NTL Business

(Travel Division), has announced that West Midlands Co-op Travel has become its first major Broadband Travel Network customer.
West Midlands Co-op Travel, one of the largest independent travel agents in the West Midlands region, will roll out both Broadband Professional and Broadband Standard across its 23 high street branches and customer contact centre.

Additionally, Broadband Professional will be adopted in the company’s latest Ultra Branch concept agency, the second of which launches in Kidderminster in November.

The flagship branch uses leading-edge technologies to enhance the sales environment for agents and customers. Innovations include streaming media to showcase holiday destination information and the ability for consumers to buy online through the agency’s CheckT card system, which confirms availability and prices through barcode scanning software.

Broadband Professional offers a contention ratio of 4:1, enabling data to be transferred up to five times faster than standard ADSL service1, speeding up connectivity within Ultra Branch and other West Midlands’ agencies. Broadband Standard provides a contention ratio of 20:1. All managed services within The Broadband Travel Network have been developed specifically for the UK travel industry.

Ben Reid, West Midlands Co-op Society’s Chief Executive Officer said: “The Broadband Travel Network will transform our entire service to customers, from availability checking, to researching and completing bookings.”

Jill Cox
, NTL Business (Travel Division)‘s Marketing Director commented: “West Midlands Co-op Travel continues to be one of the most innovative companies in the UK travel sector, and we are delighted the agency chose The Broadband Travel Network to enhance its retail experience.”

Roll out of The Broadband Travel Network, which replaces West Midlands Co-op Travel’s existing frame relay network, is scheduled for completion in December 2003. 
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