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

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Fund raising record tumbles at Autism Jersey Golf Day

Island golfers clubbed together to raise £40,000 smashing last year’s record amount at the annual Autism Jersey Golf Day.

The event, which is sponsored by JT, is growing in popularity with 24 teams teeing off at La Moye Golf Club last month. In 2020, the event raised £35,000 to support the work of Autism Jersey. An additional six teams played this year, helping to boost the amount raised.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions last year, the event lunch was hosted across two venues and linked using the latest audio-visual technology powered through JT’s full-fibre network. This year golfers all got together afterwards in the La Moye Clubhouse for the lunch and prize giving which was attended by the Lieutenant Governor.

Nick Winsor, Chairman of Autism Jersey, said: ““We are delighted that JT continues to support our charity and this very popular annual event. The golf day raises awareness of Autism in our community and valuable funding for our services. It has been amazing to watch the Autism Jersey JT Golf Day grow from strength to strength each year. I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone involved.”

Daragh McDermott, JT’s Managing Director, added: “It is great to see the continued level of support for the charity and the friendly rivalry among the teams who try to beat each other each time we hold this event. The charity does amazing work in our community, helping to support people who are leading lives that are fully included in our society. Our long-term link with Autism Jersey is confirmed by this event and we at JT are immensely proud to be involved. We had some challenges holding it last year, but I am pleased to say that we were all able to gather in one place this time to swap stories and celebrate with those who have won prizes.”

Can-Recycling-PR
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JT cans collection supports Durrell rainforest scheme

Despite fewer team members being in the office brought about by COVID-19 restrictions and JT’s flexible working policy, JT people have continued to support Durrell’s Cans for Corridors project that ensures pockets of Brazilian rainforest are linked to help black lion tamarins.

Durrell uses money raised from recycling cans to create tree corridors, and for every fifty drinks cans collected and recycled, Durrell plants a tree. The Cans for Corridors project supports a nursery where local people, who lost their livelihoods when the rainforest they depended on was cleared, grow the saplings which are then planted. In the last decade, more than 80,000 trees have been planted and JT has been playing its part.

Martin de la Haye, Procurement Officer, leads the can collection at JT: “I’ve been working and volunteering at Durrell for many years and it was through another volunteer who works directly with the tamarins at Jersey Zoo that I found out about the Cans for Corridors recycling project. I thought that with such a large number of people working for JT, this was something that we could very easily get involved in, recycling every can, from every JT building and  delivering them to Durrell every month.

In 2019 we collected 131 bags which was the equivalent of 85 trees, but as you can imagine, the number fell quite significantly last year. I’m pleased to say that it’s increasing again and so far this year we’ve collected enough cans to plant a further 20 trees.’’

This project is  part of Durrell’s reforestation efforts which are all about restoring, expanding, and linking previously destroyed habitats as well empowering locals with the tools and knowledge to build better and brighter futures for themselves and their envronment. Last month, JT became one of the first large sized companies in Jersey to support Durrell’s Rewild Carbon project which aims to create tree corridors in the Atlantic

Forest linking isolated forest fragments, and thereby creating lifelines for the wildlife including highly threatened populations of black lion tamarins, jaguars, tapirs and giant anteaters.

Tom Noel, Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, said: “At JT we encourage our people to suggest ideas where we can make a difference and we are 100% behind Martin’s efforts to support Durrell by recycling what we used to throw away. Planet and People make up two of the pillars supporting our company-wide Sustainability Strategy, and this project squarely fits into our ambitions to have a circular business model where we encourage our teams and our customers to recycle and reuse as much as possible. I hope that more people will consider taking their cans to Durrell to support this project which is providing a vital lifeline to many species in the Brazilian rainforest.”

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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.”

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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.”

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JT supports planet healing project

JT is one of the first large sized companies in Jersey to support a local scheme that helps revive ecosystems and communities around the world, while also reducing the effect of carbon emissions.

The telecoms company, which launched its 10-year Sustainability Strategy earlier this year, has signed up to Durrell’s Rewild Carbon scheme, which is taking a different approach to the more traditional carbon off-set projects by increasing the benefits to both investors and benefactors. With the support of JT, Durrell will work with our local community and communities around the world to create sustainable livelihoods while also repairing some of the damage that has been caused to nature. Their mission is to rewild species, people and places.

Carbon offsetting provides companies, organisations and individuals the opportunity to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions and where this is not possible to offset what they cannot reduce. Durrell’s Rewild Carbon goes further, the scheme addresses the need to solve both the climate and biodiversity crisis by recovering ecosystems, rewilding species, reducing carbon and rebuilding livelihoods. Durrell is guaranteeing 95% of the money invested by its partners in its offset scheme will go straight to nature, with no intermediaries and profiteering.

Tom Noel, Director of Corporate Affairs and Sustainability, said: “When we launched our Sustainability Strategy, we specifically researched carbon offsetting schemes that would fit with our own values. It’s important for us and our people to be part of something today that makes tomorrow better for everyone. When we saw the enormous scope and potential that Durrell has with their Rewild Carbon project, we knew this was where our support belonged. By investing in the Rewild Carbon scheme we’re supporting local people as well as protecting endangered species, highlighting social problems whilst educating and reminding us that this is our world, and we are all responsible for it.

