The city of Nottingham is make the switch to hyper-fast broadband this autumn, after a massive 70 kilometres of digital infrastructure is upgraded underneath the city’s streets.

It is not only homeowners embracing the news, as reported in the Nottingham Post. Digital, tech and IT businesses are all set to benefit from the improvements, which could do a huge amount for improving the city’s digital skills and putting Nottingham on the map as a world leader for digital innovation. The move has led to Nottingham being dubbed ‘Gigabit City’.

Almost 3,000 businesses and organisations within the upgrade area – which stretches from Wollaton to Carlton – will be able to access the lightning-fast new service. If the connection is reliable and available quickly, it could offer huge advantages for businesses which make intensive use of high bandwidth applications, as well as those looking to expand. It could also lead to e-learning opportunities in schools along with a whole host of high-tech city improvements such as intelligent traffic management systems.

60 times faster than the average

How fast is hyper-fast broadband exactly? The new system in Nottingham is believed to offer download speeds that are around 60 times faster than the average UK speed, which currently offers speeds of 16.5 megabits per second.

Tech City predictions come true

In the latest Tech Nation 2017 report, published by Tech City, Nottingham was one of the UK cities singled out as a digital tech growth hotspot. With the investment in digital infrastructure and other exciting news – such as £8.7 million in funding awarded to Nottingham Trent University’s innovative new Science and Technology Centre – it looks very likely that the report’s predictions will come true in a shorter timeframe than anyone expected.

Rob Hamlin at CityFibre, which is tasked with rolling out the hyper-fast broadband upgrades across Nottingham, explains:

“Nottingham is a hugely ambitious city with a thriving business community, but, like many areas in the UK, its potential as a leading player in the UK’s digital economy is not yet being recognised.

“And while the Midlands Engine Strategy focuses on transport and manufacturing infrastructure, it’s vital that all plans for growth and development acknowledge the importance of reliable, future-proof connectivity as new industries emerge and traditional industries evolve to meet the demands of the digital age.

“Our investment in Nottingham will therefore stand to give city businesses and services a modern foundation for growth, investment and innovation and a proven toolkit for increased efficiency, productivity and competitiveness.”

Recruiting or job-hunting in the digital industry?

If you’re involved in the market for digital jobs in Nottingham, or you’re a tech business looking to recruit the brightest and best talent, SOLOS Consultants can help. We specialise in digital, IT and tech recruitment and handily, we’re based in Nottingham – so we have expert knowledge of the local digital jobs scene. Please get in touch to find out more about how we can help.