The sky is the limit for this Leeds digital agency

For any technology company, connectivity is key – especially for one which counts U.S space agency NASA among its global client list.

But for Leeds-based Parallax, their previous digital infrastructure was keeping them firmly earthbound and preventing them from reaching the heights they knew they were capable of. The digital agency, formed by four friends in 2010, has come a long way in a short period of time. Specialising in creating websites, apps and bespoke software, Parallax started life in various bedrooms across York. Recognising that much of their business was coming from neighbouring Leeds, they made the decision to set up a permanent base in the city. With an enviable client list including household names like British Airways, Sky Sports and UEFA, it seemed like the sky was the limit for Parallax – if only they could overcome their connection problems. Lawrence Dudley, co-founder and director at Parallax, said: “We’ve always managed to attract clients that aren’t necessarily in the local area. A lot of our projects are in the States, and we’ve even done a project for Nasa – so we need completely fail-safe connections to the outside world. We’ve tried pretty much every connectivity solution that is out there. Generally speaking we’ve always had issues in some way or another. We found that the connection just kept dropping out.” Unsurprisingly, one of Parallax’s biggest problems – a common one in many industries – was that they dealt with huge files on a regular basis. On their previous internet connection, the download and upload of these files could bring their servers grinding to a halt, leading to frustrated colleagues and potentially frustrated clients. What they needed seemed out of reach – an ultrafast internet connection that could be relied upon to perform when it mattered most. Parallax’s solution came not from the skies above, but from the ground below. CityFibre had just launched their Gigabit City Leeds network in partnership with Diva Telecom, giving businesses in the city access to next generation, full-fibre internet connectivity. Offering speeds up to 100 times faster than standard UK business connections, it immediately struck the team at Parallax as the answer to their web woes. Now, the company boasts download and upload speeds that can reach 1000Mbps. Where once work was regularly disrupted and productivity affected, now those problems are a thing of the past. Lawrence continued: “We connected to Gigabit City Leeds network a year ago… we’ve enjoyed really good performance on the connections since then. It does enable you to work quicker and not be frustrated by the speed of things. Diva Telecom have been really professional. The service provided has been above and beyond what I would expect from anyone in that sector.” Since connecting their premises to CityFibre’s full-fibre network, Parallax has seen their business continue to thrive. In early 2017, the company was ranked among the top 50 fastest growing tech companies in the north of England – a real point of pride for the team. And while Lawrence believes full-fibre has helped to give Parallax an edge over competitors, he’s made it his mission to let as many Leeds businesses know how ultrafast internet connectivity can take them to infinity… and beyond. He said: “Gigabit City Leeds provides a massive boost for businesses because they’re able to access connectivity that is reliable and is going to let them grow their businesses. I always suggest other businesses should get on board with the Gigabit City Leeds project – there’s really not any excuse not to.” For more information about CityFibre and the Leeds Gigabit City network, visit: www.cityfibre.com/leeds