BT Wholesale has published research from its Future Unlocked: Confidence, Capability, and Connection report, highlighting a gap between confidence in connectivity and real-world execution in UK organisations.
The study surveyed 150 UK IT decision-makers at end-user organisations across sectors – including IT and communications, retail, healthcare, finance, and the public sector – and 75 key decision makers at channel partners. It explores how organisations are navigating AI, 5G, cyber security, and hybrid working.
Detailed analysis can be found in the report, but key statistics for Channel Partners are outlined below.
Findings from channel partners include:
Technology portfolio and priorities
• 88% say providing AI-driven adoption will be a priority over the next decade, with voice AI, AI-driven cybersecurity, and AI-driven network optimisation the top three focuses
• 72% rank customer satisfaction as their top business priority, followed by employee satisfaction (55%), recognising that engagement and skills retention are essential for sustained performance
Security and trust
• 77% believe customers would switch providers for better cybersecurity, highlighting the heightened influence of defensive capabilities and mitigating data breach repercussions
Customer relationships
• 88% say customer relationships are ‘good’ or ‘excellent’, revealing an underlying confidence in customer bases.
Sales enablement
• 55% say customers struggle with skills shortages when adopting new technologies, while 49% believe customers are overwhelmed by the breadth of available technology solutions
• 84% report strong customer demand for 5G connectivity, but 63% need more vendor guidance on articulating its business value and 54% want more help selling it, revealing a clear enablement gap
Thea Sztejka, Managing Director, BT Wholesale, has said:
“This research shows how confidence in connectivity creates opportunity – powering better employee experiences, sharper customer engagement, and more resilient organisations. It also highlights where partners play a crucial role: helping businesses simplify complexity, scale innovation, and unlock the full value of the UK’s digital infrastructure.”
