30
November
2022
|
11:45
Europe/London

BT gifts free advertising to Sheffield businesses as first Street Hubs go live

Sheffield is the latest UK city to benefit from BT’s new digital street units, with the first four units unveiled, and more to follow across the city over the next few months.

The tech and telecoms firm has announced that four of its Street Hub 2.0 units have been launched enhancing the Steel City’s digital infrastructure in key city centre locations.

Street Hubs offer a range of benefits including free ultra-fast WiFI, free emergency calls and rapid device charging.

They also provide wayfinding information for tourists and have the capacity to be fitted with signal boosting 4G and 5G cells.

The first Street Hubs were switched on  today at the sites in Arundel Gate, Brook Hill, Wicker and Bradfield Road, and form part of BT’s rollout of even better mobile and WiFi connections for communities across the UK.

As part of the initiative, BT will also be gifting free advertising to small businesses as they face increased costs during the current economic situation.

The company is donating up to £7.5 million of outdoor advertising space to small businesses across the UK as part of the rollout of the new digital units.

Michael Smy, Head of Street at BT, said: “Street Hubs bring improved and enhanced digital infrastructure and ensure that we are providing communities with the facilities that are fit for the future.

“As one of the biggest cities in the UK, Sheffield is the ideal location for these units which will benefit those living, working and visiting the city. 

“Gifting free advertising to small businesses in the area also means we are able to play our part in supporting the city’s economy.”

One of the first businesses in the city to benefit from the free advertising space will be Harrison Cameras, based in London Road. The organisation won a competition to land the free advertising space which will be on display on hubs across the city.

Darren O’Brien of Harrison Cameras said: "We are a photographic retailer and our store has been a fixture on London Road for 50 years.

“We have become an important part of the community over that time and through support, sponsorships and charitable endeavours we aim to give back as much as we can.

“Winning this competition will give us a wonderful opportunity to re-engage with that community and reach a new generation of customers after a difficult couple of years."

BT is rolling out the Street Hub units across a range of major cities in the UK with Sheffield joining places like Birmingham, Nottingham, and Glasgow.

Earlier this year BT Group also announced plans to open a flagship new office in the city for up to 1,000 colleagues. The organisation is expected to take up residence at the landmark Endeavour building, based at Sheffield Digital Campus, by the end of 2023.

About BT

BT Group is the UK’s leading provider of fixed and mobile telecommunications and related secure digital products, solutions and services. We also provide managed telecommunications, security and network and IT infrastructure services to customers across 180 countries.

BT Group consists of four customer-facing units: Consumer serves individuals and families in the UK; Enterprise and Global are our UK and international business-focused units respectively; Openreach is an independently governed, wholly owned subsidiary, which wholesales fixed access infrastructure services to its customers - over 650 communication providers across the UK.

British Telecommunications plc is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BT Group plc and encompasses virtually all businesses and assets of the BT Group. BT Group plc is listed on the London Stock Exchange.

For more information, visit www.bt.com/about