Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce dials up new partnership to boost digital connectivity

Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce (GMCC) has struck a new partnership with network operator trade body Mobile UK to promote the deployment of essential mobile infrastructure in the region.

Under the agreement, the two organisations will collaborate with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, Greater Manchester Local Enterprise Partnership and other stakeholders to highlight local business requirements for mobile connectivity.

They will also aim to promote understanding of the barriers to mobile infrastructure deployment faced by the UK’s mobile network operators (MNOs).

Advocating for digital skills and training will also form part of the agreement, as the organisations involved look to help people in Greater Manchester take advantage of opportunities provided by technological advances in digital connectivity.

GMCC’s marketing and campaigns director, Chris Fletcher, said: “As a leading digital hub in the UK, having access to world-class mobile connectivity in Greater Manchester has become increasingly important as businesses become ever more mobile.

“At GMCC, we are very much looking forward to working with Mobile UK to ensure Greater Manchester has the right environment to encourage digital infrastructure investment.”

Chris continued: “It is important for city and wider region to have the digital infrastructure it requires to keep up with demand, and that businesses and individuals living in the area have the digital skills and training they need to harness the benefits of innovation.”

Mobile UK director Hamish MacLeod commented: “Mobile connectivity is critical to driving local economic growth and business productivity, and yet we continue to face challenges when seeking to install new and improved mobile infrastructure.

“The mobile operators are committed to improving the UK’s mobile infrastructure and we are very pleased to be working alongside Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce to achieve our shared ambitions of making mobile infrastructure deployment simpler and easier to enable better coverage.”

The agreement forms part of Mobile UK’s Building Mobile Britain campaign, through which it works with national and local decision-makers to overcome the challenges MNOs face when expanding mobile networks.

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