Businesses in Leeds are starting to reap the benefits of a new high-speed broadband network, it has been reported.

Download speeds of up to 100Mb are being made available in The Calls business district, after telecoms firm aql rolled out a new fibre network in the area.

The firm now intends to make the next-generation services available to companies in the city centre during the course of the year.

Adam Beaumont, Managing Director of aql, said the network allows many businesses to "get a head start on their competitors", reaping the advantages of high-speed working "long before the delivery of the Digital Britain promise".

"Smart businesses already realise the advantages of not waiting for their mail to download or for a file to transfer," he added.

Under the government's Digital Britain plan, universal 2Mb broadband is to be made available by 2012.