techmesh: Sheffield – another great event

We had another great techmesh event in Sheffield this week at the Workstation were more than 50 people attended to hear about BT’s plans for investment in fiber-based superfast broadband, reaching more than one million homes in the UK in 2010 and linking up more than 40 per cent of the population between 2011 and 2012.
Speaking at techmesh: Sheffield delegates from Yorkshire’s IT and telecommunications sector heard how BT plans to transform broadband access in the region and beyond.
Trevor Higgins, BT Partnership Director, and the telecom group’s ambassador for the region, said: "Superfast broadband access is already being trialed and proven in areas like Pudsey, Calder Valley and Halifax and we are seeking to role that out further over the next couple of years."
He told the audience: "The challenge to you as specialists in IT and telecommunications is to develop the applications and software that will benefit from superfast broadband. It will have a major impact on the region’s economy if you do."
He added that other areas already announced to receive optical fibre investment included Armley, Shipley, Low Moor, Castleford, Pontefract, Guiseley, Lofthouse Gate, Beauchief and Ranmoor
Further announcements of the next areas to receive fibre investment across Yorkshire and Humber would follow shortly.
Guests at the techmesh event also heard from techmesh member Peter Hopton, Managing Director of VeryPC, who used the techmesh members time slot at the event to inform the attendees about his UK’s leading environmentally-friendly desk top company.
Established in 2004 in Sheffield by several electronic engineer graduates from the University of Sheffield, VeryPC has pioneered “green” computing in the UK and is now a supplier to a wide range of public and private organisations globally having been endorsed by the Energy Saving Trust.
techmesh Project Manager, Gary Rowbotham, said: "The Sheffield event was the first of several we shall be holding around the region bringing together IT and telecommunications professionals where they can meet and build business connections and collaborate on projects."

Join us for techmesh:Sheffield

If you work in the IT and telecommunications sectors in Yorkshire and the Humber then we would love you to attend techmesh: Sheffield – a free networking event organised by techmesh.
Backed by Yorkshire Forward, techmesh is a new business network for the region’s fast-growing IT and telecommunications sector – the largest outside of London. 
The first event will be held in Sheffield on Tuesday, February 23 at 6.00 pm at the Showroom and Workstation, Paternoster Row.
There will be a key note speech from Trevor Higgins, BT Partnership Director, discussing superfast broadband in South Yorkshire.
Gary Rowbotham, techmesh Programmme Manager, said: "techmesh: Sheffield allows those working in the Yorkshire IT and telecommunications sectors to mingle, swop ideas and make business connections. This event is about encouraging collaboration and making new contacts.
"We are also offering  five x three minute presentation slots and inviting attendees to give a short talk about their business, what services they can offer and discuss how they would like to partner and collaborate with others. All this and free drinks too."
With IT and telecommunications set to make a major contribution to the Yorkshire and Humber economy the new business network, techmesh, will provide a business network for companies, organisations and individuals working in these sectors to meet, exchange information and share best practice.
techmesh will run a series of events across the region over the next 12 months bringing members together at informal networking events as well as larger events bringing some major speakers from the leading IT and telecommunications companies.
There a limited number of tickets available for techmesh: Sheffield and tickets are available through the techmesh website at techmesh.org or contact Events Coordinator Dawn Kelly on 0113 384 5641 or dawn@techmesh.org

Interesting reading on Digital region

The Digital Communications KTN, in cooperation with Digital 20/20, have produced a report following an event held in Sheffield at Electric Works on December 1, 2009 writes Emma Frost on the Digital Yorkshire blog.
Two keynote presentations were delivered, one around new developments in telecommunications and online technologies and one describing the Digital Region (South Yorkshire’s new state-of-the-art fibre-optic network).
These presentations were then followed by workshops to allow attendees to discuss particular themes, generate new ideas and identify how the capacity of Digital Region and other superfast broadband networks might be used. The attendees could choose from four workshops on the topics 'IT & Network Services'; 'Digital Content'; 'Learning & Education'; and 'Healthcare & the Smart Home'.
Emma has uploaded the full report as a PDF for you to view. Over 60 people attended the event on the day and I think the report makes an interesting read.