Member Article

Gateshead’s Advantex secures first Northumberland Go Digital contract

Advantex Network Solutions has been awarded the first contract to supply superfast broadband in Northumberland under the Government’s Go Digital scheme.

The move will see the Gateshead-based firm installing a new IT infrastructure at the Waterloo and Thomas Knight care homes in Blyth to provide high performance Wi-Fi connectivity to deliver tablet-based online services.

This will enable approximately 100 staff who work at the care homes to have secure access to patient records wherever they are onsite as part of an IT investment initiative by owners Montagu Group to improve standards of patient care and security.

In addition to new cabling work, Advantex will be supplying new hardware including switches and internet as part of a package of IT measures under the Broadband Connection Vouchers scheme.

This initiative has seen the Government set aside £150m to enable businesses such as the care homes and others to apply for up to £3,000 to pay for super-fast broadband connection and associated hardware such as wireless and internet security.

This is the latest success for Advantex, which as a registered supplier of the vouchers is one of the firms leading the delivery of the Go Digital scheme to businesses across the North East.

Tajveer Gill at the Montagu Group said super fast broadband will make a tremendous difference to his operation, delivering improvements across the board.

“Tapping into Advantex’s expertise will allow us to have the right IT infrastructure in place to meet the demands of modern care home environment, raising the standards of customer service in the process.”

Advantex account manager Simon Bartlett said sites such as the Waterloo and Thomas Knight care homes stand to benefit well into the future by taking advantage of the funding available under the voucher scheme.

“We are paving the way to free funding to help organisations in Northumberland and elsewhere in the North East go for growth through the provision of high performance, safe and secure internet services.

“Furthermore, these contracts are an example of how we are able to support customers benefit from the funding - from the initial application to the final installation and on-going support - with expertise and advice.”

The UK already does more business online than any other European country, and the improved access to superfast broadband offered by Broadband Connection Vouchers is being seen as a huge potential boost to the local economy.

Simon Bartlett is urging more people throughout Northumberland to take advantage and not miss out on thousands of pounds of free funding.

“More need to register and take advantage of an initiative that can help them to improve competitiveness and boost growth. After all, which organisation wouldn’t want the opportunity to tap into a no-obligation funding package?”

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Ellen Forster .