Posted on

A Very ‘Techy Christmas’ thanks to JT partnership with global Wi-Fi leaders

JT’s superior performing Wi-Fi and super-fast fibre broadband network enabled islanders to keep connected with loved ones, ensure gamers were seamlessly able to multiplay, and allowed families to binge watch their favourite shows without interruption over the festive period.

Christmas is always the busiest time of the year for internet traffic and JT’s fibre broadband network, which recently became the world’s fastest, handled an incredible 9,641 Terabytes of data in December which was a 12% increase in volume compared to the same period in 2020.

Although Wi-Fi signals can vary within people’s homes; everything from building materials like steel, granite, insulation to domestic appliances and electronics can block or potentially disrupt Wi-Fi signals, that wasn’t an issue for the many Jersey households now enjoying the exclusive JT Total Wi-Fi service. JT Total Wi-Fi is powered by an industry defining global technology developed by world leader Plume. It means Wi-Fi is evenly and seamlessly distributed throughout the home, guaranteeing superior Wi-Fi no matter what the size, or how many people or devices are using it. Christmas alone saw over 30,000 devices, of which Apple represented nearly 50% connected to JT Total Wi-Fi units across the islands.

Thomas Helbo, JT Group Chief Operating Officer, said: “The figures from this Christmas and over the New Year when people were almost permanently on their devices show how resilient our local network is. This Christmas we saw a rise in the use of tablets/phones/games consoles which our network and those homes connected to JT Total Wi-Fi products, managed with ease. Since we introduced JT Total Wi-Fi our customers have told us there’s been a massive improvement in their user experience. We started working with Plume in 2020 and have recently extended this partnership with them, given how well their next generation Wi-Fi service is working on our fibre network in the Channel Islands, further improving our customers quality of experience.”



Posted on

JT and Guernsey Cancer Support, together making a difference

At the beginning of 2021, JT selected Guernsey Cancer Support as its chosen charity for the year and together they have achieved a great deal in a short amount of time.

Over the past year, their partnership has raised over £5000 through various fundraising initiatives and more importantly helped to create a much greater awareness of the Charity’s offering in the island, which has seen an unprecedented level of demand for the charity’s services and growth in their social media following.

In addition, thanks to equipment and technology provided by JT, Guernsey Cancer Support’s members were able to stay connected to their loved ones when travelling off-island for treatment, with free data devices.

The fundraising efforts of JT employees and islanders at such events as the JT sponsored Cobo Bay Balcony Gigs has helped with much needed operational changes, supported islanders travelling for medical treatment, and funded several social gatherings for members, family and friends.

In particular the new and much-anticipated morning group sessions. These meetings are crucial for Guernsey Cancer Support to help members who are undergoing treatment or those who are dealing with loss or grief due to cancer.

Tamara O’Brien, Deputy Managing Director, JT Guernsey, said: ‘Guernsey Cancer Support is a unique and very special charity, offering support to islanders who are going through difficult times. Through working with the team, we have seen first-hand how the charity plays a huge part in the lives of so many people in our community and we were delighted to support such an amazing team of dedicated people. We have accomplished a great deal together this year, from kickstarting their fundraising to growing their profile in the island which has led to many more enquiries from potential new members.

‘I speak on behalf of everyone at JT in saying that it has been our privilege to watch this wonderful charity grow. We wish them every success as they continue to build on what we have achieved together.’

Gill Syvret-Berboda, Chair of Guernsey Cancer Support, said: ‘JT have been a pleasure to work with and have given our charity vital support during what has been a particularly difficult period. With their support, 2021 initiatives have made such a positive impact on islanders who are living with cancer. Before this, there was a small number of people who knew about our services, now the whole community recognises who we are and what we do. Thanks to JT, our profile has grown and we can now offer new services to our members that we didn’t have before.’



Posted on

Increase in JT fibre connections in Guernsey

With the exciting news that every home in Guernsey is due to be connected to full fibre by 2026, the Channel Islands most experienced fibre network provider has already connected nearly 300 customers to JT Fibre.

Since 2013 when JT made the first-full fibre connection to homes in Guernsey, 271 customers are now using the JT Fibre service and getting speeds of up to 1Gb/s with a further six connected through the new Guernsey community fibre project.

