News: Rotherham company is the first to enter the Digital Region

Rotherham communications specialist RiPWIRE, has become the first internet service provider (ISP) to sign up to the ground-breaking Digital Region project in South Yorkshire.

The contractual agreement represents an important milestone as it makes end user fast broadband services available to South Yorkshire's business community.

From their base in RiDO's Fusion @ Magna business centre in Templeborough, RiPWIRE can now offer business telephony and video conferencing services with consumer and public sector services expected to be introduced in the coming weeks.

Liam Winder, managing director at RiPWiRE said: "We are delighted to be able to provide access to the Digital Region network for our existing and prospective new customers in South Yorkshire.

"Improving the quality and speed of their connectivity will enable them to take advantage of more of our cloud computing services and improve their business performance.

"The Digital Region network will also enable more customers to take advantage of our applications that require high-quality bandwidth. We are particularly excited about the opportunities that this creates for both public and private customers in the healthcare sector."

Thales UK, in partnership with Digital Region Ltd, commenced the construction works in 2009 and is scheduled to complete the building of the "fibre-to-the-street cabinet" network to over 1,600 locations across the entire region by 2012.

RiPWiRE has combined this technology with their core network to offer fast, reliable and speed assured broadband services of up to 40Mb.

Digital Region is wholly owned by Yorkshire Forward and the four local authorities of South Yorkshire. Together they attracted European, regional, local and private investment of over £90 million, including £30 million from the European Regional Development Fund.

David Holt, CEO, Digital Region Ltd said: "This is great news, and a significant step forward for the region's digital presence.

"Despite being less than five months from when the core fibre optic ring went operational, the project is already creating jobs and opportunities for the region."

RiPWIRE website
Digital Region website
Rotherham

Images: digitalregion.co.uk