Gigabit Jersey wins national award

Friday 14 November 2014

Telecoms provider JT has picked up the Urban and Rural Broadband Networks Award in the 2014 Next Generation Digital Challenge Awards.

The business was recognised for the Gigabit Jersey project and creation of a full fibre-to-the-home future for Jersey. JT competed in one of five awards, which were presented at an awards ceremony during the seventh annual NextGen conference held in Derby on Tuesday 11 November.

Organised by NG Events Ltd in partnership with Groupe Intellex, to campaign for better broadband, the NextGen conference has evolved to encompass many aspects of the economic and community impacts of digitalisation. The awards represent the emergent challenges brought about by the digital revolution and were judged by an independent judging panel that assessed the 24 finalists. Categories included Connected Cities Award; Digital Inclusion and Advocacy Award; Digital Education & Expertise award; and the Open Data Award.

Dave Newbold, JT”s Chief Operating and Technical Officer, said: “This accolade brings further valuable recognition from the industry for our Gigabit Jersey programme, for which we are immensely proud. As we progress with our fibre switchover prestigious national awards such as this serve to highlight, for those involved in the challenge of facilitating better broadband in their part of the UK and Europe, how far ahead we are here in the Channel Islands and indeed Europe in delivering superfast fibre broadband to residents and businesses. Attending this event and meeting with likeminded professionals from across the UK, presented an excellent opportunity to share ideas and contribute some of our own experiences.”

David Brunnen, co-founder of the NextGen Digital Challenge Awards programme, said: “JT demonstrated that it has significantly contributed to local economic growth and diversity in the Channel Islands through its fibre-to-the-home programme, and this made it stand out in its category. NextGen events are designed as the UK’s prime showcase and platform to share insights and grow business in the UK’s fast moving, high-tech, innovative and digital development landscape. Once again this has proved to be successful in bringing together the experts within the field and showcasing some truly forward-thinking projects. We congratulate JT on winning this award and on their ambitious broadband programme which is setting an industry leading example."