approach IoT connectivity, with increasing emphasis on security, control, and performance.

KeySIM’s architecture has been designed to meet these requirements, and current growth levels indicate strong ongoing demand.”

https://www.keysim.co.uk

The Power of Networking for Business Growth

In the world of business, life in general, really, success isn't merely about what you know; it's also about who you know. 

Networking is a powerful tool that can significantly impact the growth and success of your business. Whether you're an entrepreneur, a small business owner, or part of a large corporation, building and nurturing professional relationships can open doors to opportunities, drive innovation, and ultimately lead to business growth. 

In this blog post, we'll explore the incredible power of networking and how it can propel your business to new heights.

Building Valuable Connections

One of the most obvious advantages of networking is the opportunity to build real, valuable connections. Networking events, conferences, and online platforms such as LinkedIn provide an environment for meeting like-minded professionals, potential clients, and collaborators. The people you meet in these settings can become your allies, mentors, and even business partners. These connections can provide you with support, advice, and resources that are instrumental in achieving your business goals.

Access to New Opportunities

Networking opens doors to a whole world of new opportunities. By connecting with individuals from various industries and backgrounds, you expose yourself to fresh perspectives, trends, and insights that can lead to innovation and growth. 

It's probable that you might stumble upon new markets, untapped niches, or emerging technologies that can give your business a neat competitive edge. Opportunities to secure investments, partnerships, or new customers can often be traced back to your network.

Learning and Knowledge Sharing

Networking isn't just about taking; it's also very much about giving. Through conversations and interactions with other professionals, you can exchange knowledge, experiences, and best practices. Sharing your expertise with others not only helps them but also positions you as an authority in your field. Likewise, learning from your network can keep you updated on industry trends and market developments, enabling you to adapt and make informed decisions to foster growth.

Credibility and Trust

Trust is the foundation of any successful business relationship. By consistently engaging with your network, you can build a reputation for reliability and integrity. This credibility can lead to referrals and recommendations from your connections, further expanding your customer base. Trust is also crucial when seeking partnerships, securing investments, or entering into joint ventures. People are more likely to do business with those they know and trust.

Problem Solving and Support

Every business faces challenges and setbacks. Networking provides a valuable support system that can help you navigate these obstacles. When you encounter problems or need advice, your network is there to offer guidance, share their experiences, and suggest solutions. Your connections can be an invaluable source of inspiration and motivation during difficult times, helping you persevere and grow stronger.

Personal Development

Networking isn't just about the growth of your business; it also contributes to your personal development. Interacting with a diverse group of individuals can enhance your communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills. It can boost your confidence and expand your horizons, making you a more well-rounded entrepreneur or professional.

Networking is a powerful catalyst for business growth. It's not just a strategy; it's a way of life for successful entrepreneurs and professionals. By building valuable connections, accessing new opportunities, learning and sharing knowledge, establishing credibility and trust, solving problems, and fostering personal development, networking can propel your business to new heights. In an interconnected world, the power of networking should not be underestimated. So, invest time and effort into cultivating your network, and watch your business thrive.

(Image courtesy of Mohamed Hassan from Pixabay)

Get a Shift on!

A collection of some of the world’s most successful, healthy and wealthy entrepreneurs from across the Globe will arrive in London in just ten days to reveal the secrets to health, wealth and business prosperity and to guide 500 budding entrepreneurs onto a fast track plan for success in 2012.

Co-hosted by UK entrepreneur and successful businessman Mark Nathwani and US-based personal development specialist Will Duquette, The Shift Event (www.theshiftevent.com) is guaranteed to be a life changing weekend which gives a one-time opportunity to gain expert advice from dozens of people who have created millions, often from very humble roots, and now want to show others how to can achieve the same.

From developing new income streams, harnessing the power of social media, generating new business leads, marketing techniques, sales strategies and harnessing the power of persuasion and positivity, more than 20 renowned speakers from the UK and USA will join forces to equip UK entrepreneurs and business owners with the tools they need for success in 2012.

‘The Shift’ takes place on 25-27th November and includes a Keynote speech from UK Entrepreneur Thomas Power, chairman of Ecademy.com. There will be a number of seminars taking place over the course of the weekend including talks on property investment, social media, internet marketing, business start-ups, angel investment and much more!

