Internet deal set to provide a smoother delivery

Derbyshire County Cricket Club has announced it has signed a three-year deal with full-fibre internet provider Gigabit Networks.

As part of the three-year deal, Gigabit has agreed to provide a dedicated connection for the club’s live stream service.

The firm is arranging for Derbyshire to become connected to Derby’s new full-optic fibre internet network and benefit from internet speeds of up to 1GB-per second, compared to the city’s average speeds of 65Mbps.

The move will benefit staff, media, broadcasters and fans watching the game unfold on their devices across the UK and further afield.

David Yates, director at Gigabit Networks, said: “Derby is one of just a handful of cities in the UK to have received full-fibre internet, which means that the Incora County Ground is now one of the best-connected professional sports venues in the whole of the country.”

Gigabit has also become a member of the cricket club’s 1870 Business Club – and will be the associate sponsor of the Falcons’ Vitality Blast game against the Leicestershire Foxes, which will take place at the Incora County Ground on 9 June.

David said: “As relative newcomers to Derby, we’re very proud to be sponsors of what is likely to be a hard-fought Vitality Blast local derby with Leicestershire and, as such, will doubtless attract a large crowd.

“This is the first of what we hope will become a long-term working relationship with Derbyshire County Cricket Club and we are delighted to be connecting the Incora County Ground to its new superfast full-fibre internet.”

The cricket club’s connection has been made possible through Gigabit Network’s GigaFlex Ethernet service, which is aimed at small to medium-sized enterprises.

It is working in partnership with CityFibre to connect homes and businesses to Derby’s full-fibre network.

Jimmy Drew, commercial manager at the cricket club, said: “We are delighted to be working with Gigabit Networks in having agreed a three-year sponsorship deal.

“They are an exciting and upcoming company, who are aiming to help with Derby’s continued development as a great place to live, work and play.

“Our live stream service has grown rapidly over the last two seasons, providing a free-to-air service for followers of Derbyshire up and down the country and overseas.

“Introducing Gigabit’s new GigaFlex Ethernet service will allow us to increase the quality and reliability of our live stream production.”