Daragh McDermott, Managing Director JT Channel Islands, said: “As a world leader in fibre roll out, we are fully supportive of the ambitious plans in Guernsey to connect every property. We have been steadily connecting customers to the JT Fibre network in Guernsey since 2013 and we are now offering connections onto the Wholesale Guernsey Fibre network as they become available. The businesses who are already connected to fibre will tell you that being connected to fibre gives you a massive advantage. We are delighted to play our part in opening up the opportunities that access to super-fast speeds provide to homes and the local economy.”



Posted on

JT welcomes double win at IoD awards 2021

Responding to their IoD Director of the Year 2021 Award wins, Phil Male, JT Group Chairman, and Tom Noel, JT’s Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, commented:

Phil Male – winner of Non-executive Director of the Year (sponsored by Club NED):

“Clearly, I’m delighted to receive this fantastic award, because I think it recognises just how much everyone at JT has pulled together through the last eighteen months, which has seen us keep the island connected through COVID, be recognised as having the world’s fastest broadband network, launch a critical Sustainability Strategy and complete the largest corporate transaction in the digital sector that the island’s ever seen. There is no way that could all have been achieved unless it was preceded by many years of careful planning, hard work and talent, and that is exactly what I have seen throughout my colleagues in the JT Group. Thank you to the IoD and Club NED, on their behalf, for this fitting recognition of their achievements.”

Tom Noel – winner of the Director of the Year – Sustainability (sponsored by Jersey Water):

“There is nothing more important in business today than sustainability, and my team was really proud to be able to launch JT’s strategy earlier this year. JT will be working with our partners to help the island meet its carbon-neutral target, and we knew it was essential that we set out clearly exactly what we planned to achieve, with measurable objectives.

“In many ways though, publishing that strategy brought together much of the work which was already happening, and clearly set out the road ahead – which means the hard work starts now, and as a provider of critical national infrastructure, JT will be doing all it can to make sure its own operations are delivered sustainably, but also working together with our partners to enable the island to do the same.

“This award is recognition for everyone at JT who had worked so hard to get us to this point; I’d like to thank the IoD, and the Award’s sponsor, Jersey Water.”



Jersey’s fibre broadband network ranked as best in the world
Posted on

Jersey’s fibre broadband network ranked as best in the world

Responding to the news that Jersey’s full-fibre broadband network has been listed at the very top of the World Broadband Speed League 2021 (produced by the comparison site, cable.co.uk), JT’s Managing Director, Daragh McDermott commented: “When we began the rollout of fibre to the home in Jersey a decade ago, we knew it would be a hugely challenging programme of work, but we also knew it was the right thing to do and that we needed to get it completed ahead of the customer demand that we predicted was coming down the line.

“Following completion of the fibre rollout four years ago, we have continued to invest in our quality of service and our customer experience, as well as proactively increasing the minimum speeds provided to our subscribers. By way of an example, the package of measures introduced by JT to assist subscribers with their connectivity requirements during the pandemic included an increase of speeds to 1 Gb/s (synchronous) for all subscribers. These increased speeds remain in place at no additional cost to JT subscribers, and the use being made of the connectivity has helped us reach the very top of the World Broadband Speed League 2021. It is also noteworthy that we are ahead of the closest comparator by a significant margin.

“Jersey’s full-fibre network will serve the island well for generations to come, and we are excited about how islanders and businesses can now use the infrastructure we have built to make the most of the amazing digital opportunities which are out there. We are also now looking forward to assisting our colleagues in Guernsey to achieve a similar outcome, following the announcement yesterday by the Committee for Economic Development to commence an island wide fibre rollout.”



Posted on

Connected Britain shortlists JT for two major awards

JT has joined the likes of Vodafone,  BT and O2 on the shortlist of the Connected Britain Awards, in recognition of the work it has done on sustainability, and supporting the community.

The 2021 Awards shortlist includes JT in both the Sustainibility Award, and the Community Improvement Award.

The final winners will be announced at Connected Britain’s ‘The Future of UK Connectivity” conference on 21st September in London, at which the Managing Director of JT, Daragh McDermott will also be giving a presentation on “The role of digital infrastructure in the delivery of critical public services.”

You can watch more about this major telecoms sector conference here.

#ConnectedBritain is one of the top UK events covering the technology, regulation and investment environment for the rollout of next generation broadband. It says that 2021 will explore in more depth how next generation broadband technologies, especially fibre and 5G, are enabling an economic revolution in the UK.

JT’s MD, Daragh McDermott added: “I’ll be speaking at the conference about how companies like JT can use their digital infrastructure – such as a full-fibre broadband network – to support their communities, particularly in challenging times such as the recent pandemic. I’m really proud of the way the team at JT has pulled together to keep islanders connected throughout everything we have all had to cope with.”

