Multi-media giant Sky has announced a significant upgrade to its broadband infrastructure in the UK which may hold out the possibility of many more firms benefitting from added value internet services such as internet protocol (IP) telephony, and business VoIP (voice over internet protocol) in particular.
Sky’s upgrade has involved the laying of a superfast fibre-optic network connecting London and Birmingham; and its implementation follows hard on the heels of a successful broadband trial recently carried out by the organisation.
Capacity over the network is believed to reach 100Gb, the highest thus far installed in the UK .Sky has also said it understands that transmissions over the network will be received up to ten times faster than the majority of current business broadband service providers in the UK are able to achieve.
Speculation is rife that Sky may eventually try to extend its superfast broadband network to other parts of the UK.
Although Sky is understood to have installed the fibre-optic cables with a view to facilitating access to its high-density entertainment packages, the many other potential benefits of the high-speed link have not been lost on businesses in the area.
IP telephony and business VoIP rely on a high-speed, robust internet connection in order to function adequately. Such a connection is necessary even if a firm chooses to rely on the services of a host business VoIP provider or VoIP reseller.
Sky’s new network would appear to fulfil all the requirements necessary for a suitable IP telephony or business VoIP channel.
Although, telecommunications company BT has already started to cable up much of the country with high speed broadband links, for some businesses the new Sky network might be their first opportunity to secure added value services such as business VoIP.
