ntl:Telewest Business helps Merton Council support small
businesses with next generation network
- Ten year converged network contract provides voice and internet
communications for The Generator, Merton Council’s new business
incubator
- Benefits South London small business tenants with scalable,
flexible communications to help them grow
ntl:Telewest Business is providing a full communications
infrastructure for The Generator Business Centre, Merton Council’s
new small business incubator. Small business tenants at the
advanced centre will benefit from access to state of the art,
flexible voice telephony and high speed internet access which can
be adapted, through the ntl:Telewest Business network, to suit the
needs of a business as it grows. The three year contract will run
until April 2011.
Located in Mitcham, South West London, The Generator is a
long-term project by Merton Council that aims to increase the rate
of small businesses starting and surviving in the borough. It
provides flexible, cost-effective office space to new businesses
combined with access to high quality support services and practical
advice, coaching and mentoring. By cost-effectively removing
administration headaches, The Generator enables young, growing
businesses to concentrate on bringing their ideas to market
quickly.
The Generator signed its first tenants in March 2008 with the
ntl:Telewest Business communications network going live in April
2008. It aims to incubate 100 businesses over its ten year
lifecycle and provides space for 21 companies through a combination
of offices and light industrial units. Accommodation is flexible –
organisations can start by renting a single desk in a
multi-occupancy office with all services included and expand as
their business grows. The Generator will be officially opened in
November 2008, as part of National Enterprise Week.
Nick Smart, Merton Council Economic Development Officer said:
''When we were planning The Generator we knew that a state of the
art telecoms infrastructure would be critical to our tenants’
success. We needed a partner that combined advanced network
knowledge with flexibility and the support to ensure we could
provide the best possible service. ntl:Telewest Business was the
natural choice, listening to our needs and providing help and
reassurance every step of the way.”
Merton Council Cabinet Member for Regeneration, Councillor Diane
Neil Mills said: “New businesses are the economic lifeblood of a
community. We value the role they play in building a town’s
prosperity. Through The Generator Business Centre we want to offer
a helping hand to local entrepreneurs. Many new enterprises fail in
the early days. Our aim is to give them a head start with their
business development so that they will be able to move on after
three years to become fully fledged, successful companies standing
on their own two feet."
The new network infrastructure comprises Centrex voice
communication equipment and internet access. To meet the evolving
needs of The Generator’s tenants the initial 10 Mbps service can be
extended to 100 Mbps through ntl:Telewest Business’ flexible, local
network. This is remotely managed and enables the centre’s new
tenants to be cost-effectively set up within 48 hours with full
communications services. ntl:Telewest Business’ comprehensive
support and guaranteed response times ensure that companies in the
centre have the communications required to underpin their
success.
John Cunningham, Director of Business Markets, ntl:Telewest
Business, said: “The Generator is an innovative and forward
thinking initiative from Merton Council. Not many facilities offer
the same level of flexibility, support and cost certainty and these
advantages will translate into greater small business success in
the borough. Advanced communications are at the heart of The
Generator, providing the scalable infrastructure to help Merton’s
businesses achieve their potential. We look forward to working with
The Generator and supporting its tenants’ success.”