JT’s Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Tom Noel commented: “JT intends to do all it can to help the island meet its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2030, and we have recently published our sustainability strategy to do just that. To see our efforts marked with this shortlisting suggests we have started in the right way, and can now really ‘kick on’ to support this exceptionally important goal in the years to come.”



Posted on

JT Engineers take home Gold at International awards

JT has won Gold and Silver awards at the International Digital Experience Awards, facing tough competition from global business giants.

The telecoms company was shortlisted for three customer experience (CX) initiatives and won Gold in the Best Use of a Digital Platform for JT’s Field Engineering Worx App which was developed in-house during the COVID-19 pandemic.   Linking the Operations Team at base to JT Engineers out working with customers, the App allowed the teams to work more efficiently and resolve issues quickly when JT’s services were in high demand.  Competition in this category came from global businesses including the Indian telecoms company Tata Communications.

JT also had two CX entries shortlisted in the Best Use of Customer Feedback category, winning Silver after coming second to international energy giants, Shell.

Sara McCarthy, Head of Channel Islands Customer Operations, presented the Worx App to the panel of judges: “I am really thrilled that the many talented people who make up our Operations Team have been recognised with a gold award for all their hard work. We started developing the App before the COVID-19 pandemic because we needed to improve the way we managed the engineering services we provide our customers. JT played a critical role in supporting the community during the pandemic and based on the real experiences of the Ops Team and our Engineers, the team were quick to adapt the App and turn it into a reliable tool so that those out in the field could concentrate on providing a great service to customers. It also reduced the amount of face-to-face contact, helping to keep JT’s people and customers safe.”

Winning silver for the ‘JT Voice’ insight panel in the Best Use of Customer Feedback category, the judges recognised the extensive work done by JT to give people the opportunity to digitally share their views and experiences, and how JT then used those learnings to improve their offerings.

Tamara O Brien, Group Head of Corporate Communications, Brand & CX, added: “Everyone has had to work together in trying circumstances over the last year and that spirit of togetherness is what shines through in the way JT’s people approach their jobs. Our people worked extremely hard to improve the technology that helps us to deliver a better customer experience. We are always learning as a business, and we really appreciate customers who take the time to give us feedback via our JT Voice customer panel, giving us vital and welcome insight into how they feel about our products and services which then helps us to continuously improve.  We now have thousands of customers on our panel and their invaluable feedback helps drive us forward.”



Posted on

JT and States of Guernsey work together to minimise disruption

The essential work due to begin later this month on La Grande Rue in St Martin is part of JT’s commitment to bring its fibre network to more parts of the community, improving the island’s critical infrastructure.

JT has worked very closely with the States’ Traffic and Highway Services (THS) team who facilitate essential works within the road through road closures and/or traffic management systems. This ensures that the island’s extensive programme of improvements, vital to the community, remains on track. The work, which will last for seven weeks, has been carefully planned and split into phases to keep disruption to a minimum.

Paul Taylor, Managing Director JT Guernsey, said: “We do understand that any disruption to our routines and lives is unwelcome, and together with the States of Guernsey we are working hard to make sure that this essential work causes as little inconvenience as possible.

The last eighteen months have shown us how vitally important it is to have good connectivity. It’s been a lifeline that has enabled us to stay connected to the outside world, to carry on working, keep in touch with isolated loved ones and enabled our children to continue learning.

Over the next year JT Guernsey will invest an additional £1.7m on top of the £16m already spent on Guernsey’s fibre network to meet the growth in demand for fast, reliable connectivity. To help Guernsey ‘Build back better’ and benefit from rapid advances in technology, some short-term disruption is unfortunately, necessary. This type of connectivity offers multiple benefits to businesses and their customers and is an essential investment if we are to  future proof our island and our local businesses. JT will be in contact with those businesses impacted to discuss the details of the road closures and also explain the benefits of the new technology. However, any business who is interested in getting connected to JT’s fibre network and taking advantage of the benefits of fibre for their business, whilst we are in the area, is encouraged to contact the JT team as soon as possible and email us gsyplanningteam@jtglobal.com.’’

Karl Guille, Director of Traffic & Highway Services, States of Guernsey said: “Roadworks are an inevitable consequence of the requirement to maintain the services that are needed by households and businesses. THS has the challenging task of endeavouring to manage the requirement to maintain vast networks of infrastructure across the island and to co-ordinate works in such a way as to minimise disruption.

