The UK ranks fourth out of the 24 top-performing countries for cloud readiness, a report by BSA | The Software Alliance has revealed, rising five places compared to 2016.
The company’s annual Global Cloud Computing Scorecard study explained that the UK’s legal and regulatory environment meant it was one of the major players in the worldwide cloud marketplace, which means it’s a leader in cloud innovation alongside Germany, Japan and the US.
The Scorecard determines a country’s ranking according to a range of different factors, with privacy and cybersecurity and broadband infrastructure three of the major considerations.
“The Scorecard is a tool that can help countries constructively self-evaluate their policies and determine next steps to increase adoption of cloud computing,” Victoria Espinel, president and CEO of BSA | The Software Alliance said. “Cloud computing allows anyone to access technology previously available only to large organizations, paving the way for increased connectivity and innovation.”
The UK was able to rank so high up the chain compared to previous years not only because it’s updating its laws and regulations to comply with GDPR, but has also introduced other safeguards such as the National Cyber Security Strategy in 2016, making it the highest performing country for the security ranking. The UK is also a signatory of the Convention on Cybercrime and has up-to-date laws for protecting e-commerce and electronic signatures.
IT Readiness and Broadband Deployment accounted for 25% of the overall score, as it’s the basis of a solid IT strategy. The UK ranked highly thanks to its national broadband strategy to roll out superfast broadband to 95% of the population by 2018, although its scores for fibre-to-the-home were lower than the average, with just 1% of households (compared to the average of 18%) having a subscription.
“Countries that embrace the free flow of data, implement cutting-edge cybersecurity solutions, protect intellectual property, and establish IT infrastructure will continue to reap the benefits of cloud computing for businesses and citizens alike,” Espinel added.