Hello, I’m Andy Bates, a Chief Product Officer and co-founder of StonesThro, which is a UK-based micro-edge cloud start-up.
Our company utilises large numbers of small cloud nodes and positions them near 5G masts in the UK to achieve high availability and low latency sovereign infrastructure. We are currently launching our product, along with our first three sites, which are going live this month. It is my job to ensure the security and integrity of the cloud while also maintaining the long-term availability and sustainability of the product line.
Typically, there are only two options available in the cloud marketplace today — independently run servers or hyperscalers, which may be based in London, the US, or elsewhere. We are providing a third option, specifically for directors who want to get rid of servers in their building, but don’t want to go through a global company.
A lower carbon footprint and a much lower proximity to cloud computing are just two of the many spin-off benefits. We continue to discover more and more use cases, and have found around 30 examples so far. One example is a cyber honeypot, which is designed to attract and trap attackers and is believed to be the next new thing in combating cybercrime. We plan to scale and sell, scale and sell — and hope to install around 100 nodes in the UK within the next three years.
What do you enjoy most about working in this space?
The intellectual challenge. I’m 55, and being able to talk to people with new, exciting ideas every day is such a joy. I always wanted to be an inventor as a kid, and here I am.
What’s the most ridiculous thing you’ve done in the name of work?
I once accidentally closed a major Airport’s systems with a keyboard in Basingstoke! I was the chief network engineer at a lab, and I made a configuration change to something connected to the client network. It all came down like a pack of cards, and it was very stressful.
Where do you see telecoms heading?
People don’t value telecoms; the industry needs to be more visible. I appreciate it and understand it, but I want my mum to know what I do at work. I think everyone in telecoms wants that.
What would you like people to know about your work?
We can break the status quo of computing. There are other options, and I want people to open their minds and consider what is possible. The possibilities in computing are endless.
Why is a vibrant, flourishing telecoms ecosystem important for the UK?
Having a more powerful ecosystem will accelerate growth and business. Telecoms is the heartbeat of communications, and just like a heart, the sector is something we all take for granted — yet it is essential. Do you want to have a healthy heart or an unhealthy heart?
