Bradford is to be the new hub of a drive by a national business communications group to take on BT.

Virgin Media Business today launched plans to shake up the UK business telecoms market by investing in systems to enable more Yorkshire firms to tap into high-speed broadband The beefed-up regional operation will be based at the Mayfair Business Park on Broad Lane and is aiming to become the main competitor for telecommunications giant BT.

Virgin Media Business, formerly ntl:Telewest Business, says it will provide companies in Bradford and beyond with “brilliant” customer service and innovative solutions.

Mark Heraghty, managing director of Virgin Media Business, said: “Businesses in Bradford have had a rough ride of late, but as the UK emerges from the recession there is good reason to be positive. The city is known for its resilience and spirit of innovation. Faster and smarter communications has an important role to play in helping businesses to build momentum in 2010.

“We have big ambitions for Virgin Media Business. But we can only grow if companies like what they see. We want to work with organisations in the area to redefine what’s possible for their business and help them to grasp business opportunities with both hands.”

Virgin Media Business has been launched to maximise the commercial potential of its wholly-owned fibre optic network which it said puts it at an advantage over competitors such as BT which do not own their own UK-wide networks thanks to economies of scale.