BT is offering £7.5m of free advertising space to Sheffield businesses to celebrate the launch of its new Street Hub 2.0 units.
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.
Street Hubs offer 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.
Sheffield’s first Street Hubs were switched on today at 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 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 nationally to small businesses as part of the rollout of the new digital units, which will be rolled across most of the UK’s major cities.
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 company 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: “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.”
Earlier this year BT Group announced plans to open a flagship new office in Sheffield for up to 1,000 colleagues. The organisation is expected to take up residence at the landmark Endeavour Building at Sheffield Digital Campus by the end of 2023.
