Gamma buys forgotten Mancs fibre broadband network

Gamma Communications is set to bring a long-forgotten fibre optic broadband network in Manchester back to life.

Running for 48 miles and covering everywhere from the city centre to Eccles, Oldham, Salford and Trafford, the network was installed for the 2002 Commonwealth Games but has been abandoned ever since as owner Atlantic Telecom went to the wall.

However, Gamma has now acquired the fibre broadband infrastructure from Atlantic's administrators and is set to begin offering super-fast connectivity to local businesses.

The communications firm has grown from a start-up to a business with a turnover of more than £135 million and 400 employees in the last ten years.

Although the fibre optic cabling - renamed The Loop - has been dormant for the past decade, Gamma claims it is still capable of delivering speeds of 1Gbps and beyond.

Bob Falconer, chief executive of Gamma, said: "We recognise that Manchester aspires to be the UK's tech city and needs the very best in connectivity to achieve this and we want to help the city realise this ambition."