Business is built on networks.
They boost productivity and unlock game-changing technologies that have, and will continue to, revolutionise the way we build businesses and improve organisations.
“At BT, we believe the next five years will be the most transformative yet, bringing unprecedented advancements and performance gains to the way we work. For your business, realising these benefits means getting the network fundamentals right: reliability, speed, and security. These provide the platform to help turn your big ideas into progress – no matter your shape, size or sector.
That’s the thinking behind Future Unlocked – a new study from BT that explores how connectivity can unlock growth, boost job satisfaction, enhance customer experiences, and supercharge productivity.”
Henry Bohannon,
Connectivity Director, BT Business
Time to unlock your potential
To be future ready, your IT network must adapt – integrating a wide range of applications, scaling with business demands, enabling innovation, and maintaining robust security against evolving cyber threats.
Our research highlights the scale of the opportunity. Connectivity infrastructure investments and productivity gains could unlock an additional £179 billion in value for the British economy between 2025 and 2030, supporting 243,000 jobs annually. These productivity gains would potentially create enough time for nine additional annual working days per British worker by 2030, freeing up people power for what matters most for your business, employees, and customers.
£179 billion
potential additional value created for the British economy from connectivity investments and productivity gains between 2025 and 2030.
That’s equivalent to 6% of the UK economy in 2024.
243,000
potential jobs supported annually by connectivity investments by 2030.
That’s nearly the population of Southampton.
9 days
potential annual connectivity-driven productivity gains by 2030 per employee.
That’s more than the annual bank holidays in England and Wales.
Focus on the fundamentals
At the heart of unlocking these opportunities are three connectivity fundamentals: security, speed, and reliability.
According to our research, the factors governing whether organisations can take advantage of this boost are in sync with the top priorities for employees and citizens too. Workers expect strong cyber security and data privacy, seamless connectivity and tools that help improve work-life balance. For consumers, the same fundamentals shape how they decide which businesses to trust and remain loyal to. In an era defined by digital acceleration, connectivity is no longer infrastructure, it’s a strategic enabler of transformation.
Great techspectations
Our research reveals a mismatch between employee expectations and the reality of workplace technology. Only 7% of employees describe their tech as leading edge, while half say it’s still developing. Over a quarter of employees told us they have either quit or considered quitting due to tech frustrations, revealing a direct link between digital capability and talent retention.
Looking ahead, employees are positive about AI. 71% expect AI to help them work more efficiently, and 66% believe it will improve their work-life balance. However, 77% believe employers must radically scale training and upskilling to prepare the workforce for the AI revolution.
1/4
of employees have quit or considered quitting due to tech frustrations.
The digital consumer
Our study finds that poor digital experiences are already shaping consumer behaviour. Over one in three (35%) consumers report they've either avoided using a service or sought an alternative due to digital friction. Half (50%) say they would only tolerate two to three poor interactions before a negative reaction or giving up entirely.
Despite this, there’s cautious optimism: 55% of consumers are confident that digital experiences across sectors will evolve to meet their needs by 2030.
1/3
of consumers have either avoided using a service or sought an alternative due to digital friction.
Your future unlocked
Connectivity is the lifeblood of business. At BT, we've got your back. As your business evolves through broadband, dedicated internet access, and private networking we can be your technology partner, providing the kind of effective connectivity that supports innovation and unlocks future opportunities.
Nationwide scale
As the operator of the UK’s largest network, we bring reach and reliability to business of all sizes, connecting everything you need to get the job done.
Security strength
Our team of more than 3,500 dedicated security professionals ensure that sensitive data is safeguarded and the risk of cyber threats are reduced. We build resilience into your business network, enabling you to focus on your business’ success.
Future focus
We understand that business priorities can change, so with us you can customise your network connections, ensuring you have the best setup to succeed – both now and in the future.
Digital transformation
We modernise estates with cloud, AI, and data strategies, backed by a leading partner ecosystem. Since launching the UK’s first 5G network in 2019, BT Group has remained number one every year. Our extensive coverage enables scale and growth, while nearly 5,000 patents show innovation is in our DNA.
© BT 2025
© BT 2025