‘The Shift’ organiser Nathwani, an established expert in the internet marketing sector with a track record in UK junior stock market ofex and property wealth creation, wants to restore the battered UK economy by helping people take advantage of business and wealth opportunities that have never previously been shared in one place.

He says, “This event will be a life-changing weekend for those who attend. Anyone, regardless of their age, income, culture or experience, can get themselves out of a rut with the ideas and strategies that will be demonstrated during the event. I guarantee that delegates will walk away with vast amounts of useful knowledge immediately. Coaching on this scale isn’t usually made available and is the perfect opportunity for people who want to take control of their lives, their businesses and earn money from their own home.”

The Shift Event takes places from 25-27th November 2011 at 1 Kingdom Street, Paddington, London, W2. Event times are 8am registration for 9am start and a 7pm. Lunch and evening entertainment is provided along with opportunities for networking.

For more information please visit www.theshiftevent.com

SociView™, the first social media mapping tool is launched

SociView™, said to be the first social-media-mapping tool to give organisations a true view of their global social-media real estate, is now available.

Its aim is to support organisations in organising their social-media landscape to instil 'best practice' and generate sales opportunities. Founder Chris Sykes, Chief Executive of Volume Ltd, worked closely with large international concerns to address issues arising from marketing across social channels and identified a lack of social-media tools in their portfolios. Whilst in beta mode SociView™ was used to help a number of Fortune 500 companies attain visibility across their social universe.

“The concept of SociView™ is simple: just ask yourself how many social-media accounts your company has. Where are they, who owns them and how effective are they? Are they representative of your brand and do they have a positive or negative influence? SociView™ answers all these questions”, said Sykes.

SociView™ collates a company’s social accounts and instances into a single dashboard. These instances are categorised, ranked and rated to show brand relevance and impact.

SociView™ categorises each instance, as “official”, “endorsed”, “unofficial” or “other”. A custom-developed “Sociscore” is automatically applied to show how each instance is performing.

Users can benchmark their social accounts against each other to establish best practices, compliance and corporate governance. SociView™ also measures performance against competitors’ social accounts.

The ability to easily assess the quality and effectiveness of company-owned social-media instances gives marketing executives greater control and influence on messaging and content.

Alan Rutherford, current Chairman and Global President of the International Advertising Association and Chairman of Volume Ltd, is the chief advocate of SociView™: “One of the key benefits of SociView™ is its ability to deliver a top-level view of an organization’s social-media landscape for CMOs whilst still enabling marketing executives to drill down to obtain granular detail.”

Key benefits of SociView™

Organizing social-media real estate

“If you look at your current social-media presence, it’s a bit like a swarm of hornets buzzing around. SociView™ brings order, effectively turning the random and uncontrolled spontaneity of social media into a productive and efficient line of worker ants. SociView™ helps you to consolidate and optimise your ‘sociverse’. Switch off the poor-performing accounts and invest in those that perform well and have a thriving and growing community,” said Sykes.

Instilling best practice and compliance across company-owned social instances

The Sociscore rating algorithm helps an organisation set quality and compliance benchmarks for social accounts and instances. Bringing all the accounts into line enables marketing executives to promote best practice across an organization. SociView™ can also create structure around the ownership and development of accounts, whilst ensuring corporate governance and benchmarking against competitor accounts. The Sociscore algorithm is calculated from four parameters common across mainstream social networks: relevance, activity, influence and visibility.

Opening up sales channels

With most leading organizations turning to Facebook, Twitter and YouTube etc. to generate brand awareness and sales opportunities, SociView™ helps businesses and organisations coordinate their messages and communications across all their “official” and “endorsed” instances, like partner-owned social-media real estate.

If revenues are down in a specific product or area, organisations can use SociView™ to focus on promoting the benefits of that product or service through the most visible and influential social channels. Going further, it can also uncover brand advocates and influencers who can assist in generating sales opportunities.

With a number of social-media listening and execution tools available in the market, SociView™ has been developed to offer a unique and complementary set of features.

“Listening tools are essential in today’s digital environment, but they are a little like closing the stable door after the horse has bolted. With SociView™, you know every horse in your stable and can train them to perform as you’d expect them to perform,” said Sykes.

Further information can be found on www.sociview.com