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Gateshead's Advantex invests £150k in region-wide IT scheme

Gateshead-based Advantex Network Solutions Ltd has invested £150k to deliver wireless-based services to help Sunderland and Middlesbrough businesses improve online access.

The IT firm’s scheme has attracted interest from several of Sunderland’s commercial districts with The Place, St Thomas Street Business Centre, Varsity Nightclub and solicitors Hedley and Co among the first to sign-up to the new 50Mbps service.

Wearside commercial property agent Knight Frank has also secured the Advantex service for two of its business centres, enabling dozens of commercial tenants to benefit from the scheme.

On Teesside, Advantex has signed-up several commercial districts to its service including Riverside Park and Southlands Centre.

Plans are also being finalised to roll out the service later this year to support businesses in Newcastle and Northumberland.

The news comes in the light of the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) announcement that it wants to see businesses equipped with faster broadband speeds to tackle the problems holding back UK companies.

The FSB, whose recently published report into the health of digital communications markets found that 99% of small firms rate the internet as highly important to their work, is calling for a new Universal Service Obligation, which sets a minimum speed of at least 10Mbps, to be agreed.

Advantex’s new service will see city businesses access superfast broadband for under £50 per month, enabling them to benefit from safe and reliable wireless enterprise grade hosted voice, data and IT services.

Companies are able to utilise the Broadband Connection Vouchers scheme, an initiative that has seen the Government set aside £150m to enable businesses to apply for up to £3000 to pay for the super fast broadband connection - although businesses are being urged to act fast as funding for the scheme is running out.

Richard Wells of Hedley and Co Solicitors said: “We can see the benefits of being able to access superfast wireless broadband as part of our business strategy and it’s great that a service like this is now available.

“The new Advantex service offers quality and efficiencies, delivering the high levels of performance, reliability and security that we need to be able to move forward and be competitive.”

Director Stephen O’Connell said city centres and industrial estates are often only able to access basic broadband or expensive leased lines because BT concentrates the delivery of super fast broadband in built-up residential areas.

He added: “Our investment will see his firm benefit from connectivity rental revenue as the scheme unfolds across the city and more sign-up.

“We are supporting businesses at these sites, paving the way to help them unlock their potential and underpin growth and expansion plans through the provision of safe and secure, super-fast wireless broadband services.”

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