Telcom, the UK’s leading provider of dedicated business connectivity, has been selected as a strategic partner to deliver its best-in-class connected building solution Preconnect® to the commercial office space at St Michael’s Manchester.

A long-term project by Gary Neville’s development company, Relentless Developments, and its strategic partners, St Michael’s is a £400 million mixed use development in the heart of the city. Combining nine floors of best-in-class office space with a five star hotel, 217 luxury apartments, and a new public square, St Michael’s has been described by Councillor Bev Craig, leader of Manchester Council, as “a defining regeneration project for our city centre.”

No. 1 St Michael’s, the £150 million first phase of the development, will complete in 2024 and is expected to be Manchester’s first fully net-zero carbon commercial development – in operation and delivery. No. 2 St Michael’s – a £250 million, 41-storey tower – will house a 162-bed five-star W Hotel, W Residences and 75,000 sq ft of office space. The second phase is expected to be completed in 2027.

Telcom has been selected as a key strategic partner with property consultants Zerum to supply No. 1 St Michael’s with its connected buildings solution Preconnect®. This will ensure commercial office tenants have access to fast and reliable full fibre dedicated business internet up to 10Gbps that’s up and running within 24 hours.

Installed throughout the office space and up to the roof top restaurant where Japanese-Peruvian restaurant brand, Chotto Matte, will be located, Preconnect® will deliver dedicated full fibre internet connectivity with symmetrical speeds up to 10Gbps. This will be delivered on Telcom’s own fibre and rooftop wireless network across the city, making a 100% uptime guarantee available for businesses with a backup connection in place. St Michael’s will be targeting a Platinum Wiredscore and Preconnect® will be fundamental to this as it guarantees a minimum connectivity rating of Gold.

Steven Calder, Head of Connected Buildings at Telcom, commented:

“We are immensely proud to be a part of the St Michael’s development. As a Mancunian-born company, Telcom couldn’t be more humbled or thrilled to be contributing to the revitalisation and development of our city’s historic centre. Preconnect®, our market-leading commercial property solution, will give tenants an unparalleled connection experience by getting them connected to 10Gbps full fibre internet in as little as 24 hours. What’s more is that there’s absolutely no cost to the building owner or management company for the upfront installation and ongoing management.

We look forward to working with Relentless Development, their partners, and the future tenants of St Michael’s to provide seamless, full fibre internet connectivity in support of their business objectives.”

Anthony Kilbride, Co-Director, Relentless Developments, commented:

“St Michael’s is a highly ambitious development set to transform this critical yet underused area of Manchester into a world-class destination for work, stay and play. We wouldn’t be able to achieve our pioneering vision for the scheme without collaborating with forward-thinking partners like Telcom, who are game changers in their own sector. Delivering hyperfast, reliable, and convenient connectivity for our commercial tenants is going to play a big part in making St Michael’s one of the most sustainable and smart spaces in the UK.”