Richard houston wolff olins

Tucked away in the rolling hills of Dumfries and Galloway is the farm where I was brought up. It's safe to say this farm is not the most connected place on earth. The ADSL speeds we get there are the internet equivalent of snail's pace. And we don't get 3G, let alone 4G.

My dad loves a complaint letter, so if you work at BT or Tesco Mobile you may already have heard about us. But my dad isn't alone in his connectivity troubles. These tech have-nots fall into two categories: those who can afford a smartphone but can't get connected where they live.

And, those who can get connected but can't afford a smartphone, or can't use one. Tech inequality is an issue that the UK can't continue to ignore. These are the head-cranked-down-towards-the-screen-and-keep-walking brigade. They register some of the highest mobile internet usage you'll find anywhere. And that's despite the fact that, as a country, we're late to the party when it comes to 4G. More than 30 other countries have had 4G before us.

Whether it's social networking or TV over the internet, these folks can't get enough. And they want more, faster and cheaper than before. With the launch of EE and the arrival of the UK's first 4G network, it is about time for a turnaround in the fortunes of both the tech-haves and the tech have-nots. For too long, the UK has lagged behind other countries on the speed, reliability and coverage of its digital infrastructure.

EE's rollout of 4G to 11 cities has kickstarted a race to make the UK competitive again. This is the equivalent of the leap made from dial-up to broadband. Over the next few years, the tech have-nots should get connected, and the tech-haves will get connected quicker than ever before.

It is these two shifts that will unlock a new world for what people can actually do with their technology. But what you can do with 4G is. Expect new features, more intuitive controls and better personalisation. Watch out for a raft of new products and services built for 4G speeds. And what an exciting brief 4G makes for London too, now the startup capital of all of Europe and home to Tech City.

A whole host of new on-the-go activities will also be opened up. Remote working for parents with young children will finally become easier — anywhere could become a mobile office. People will be able buy more on the go as faster pages equals more sales. Everyone from Ocado to eBay will benefit from reliable m-commerce.

Niche things will become more everyday. Take controlling things remotely, for example: turn up your thermostat see Nest , unlock the door to your house for a friend see Lockitron or even warm up tonight's supper from the bus see Aga iTotal Control.

But, as time goes on and normality resumes, Houston admits that the marketing plan Zoopla set for may no longer be relevant. One of the benefits of being a digital business means we can really see how people are browsing and searching, and that will inform our marketing approach. So that might mean we really focus differently on what we talk about and who we help. Marketing can change the world.

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