Peterborough CORE powers city’s first “Gigabit Games” set to attract 20,000 people

PETERBOROUGH’S first “Gigabit Games” tournament – set to be one of the largest in the UK – will be powered by the Peterborough CORE, which has installed four dedicated gigabit speed network connections to ensure the event is a huge success. More than 20,000 people are expected to descend on Peterborough for CityLAN in August 20, 21 and 22 as well as the cream of gamers from around the country including some of the biggest stars from Europe. With exhibitors, gamers and attendees expected to gobble through terabytes of data, a fast, reliable, internet connection is essential for the thousands of gaming demos, live play sessions, streamed speaker slots and high profile exhibits, including demonstrations live-streamed to a big screen in Cathedral Square in the city centre and around the world. The four dedicated pure fibre connections to the ABAX stadium and Future Business Centre are only possible due to the newly created Peterborough CORE network which has turned Peterborough into a Gigabit City, allowing businesses to access some of the best internet speeds in the world. An experienced team of engineers will closely service all connections throughout the event. Terry Harris, director at CityLAN said: “Bringing an event of this size to Peterborough is massively exciting and shows that the city is a hot bed of digital innovation. Some of the names attending are superstars in their own right and there is a huge appetite from the British gaming community to attend. “Having CityFibre as a partner is something we are most thankful for – as many gamers know exceptional internet is a must and with so many people in attendance a robust connection is one of the most important ingredient to CityLAN’s success. We’re confident all our attendees – from gamers to those watching key note addresses from overseas will be in safe hands throughout.” The event will feature key players in the European Gaming League (EGL) and UbiSoft lead game designer Tim Browne (currently developing the new Assassin’s Creed Syndicate), who will deliver a keynote address via video link from France. Other attendees include gaming accessory provider Astro Games, renowned Peterborough e-Gamer Ash Dubh who has close to 500,000 YouTube subscribers, and Dr Mata Haggis, Professor of Creative and Entertainment Games at Breda University of Applied Sciences in The Netherlands. There will also be a strong focus on careers in technology, particularly engaging students and younger people. Digital People in Peterborough will be using hardware from robotics firm Arduino to teach visitors how to build a robot; and there are further talks on computing, app design and development, and wearable technology. Andy Starnes, city development manager at CityFibre, said: “Thanks to the Peterborough CORE, the city is one of the most digitally connected in the country and the response we’ve had from local businesses wanting to get connected shows just how digitally focused this region is. “The CORE is currently being used by more than 140 local business as well as numerous public sector sites, including 70 schools. We are exceptionally proud to be able to supply a world class digital solution to an event as big as CityLAN and are confident of handling the sheer amount of data that will be accessed during its course.” CityLAN will held at the Abax Stadium (home of Peterborough United Football Club) and Future Business Centre in London Road, Peterborough. As well as eSports tournaments with thousands of pounds up for grabs, it includes a careers and technology expo with a jobs fair, exhibitors and stands, workshops and talks, and a chance to check out the latest new games and developments as well as take a trip down memory lane with retro gaming. For more info go to www.citylan.co.uk To find out more about the Peterborough CORE and register your business, visit www.peterboroughcore.com. Follow us on Twitter @PboroCORE.