LONDON, September 17, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --

Government-backed local TV charitable trust, Comux UK, has awarded a £multi-million contract to British business park broadband and MPLS solutions provider, WarwickNet http://www.warwicknet.com/, as it sets about the business of delivering high-speed broadcast quality data connectivity to the extremities of the UK using high performance leased lines. WarwickNet won the contract in competition with VirginMedia, BT and SSE to support the roll-out of new local UK TV stations.

Comux is a community-owned organisation, created in response to the demand from potential TV operators for a new wave of local TV in the UK. Central to its remit is the provision of a cost-effective central distribution infrastructure for the TV companies. As part of this requirement, Business park broadband provider WarwickNet has been awarded a multi-million pound contract over six years to provide bespoke, high-speed, MPLS solutions for the local TV companies. The first of the initial phase of 19 local TV operators is due to launch in Grimsby in November this year, [full list included below] with other towns and cities coming on stream over the following 12 months. The local channels have now been allocated to Freeview Channel 8 in England and Wales.

Commenting on the selection of WarwickNet, Comux Chief Executive, Ed Hall, explained, "We needed an organisation with a very high level of technical expertise in building complex, bespoke, multi-site networks and that we could work closely with as a long term partner. WarwickNet has a great reputation for real customer service and a proven ability to deliver really high-speed data connectivity"

To provide an economical and cost-effective solution for the local TV license holders, WarwickNet will supply the MPLS solutions infrastructure connecting Comux with both the local studios and the TV transmitter sites via high performance leased lines.

Very large data files of TV content from the local production companies will be sent via WarwickNet's private network to the Comux facility at the Birmingham Science Park in Aston and from there the programming will be streamed directly to local TV transmitter sites. Additionally, some live TV will be streamed directly to Comux from the local studios.  

WarwickNet is a British business park broadband specialist provider of very high-speed leased line connectivity. It has built a reputation as a high quality internet service provider (ISP) connecting business parks and science parks. As a national organisation it has an extensive London and European core network, delivering MPLS solutions to customers across the UK.

WarwickNet Chief Executive, Ben King, commented, "We take very seriously the demand for businesses to have access to extremely reliable, very high-speed Internet usage, and our own business has thrived on providing exactly that to local business communities."

King continues, "This initiative captured our imagination from the outset and we welcome the opportunity to help to deliver local TV across the UK. This initiative will allow us to further build our reputation of delivering very high-speed data connectivity where others cannot, or will not operate."

The initial list of 19 local TV license holders is:

Belfast: NvTv

Birmingham: City TV Broadcasting

Brighton & Hove: Latest TV

Bristol: Made in Bristol

Cardiff: Made in Cardiff

Edinburgh: ETV

Glasgow: GTV

Grimsby: Lincolnshire Living

London: London Live

Leeds: Made in Leeds

Liverpool: Bay TV Liverpool

Manchester: YourTV Manchester

Newcastle: Made in Tyne and Wear

Norwich: Mustard

Nottingham: Notts TV

Oxford: That's Oxford

Preston: YourTV Blackpool & Preston

Sheffield: SLTV/Sheffield Live

Southampton: That's Solent

About Comux

Comux UK was created to meet the demand from potential local TV operators for an equitable, efficient and co-operative approach to providing a cost-effective distribution infrastructure for local TV in the UK.

In 2013 Comux was awarded the licence to build, operate and manage the UK's local TV infrastructure by communications regulator Ofcom. The team behind Comux has previously worked with most of the UK's local broadcasters providing physical and commercial services. The team has unique experience in assisting smaller channel operators to create realistic business plans.

The Comux UK approach has been developed to provide a commercially sustainable and robust solution to the unique challenges facing local TV operators, whilst providing an attractive return to stakeholders, the licence holders themselves, and the local TV industry as a whole. http://www.comux.co.uk

About WarwickNet

WarwickNet has been delivering high speed internet connectivity and associated services to businesses for over 10 years. Over that time the company has grown an extensive regional, national and international network built to the highest standards through leased lines. All of the directors have spent most of their careers in Internet & Technology businesses and are fully committed to delivering the superior quality internet services and customer support to WarwickNet's growing base of customers.

Expertise

With many years of complex network infrastructure design and development behind it, WarwickNet is fast becoming recognised as a leading supplier of specialist business park broadband connectivity and MPLS solutions. The WarwickNet team is trained to the highest standards and is an industry authority in its own right. The business has completed projects on both a national and international basis,

Existing network and infrastructure

Central to WarwickNet's success is its existing national network infrastructure. This allows it to deploy solutions faster, and secure the connectivity and routing that is most robust and cost effective. Its network continues to grow, with new regional points-of-presence being opened on a regular basis.

Contact details

David BeesleyAccount Directorinfo@itpr.co.uk

SOURCE WarwickNet