VT Communications

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VT Communications is a part of VT Group plc. VT Communications was essentially the company formed from the privatisation of the BBC World Service transmitter sites. It was initially named Merlin Communications, then VT Merlin Communications. It now provides transmission services to over 20 different customers from four main sites in the UK and many others in the rest of the world.

It is currently based at the Blue Fin Building on London's South Bank, which will play host to the company's new broadcast Media Management Centre.

[edit] National Physical Laboratory time signal

From 1950, the National Physical Laboratory time signal , the UK's national time reference, was broadcast from the Rugby VLF transmitter by BT Communications under licence from the NPL. When that contract expired, VT Communications won the new licence and, following successful testing in early 2007, took over broadcasting the signal from its new location at the Anthorn transmitting station. The formal inauguration of the new facility was on 1 April 2007, when the signal from Rugby was permanently switched off, and the name of the service was changed to "The Time from NPL".