High speed internet breakthrough for businesses

LEEDS is set to become one of the first cities in the UK to install super fast internet speeds.

The plan is expected to transform Leeds into one of UK’s most advanced business and financial institutions.

Telecommunications firm aql is linked with the project and plans to roll out connectivity across part of city’s business district.

aql’s resources offer neighbouring businesses internet speeds of up to 100 megabit per second, at least 10 times faster than the national average.

The mobile messaging and communications specialist operates several  ‘exchange’ sites around the UK, including a fibre network between Leeds and London. The company has installed a local fibre from its Leeds sites into strategic points, such as multi-tenanted offices, which allows Leeds-based businesses to access data and internet services at accessible and affordable speeds.

The service is currently exclusive to The Calls area, the birthplace of internet pioneers Freeserve and popular amongst the city’s media and marketing agencies including VTR, which is one of the first businesses to trial the service.

VTR North is a specialist post production and editing suite that requires high speed media connectivity to London-based companies. It agreed to a trial that would run a fibre network with gigabit capacity directly into the building from a major hub only a few hundred metres away. 

Since the trial VTR has experienced a range of benefits including sending and receiving files at high speed.

VTR’s managing director Carl Waters said: “We can now upload 40 commercials in an hour to our London-based partners as opposed to 45 minutes per commercial. Unlike some of the regional initiatives which have been set up to achieve this, our connection is delivered to our desktop and allows us to access every media company in the country.”

Since the trial a growing number of businesses have been looking to install the high speed cables. aql is planning to expand its network throughout other areas of Leeds city centre throughout 2010.
 
Adam Beaumont, managing director of aql, said: “This model allows many businesses to get a head start on their competitors, reaping the advantages of high-speed-working long before the delivery of the Digital Britain promise. Smart businesses already realise the advantages of not waiting for their mail to download or for a file to transfer.”

The service is available for businesses throughout Leeds city centre.