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Rural trading estate benefits from ITS gigabit connectivity

“The Orchard Trading Estate has waited more than 18 months for a full fibre network to be built, but a series of false promises and no progress meant we were forced to look for an alternative provider. I got in touch with ITS and it was clear from our early discussions they could find a way to deliver gigabit capable services.”

ITS has delivered gigabit-capable wireless connectivity to an ‘off grid’ rural trading estate within 2 months where other providers have only delivered false promises for years. The network went live and within 2 days, 8 (of 30) businesses were connected and enjoying symmetrical ultrafast services.

This isn’t just wireless connectivity; this is lease line equivalent, gigabit capable wireless connectivity

  • ITS has delivered gigabit capable wireless in ‘record time’ to a rural trading estate connecting 8 customers in 2 days.
  • It has delivered bandwidth that has exceeded the customers’ expectations of wireless helping to overcome any misgivings vs. full fibre.
  • ITS delivered on its promise of gigabit capable symmetrical services – currently customers have bought 50Mbps to 250Mbps – where other providers could not justify the business case.
  • Armed with capable connectivity, these businesses now have the confidence in the reliability of their services to ditch their landlines and adopt VoiP and SIP trunking.

Let down and overlooked

The Orchard Trading Estate based in rural Toddington is nestled close to the M5 so has great road infrastructure links, but its connectivity left the businesses located there overlooked and underwhelmed. Unless the cost of a dedicated fibre leased line could be justified, they had no choice but to put up with an ADSL service that offered up to 2Mbps at best.

A number of businesses investigated options and a deal was done with a provider to connect full-fibre to the premise. However, after a series of false promises and missed deadlines, one of the businesses turned to ITS to see what it could do.

Overcoming wireless misgivings

ITS has designed, built and operates a gigabit-capable wireless network. It has to be said that many of the businesses were nervous about the reliability of this technology, so ITS had a lot to prove. However, the technology has smashed customer expectations, and they now see that gigabit wireless services can be as fast and reliable as full-fibre to the premise.

Commercially clever network design without compromise to service delivery and bandwidth

  • ITS has designed a network that can service the entire estate.
  • By taking a full fibre lease line into the centre of the trading estate, ITS has connected customers to wireless lease line equivalents by using the very latest equipment that operates in a spectrum that ensures resilience, high throughput and availability.
  • All of ITS’ services are symmetrical with service level agreements and support in place.
  • 8 businesses have been installed and bought symmetrical services based on their current requirements. For the moment, these range from 50Mbps to 250Mbps, but the network is capable of delivering 100Mbps to all the premises on the trading estate. These businesses now have the option of flexible, scalable, competitively priced services, including VoIP, which had not been available to them before. So they now have connectivity which can grow with them just as their well-connected urban peers and competitors already take for granted.

DCMS + ITS = Gigabit capable services

This project showcases how the government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme and an innovative altnet can deliver gigabit-capable services to connectivity black spots. While Orchard Trading Estate illustrates a rural project, gigabit wireless can also be as effective as physical fibre in urban areas to ensure commercially viable networks without compromise to bandwidth.

“We waited more than 18 months for a full fibre network to be built, but a series of false promises and no progress meant we were forced to look for an alternative provider. I got in touch with ITS and it was clear from our early discussions they could find a way to deliver gigabit capable services.

“I knew that there were a number of businesses on the estate facing the same broadband challenges, so I brought us together to make sure we could find a commercially viable solution that would result in us all being connected.

“ITS’ network subsidised by the Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme has transformed our service. We were a little sceptical about not being connected to physical fibre, but the speed tests and resulting service speak for themselves. I have taken a 100Mbps symmetrical service and the impact to my business is palpable. My past connectivity pain has soon been forgotten thanks to the incredible speeds I am now receiving! We are now looking to get rid of our landlines and convert to VoIP.”

Ronan Lynch, Managing Director of Evesham Specialist Packaging Ltd (E.S.P.) – www.1esp.co.uk – based on Orchard Trading Estate, Toddington, Gloucestershire
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