Gigabit broadband launched in Jersey

The JT Group has opened a new data centre at Rue des Pres, making it the largest provider of data hosting services in the Channel Islands.

JT has equipped the Castle Quay development with the fastest broadband speed in the western world. The first residents are now moving into their homes in Castle Quay on the St. Helier Waterfront, and will be able to access 1Gb (1024Mb) speeds using fibre-optic cabling, on a trial basis. It’s been installed under the Gigabit Isles initiative, which is a part of the JT Group’s five year strategy, and sets the target of making the world’s fastest broadband speeds widely accessible to residential customers in Jersey.

1Gb broadband is 50 times faster than the next quickest speed which has just been launched by JT of 20Mb which will be available to more than 25% of Island households by the end of this year. Gigabit speeds provide far more capacity than any family could need with current technology; but with broadband requirements set to increase by a factor of one hundred every ten years, it provides considerable scope for technological developments in the future, and makes sure the JT network is capable of putting the Island at the forefront of the digital revolution.

“Launching our 1Gb fibre optic broadband connection at Castle Quay is a real landmark both for the JT Group and for Jersey as a whole”, says Graeme Millar, CEO of JT Group. “It means the world’s fastest broadband speed, with the possible exception only of Japan, is now available to residents of this development. Broadband is already changing the way we live our lives, and I think that change is only likely to become more significant in the future – making Gigabit speeds available to more and more customers is a key part of our strategy in order to allow the Island to fully benefit from all the internet has to offer”.

Fast broadband makes it much easier, quicker and smoother to download music or high definition movies, use social media sites or take part in online gaming, and for multiple users within the same family to use the internet at the same time. Gigabit speeds will also enable developments like IPTV, 3D TV and Super Hi-vision, which are all already on the way. Normally, broadband is provided to customers via copper cabling, which is capable of delivering a maximum of 24Mb speeds. Over the next 5 years, JT will gradually replace the copper cable network with fibre, at a likely cost of around £40m.

“The JT Group has made very significant investments in the local telecommunications infrastructure, and we are now seeing the benefit of that. From £11m in the Next Generation Network, to £8m in Project Liberty, and the planned £40m in fibre-optic cabling JT is making sure that Jersey has the infrastructure to deliver the requirements of its residents and businesses. We only launched our Gigabit Isles strategy in November, and I’m truly delighted to now be able to turn on the first Gigabit connection – it really is a sign of what’s to come”.

Andrew Barton, who is the Construction Director at Dandara commented: “We are delighted JT has been able to trial such a fast broadband connection at Castle Quay – It will be a real benefit to many residents to be able to access speeds of up to 1Gb. Castle Quay is designed to be one of the world’s finest residential developments, and to be able to make use of one of world’s fastest broadband speeds will only add to the experience of living there, which celebrates the best in modern living. Fast broadband is a vital part of that”.

Download this article