Business Direct: Internet Services
WarwickNet to the Rescue with Superfast Broadband WarwickNet, the region’s largest independent provider of internet services, has come to the rescue of companies on three local business parks that were desperate for faster access to the internet.
WarwickNet has rolled out its extensive network capability to businesses struggling with connectivity on Coventry Business Park, Binley Business Park and Meriden Business Park. The Coventry-based specialist high-
speed internet and broadband network provider has rescued struggling tenants on the parks by providing superfast broadband between 10 and 40 times faster than existing provision. Neil Barber, the head of technology at
(L-R) WarwickNet managing director Ben King with Neil Barber, the head of technology, at Process Management International (PMI).
WarwickNet Wins Contract with Stoneleigh Business Park WarwickNet, a Coventry-based company specialising in network connectivity and related services to business and science parks, has been appointed by LaSalle Investment Management to provide high-speed internet access to businesses on Stoneleigh Park. Companies at Stoneleigh, near Kenilworth, will soon be able to tap into ultra-fast broadband as WarwickNet manages the campuswide network and provides them with superfast broadband and leased line access. WarwickNet will also be utilising Sub Loop Unbundling (SLU) technology to supply outlying and neighbouring properties. LaSalle is introducing extensive Fibre to the Premises (FTTP) internet connectivity in a major capital investment programme to revitalise the site as an internationally-renowned centre for agriculture, rural business, science and innovation. Business tenants will be able to receive bandwidths of up to 1Gbit/s on the diversely connected site, substantially faster than the minimum standard set out in a government initiative to improve broadband availability in rural communities. Stoneleigh Park has 965,000 sq ft of commercial space and currently accommodates over 60 businesses which employ in excess of 1,100 people. Colin Hooper, estates director at Stoneleigh Park, said: “LaSalle is making a major investment to bring in a resilient broadband supply for our tenants and, as an independent specialist provider, WarwickNet was chosen following a competitive tender process with a view to supplying a high-quality and cost-efficient service to the growing science park. “A number of on-site organisations are already queuing up to take advantage of this new service, which will be a considerable enhancement to the existing provision.” Ben King, managing director of WarwickNet, the leading businessto-business Internet Service Provider in the region, said: “Many small, medium and even larger companies on business and science parks can be held back by poor connectivity in a modern business world that depends upon faster access to the internet and cloud services. “That’s why it’s really satisfying for us to be able to enable companies on Stoneleigh Park to be able to work more efficiently and so develop their business more rapidly.” Stoneleigh Park is among six science and technology parks in the UK which have been brought together as a long-term investment by LaSalle as the Business Environment for Science and Technology (BEST) Network. www.cw-chamber.co.uk
Process Management International (PMI) at Meriden Business Park, said: “We love technology and we are constantly looking at what is new and upcoming, but one area we were lacking was our broadband speed which was awfully slow with a very poor service. WarwickNet will give us a real boost and enable us to stay here and expand our services. “We plan to move a lot of our technical services to the Cloud which, until now, we were restricted from doing. This is a gamechanger for us as it will be for many other local businesses that were previously straight-jacketed by poor internet connectivity.” Jon Earnshaw, sales and marketing director for WarwickNet, said: “The problem for small, medium and even larger companies on these sites is that their wings are clipped by poor connectivity in a business world that relies upon easy and faster access to the internet and cloud services. “At the start of this year, we aimed to target a further 12 business, technology and science parks - as well as other multi-
WarwickNet sales & marketing director Jon Earnshaw.
tenant business facilities. This is an important step towards that target - and we have several more business parks in the pipeline where tenant companies are desperate for superfast broadband.” Managing director Ben King, whose company also supplies superfast broadband to the likes of Warwick University Science Park, Blythe Valley Business Park near Solihull, Tachbrook Business Park in Leamington and Hatton Technology Park, near Warwick, said: “It’s really satisfying being able to enable the data-hungry businesses which typically inhabit these business parks to work more efficiently and so develop their businesses more rapidly.” For more information, call 024 7699 7225 or visit www.warwicknet.com
Technology Park Celebrates Superfast Broadband A rural business park in Warwickshire has bucked the national trend by celebrating its first anniversary of having superfast broadband. While the rest of the UK’s rural community is at least two years behind the technological link-up, Hatton Technology Park, near Warwick, is poised to sign new deals with commercial tenants for whom high-speed internet connectivity has proved to be the deal maker. WarwickNet, the region’s largest independent provider of internet services, has seen interest at Hatton and other local business and science parks rocket because of its ability to provide a service that is up to 40 times faster than conventional broadband. WarwickNet managing director Ben King said: “Many companies dependent upon high speed internet to remain competitive feel that they have no choice but to be part of a university or larger business or science park close to urban hubs. But over the last 12 months, Hatton Technology Park has exploded that myth in style.” A National Audit Office (NAO) report published this summer was critical of the lack of competition with BT holding a monopoly position, saying it had put back by two years the target roll-out of superfast broadband to
Celebrating superfast broadband are (left to right) Graham O’Neill from ACIS, Ben King from WarwickNet and Johnnie Arkwright from Hatton Technology Park.
95 per cent of the UK by 2015. Its views were shared by Johnnie Arkwright, owner of Hatton Technology Park, who described BT as ‘at best unhelpful and at worst obstructive’ in his vision to connect up the estate. Mr Arkwright, a director of Countryside Alliance, said: “It was because of this obstruction that we went to another, more local provider. WarwickNet has given us fantastic broadband connectivity – ahead of the majority of the UK - with a minimum of hassle for the tenants there.” Caroline Clifton, property manager for Hatton Estates, which runs the Technology Park, said: “We are in advanced talks with three businesses looking to locate here. The latest deal is a big company which has chosen us not only because it is a lovely place to work, but, more importantly, because it has the superfast connection which will help it to remain competitive in a global market. “Other businesses on the estate have either moved here specifically for superfast broadband, or decided to renew their leases once the decision was made to go for the superfast connection. Now we are almost at capacity at the business park, which is fantastic news during what is still a difficult time for small businesses in the UK.” Graham O’Neill, chief executive of ACIS, a not-forprofit distribution network serving the national automotive paint and refinishing industry, said: “We had been at Hatton for some time but had decided to move because we needed faster internet connectivity. We had even got as far as looking for other offices. However, we spoke to Hatton Estates about our needs and they responded by opening up a dialogue with all of the businesses here and WarwickNet. “As a result, we are still here a year on and we are delighted with the internet connection. We deal with businesses across the UK as well as some of the biggest global automotive brands so it was critical for us to have both fast and robust internet access.”
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