London's Tech City gets broadband boost
Faster business broadband connections are on the way to London's Tech City after it was revealed new technology is being rolled out to this part of the capital.
The east London start-up hotspot is one of the capital's burgeoning business locations and now companies based there will soon get faster connections due to an extension of fibre lines.
Any buildings that are home to multiple companies with one to 249 employees will be able to get dedicated connections with upload and download speeds that will be six times faster than their current speeds, for half the cost of what is currently available.
Eligible firms will be able to apply for a subsidy from the government's SuperConnected Cities scheme, which was recently extended to March 2016.
It is claimed that 2,000 businesses will get the faster business broadband soon, with a further 6,000 companies to benefit in the next few months.
Commenting on the news, Digital Economy Minister Ed Vaizey stated that the upgrades being rolled out at Tech City for businesses "is a brilliant example of the many innovative products available to SMEs and will play an important role in removing barriers to better connectivity".
He added that thousands of businesses across the UK have already been fitted with a faster and more reliable internet connection as a result of the SuperConnected Cities scheme.
Kit Malthouse, deputy Mayor of London for business and enterprise, said: "Fast broadband connections are vitally important for small businesses – for many it is just as crucial as gas, electricity and water. Initiatives such as this will help our thriving tech community to stay ahead of the game and continue to play a key role in London's economic success."
Tech City, which is chaired by Baroness Shields, occupies a slice of east London that is anchored in Shoreditch.
Businesses looking to move services into the cloud should evaluate the performance of their existing network and consider setting up a leased line or MPLS network.
(Image: Kings Sutton)
