Why would a company want to increase its digital density? Digital density refers to the number of people, organizations and things that are connected. Tapping into the myriad of connections that currently exist can help shift business models. Increasingly today, and especially in a post-COVID-19 world, a company’s performance is not just based on the object of its business, but also on how it runs its business. Adopting key digital technologies to make manufacturing processes and services more efficient has provided extra support to companies during the pandemic, pushing the European economy onto the digitalisation path. Big data, artificial intelligence, cloud computing, the Internet of Things are all part of a growing ecosystem of technologies that help companies become more agile and adaptable in an ever-changing socio-economic landscape.
Competitiveness at a global scale requires digitalisation, and digitalisation calls for reliable, experienced support. Currently, although most EU states are advancing with digitalisation, not enough businesses are adopting essential digital technologies, according to the EU’s 2021 Digital Intensity Index (DII). Research shows that just 56% of EU enterprises reached a basic level of digital intensity last year, where basic refers to using at least four out of twelve digital technologies . Most SMEs have low or very low digital intensity, while the EU aims to have more than 90% of them reaching basic digital intensity by 2030.
ADVERTISEMENTSparkle, one of the top ten global communications operators, with its state-of-the-art global network, advanced OSS, BSS and customer care capabilities, has been a reliable partner for multiple enterprises embarking on a digital transformation path. Using Sparkle’s portfolio of enterprise digital solutions, which include IoT, MPLS, Ethernet, managed SD-WAN, Cloud Connect and Multicloud automation services, companies can connect their operations across borders and efficiently manage their internal and external communications, maximising and even increasing their digital density.
Global Operator for TIM Group, and in line with the tradition of Italcable, the first company that laid a Transoceanic cable connecting Argentina with Europe in 1923, Sparkle was created in 2003 with the aim to develop and consolidate the Group’s global solutions business. Its portfolio includes more than 400 multinational companies around the world such as the Intesa San Paolo Group or the Benetton Group.
Recognised performance
This June, Sparkle was among the big winners in two categories of the sixth edition of the Carrier Community (CC) Global Awards, which recognise innovation, vision and excellence in the international wholesale community. Sparkle received the award for the “Best Data/Capacity Provider of the Year”, as the jury recognised its excellent deployment of forward-looking technologies and its innovations in large-scale infrastructure projects. These include a Sparkle-Google collaboration to build submarine cable systems connecting Italy with India, expanding Nibble, the first pan-Mediterranean optical network, launching the Panama Digital Gateway or upgrading IP service Seabone to support speeds up to 400 Gbps.
Sparkle was also recognised for providing the “Best Digital Transformation Programme”, based on its successful One Customer View/One Company View (OCV2) digital transformation project, in which customer experience moves from a “network-centric” to a data-driven “customer centric” company, focused on serving customers efficiently and proactively.
The 2022 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Network Services, Global has also included Sparkle among 18 network service providers that were evaluated for their Completeness of Vision and Ability to Execute, with Sparkle becoming the first Italian-based operator to appear in the report. In the network services area, Sparkle’s multi-vendor Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD-WAN) solution offers secure, fast and flexible private networks based on the best technologies available in the market. The technology is being reinforced with Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) to deliver even greater levels of security. According to the Gartner report, "New WAN technologies, especially SD-WAN and cloud connectivity, are transforming the enterprise network and enabling new and agile ways of routing and managing traffic that are better suited to rapidly evolving business needs." Compared to a traditional WAN deployment, SD-WAN enables 100% higher deployment speed and 300% lower cost. Sparkle stands out for its ability to provide both traditional connectivity layer and new SD-WAN paradigms in a single turnkey solution.
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An expanding network
This past June, Sparkle and TIM partnered with the Benetton Group to help accelerate the digitalization of more than 300 of the company’s offices, shops, and production sites in Europe, Africa, and Asia, through secure, low-latency connections. Sparkle’s innovative Software-Defined Wide Area Network (SD WAN) solution will enable the Benetton Group to simplify its private network architecture and boost the efficiency and real-time control of its applications. Sparkle’s innovative network will allow the Group to connect new locations as customer needs require it, while the staff will be able to access company information securely even when on the move.
Continuous improvement
This year has seen Sparkle launch its new IoT Global solution, a connectivity service allowing enterprises to control their assets seamlessly across countries. It uses global Machine to Machine (M2M) SIMs which can connect any mobile network, sparing companies the effort to contract services with local operators. Sparkle’s cloud-native mobile network infrastructure which spans all continents and its agreements with more than 500 mobile operators worldwide offers high-quality connectivity and very low latency, giving companies real-time control of their processes.
By looking to grow their business through digitalization, companies are investing in a more resilient future and constantly adapting to the evolving market. Those companies looking towards digital transformation will find an ideal partner in Sparkle, that through its innovative solutions, can provide the flexibility, connectivity, and security businesses need.