As a local business we support the Government’s Carbon Neutral goals. Each month we are making changes to help reach those goals. For example, we continue to reduce the number of vehicles we use on Jersey roads and by converting the remaining fleet to all electric, we are making a significant and tangible difference towards reducing our carbon emissions. Further by joining this scheme we are now taking another proactive step by offsetting the carbon emissions of our remaining on-going fleet and that of our properties. Jersey’s Climate Conversation is well underway, but with conversation comes actions, so for JT committing to being part of this important scheme and working with a brand built on transparency and integrity, we are taking another step towards carbon neutrality. I look forward to a lasting and building relationship with Durrell supporting this fantastic initiative in the years to come.’’

 Dr Lesley Dickie, Chief Executive Officer of Durrell, said: “There are so many reasons why businesses should get involved in Rewild Carbon, not just because it will help in the global effort to fight climate change, but they will be seen by their customers and partners as businesses that are doing the right thing. Our first project will be in the Atlantic rainforest, an incredibly lush and diverse forest in Brazil which is home to black lion tamarins, jaguars and giant anteaters. It has shrunk to a tiny fraction of what it once was due to intensive clearance for farming, and only 6% of the interior rainforest remains in isolated fragments. With JT’s help, we are planning to plant corridors of native trees which will trap millions of tonnes of carbon and help local species thrive.”

Customer Experience Awards
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JT’s customer care during COVID recognised in National awards

Keeping customers at the very heart of its response to the COVID-19 pandemic has put JT in the running for more National awards for outstanding customer experience from its teams.  JT’s customer commitment shone through with the company reaching the finals in four categories at the leading UK Customer Experience Awards. This follows similar success last month where JT’s teams are finalists at the International Digital Experience Awards.

JT’s priority throughout its 130 history as the Channel Islands only locally owned telecoms company, has been to keep customers connected while providing a world-class customer experience. Never more so than during the Coronavirus Pandemic, when the demand for fast, reliable, connectivity to every household was unprecedented.  It became vital to ensure every islander could continue to work, learn and stay connected from home, online and equally receive the support from JT when they needed it.

That was recognised in two of the categories the company has been shortlisted for – ‘Customer Experience in the Crisis’ and ‘CX in the Community’ – where it will face competition from leading national brands TalkTalk, the Co-op and LV. JT is also shortlisted in ‘The Best Use of Insight and Feedback’ and ‘Business change and transformation’ categories.

Daragh McDermott, Managing Director JT Channel Islands, said: “ COVID-19  created a global humanitarian and economic crisis which brought challenges for every business in every sector and for our island as a whole.  For JT that meant swiftly combining our expertise and ability to adapt, with our passion for and dedication to excellent customer service. Like so many others, our teams showed immense courage and strength, coming to work every day even if it was from the spare room or the kitchen table – they did it with smiles on their faces and a commitment above all to serve others and make sure our customers stayed connected. We are nothing without the people that make up JT, these dedicated teams are the guardians of the islands critical infrastructure, and this is recognition of that service.”

Tamara O’Brien, Group Head of Corporate Communications, Brand & CX, added: “We’ve always dedicated ourselves to reviewing and analysing how we do things, it’s how we learn, grow and improve. During the pandemic customer enquiries increased by more than 350%, and with that came invaluable feedback and opportunities for us to adapt how we supported our customers better and faster and across the channels they needed us most. From this insight we very quickly adapted our customer experience efforts to meet customers’ primary needs, which were safety, security, and everyday convenience. Our teams rose to whatever challenge came their way, adapted to providing a faster and more digital service and I am so pleased that their efforts are being recognised on a national stage.’’

The winners of all categories are due to be announced in October after a rigorous judging and presentation process: https://cxa.co.uk

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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.

JT signs up to Diversity and Inclusion Charter
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JT signs up to Diversity and Inclusion Charter

JT has signed up to the Institute of Directors (IoD) Diversity and Inclusion Leadership Charter as it continues to build upon its Sustainability and D&I Strategies and champion best working practices.

The Charter has been introduced on the island to help encourage workplace cultures where diversity and inclusion is promoted. It will look to provide businesses with the tools and infrastructure to convey a number of core activities including flexible working, safeguarding equal opportunities and better work-life balance.

As part of JT’s D&I strategy it continues to train mental health first aiders, taking the total in the business to 30, the largest cohort in Jersey. It has also launched virtual bi-weekly mental health coffee mornings, introduced new ways of flexible working and ensured a good range of D&I questions are included in its monthly people engagement survey to measure progress.

Nicola Reeves, JT Group HR Director, said: “We feel as one of the largest and oldest local businesses on the island it is important to visibly demonstrate our commitment to the themes of diversity and inclusion and signing up to this Charter is another step forward for JT. As part of the Charter, we hope to place a greater value on different attitudes and emphasise how important it is to have a truly representative workforce, and we both applaud and support the IoD in tackling such important issues. For us at JT, attracting and developing diverse talent is crucial to our long-term success as a sustainable business and community.

Lisa Springate, Jersey Chair, Institute of Directors – Jersey Branch, said: ‘Last year the IoD set out its vision to embed progressive diversity and inclusion activity within Jersey’s business community. JT has been a core part of island life and a leader of innovation for over 130 years, and today is the custodian of our critical infrastructure. Their ongoing commitment to our community and to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace, one that makes everyone feel equally involved and supported is an example of how they recognise and value a collaborative approach to working – together we really do make change happen.’’

Under the Charter each business will be required to self-certify annually, disclosing its D&I journey and using the opportunity to share examples with others. JT has previously supported the IoD by signing up to their Vision Statement published in 2020, a prequal to the establishment of the Charter.

The island’s leading telecommunication operator is also a member of the Employees Network for Equality & Inclusion (ENEI), the UK’s leading employer network and carries the organisation’s TIDEmark as an evaluation of the areas of talent, inclusion and diversity.

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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.