“We are very aware of the traffic management and road safety impacts when the Grande Rue is closed. The work has therefore been planned for school holidays when traffic volumes are usually at their lowest. Closure of the Grande Rue, especially during term time, creates very high traffic volumes in the lanes nearby, which are less able to safely accommodate as many vehicles as the main road.

“These lanes are the routes along which primary school aged children would ordinarily be cycling and walking at the start and end of the school day. This was therefore the most significant consideration in determining the scheduled timing of the works.

“As always, we apologise for any inconvenience caused while we facilitate these works.”

The scheduled works will begin on Monday 19 July and are expected to be completed on or before Friday 3 September. The work will be split into 5 phases and while there may be times when vehicle access isn’t possible to individual properties, every effort will be made to work with property owners to keep that disruption as short as possible. All Businesses and people living in the area have already received full details of the works direct from JT Guernsey with contact details for anyone who may have questions about the planned roadworks.



Posted on

Music lovers unite to support local charity

Guernsey Cancer Support has received a significant boost in funding thanks to the generosity of music lovers who attended the recent Cobo Bay Balcony Gig sponsored by JT, where more than £1,200 was donated. As JT’s 2021 chosen charity, Guernsey Cancer Support has for the first time become a beneficiary of a select number of the Gigs.

With JT’s help, the local charity has also made various operational changes and by using the powers of technology has continued helping islanders and their families at home and away. The Channel Islands telecoms group kick-started its 12-month commitment by providing several free-roaming devices and sims that the charity’s members can use when travelling off-island for treatment, giving them one less thing to worry about.

Gill Syvret-Berboda, Chairwoman of Guernsey Cancer Support, said: ‘We were absolutely thrilled to have had the opportunity to not only raise awareness of our services but also much needed funds. Our charity is made up of volunteers and supports not only people with cancer but also their loved ones, so being part of such a wonderful event that brings the community together, is in keeping with our own values. It was incredibly humbling to see so much support from the Guernsey community.

‘It’s been a super start to our partnership, for small charities like us this is an amazing opportunity and we’re really looking forward to working with the team at JT on many other initiatives’

Tamara O’Brien, Deputy Managing Director, JT Guernsey said: ‘We are always blown away with the Guernsey community support for local charities and their genuine love for the annual Gigs, and very proud to be connected with both. Being able to combine the two and provide Guernsey Cancer Support the added benefit of exposure to a wider audience  is invaluable. For us being part of community events and groups that make a tangible difference is at the very core of who we are.

Guernsey Cancer Support relies solely on fundraising events and the generosity of the public and corporate partners. All funds raised are used on island to help those with cancer and their families access community and emotional support, information, and wellbeing advice.



Posted on

Communications boost for local cancer charity, with JT partnership

This year the JT Guernsey Team have decided to offer their support to Guernsey Cancer Support, a small charity made up of volunteers who help those living with or impacted by cancer, their families and carers.

The Channel Islands telecoms group has kick-started its 12-month commitment with a people donation of £500 and a number of free-roaming devices and sims that the Charity’s members can use when travelling off-island for treatment, giving them one less thing to worry about.

Gill Syvret-Berboda, Chairwoman of Guernsey Cancer Support, said: ‘We are incredibly grateful to JT Guernsey for choosing us as their charity of the year. Like so many other charities, it has been a difficult 12 months particularly during the lockdown periods when we were unable to hold our monthly meetings or spend time with members and give support to those affected by cancer.  

‘Improving connectivity will enable us to help our members who are travelling off-island for critical treatment to stay in touch with loved ones. This is going to make a huge difference to us and all the people who use our services.  A team like JT, that is clearly passionate about being part of what we do, is already making a difference and means so much to us.’

Tamara O’Brien, Deputy Managing Director, JT Guernsey said: “Unfortunately, one in two people will be affected by cancer in some way, and the chances are we all know someone, likely more than one person, who has been affected in some way by this disease.

“For this reason alone, we are all fully committed to supporting Guernsey Cancer Support as they care for our loved ones. It’s very important to us that we get involved with causes which are dedicated to helping others because without additional support, especially in difficult times, many services would not be so readily available.”

Helping local charities and initiatives is embedded into JT’s culture; it’s a great way to bring people together and give back to the communities we serve.

Throughout 2021, JT will focus their support on charities which helps people living with cancer and their families. The Guernsey office has chosen Guernsey Cancer Support and the team in Jersey will partner with Macmillan Jersey to make the best use of JT’s expertise to help develop digital patient services and to make a positive impact where it is most needed.