UK MANUFACTURERS CALL FOR GOVERNMENT BUSINESS BROADBAND REVIEW
Verastar has learned that EEF, a UK industry body for manufacturing companies, has called on the British government to launch a review of business broadband competition.
Business utility
EEF recently released a new survey of UK manufacturing companies. Online news portal Tech Week Europe reported that the research showed that UK manufacturers are rapidly coming to see broadband as a vital business utility. Nearly every manufacturer questioned (91%) said that high speed broadband is as important to their operations as electricity.
Almost every manufacturer in the EEF study relies on broadband to conduct simple business tasks such as sending emails. Also, 95% admitted they need broadband to access the secure online services they depend on to conduct business on a daily-basis. Meanwhile, roughly half of UK manufacturers require broadband to access cloud storage services.
Issues with broadband
The majority of UK manufacturers questioned by EEF said they were satisfied with their broadband services. However, half said their connection is more expensive now than it was two years ago. A quarter of small manufacturers and over half of medium sized manufacturers are spending in excess of £5,000 on broadband; the same as 89% of large manufacturers questioned by EEF.
The survey also found that almost 90% of respondents expressed the belief that UK business’ have a right to superfast broadband. Meanwhile three quarters argued that UK businesses should aid the European Union (EU) in developing a digital single market. Here, the EU is aiming to cultivate a digital environment where citizens and businesses can fairly and seamlessly access online goods and services whatever their nationality.
EEF proposal
Commenting on the results of the study EFF senior policy researcher Madeleine Scott said. “Half of respondents to the survey say their current internet connection is not adequate for their expected needs over the next five years, with just 35% disagreeing.”
EEF has called on Whitehall to initiate a governmental review of competition in the UK’s business broadband sector. The industry body has also requested the National infrastructure Commission assess the nation’s digital infrastructure and outline an appropriate investment plan, so UK businesses can receive access to high speed broadband. Furthermore, EEF believes the UK government should join efforts to create a digital single market for business broadband.
Competitive market
British Prime Minister David Cameron has called fast broadband a vital utility. He was quoted by the BBC saying “access to the internet shouldn’t be a luxury, it should be a right – absolutely fundamental to life in 21st Century Britain.” Cameron has pledged that every UK home and business will have access to a fast broadband speed of 10 Mbps by 2020.
The EEF study has shown that fast broadband remains a luxury for many small and medium sized UK companies. It’s essential that the UK government strives to keep the country’s telecoms sector competitive to ensure British small companies can access reasonably priced broadband services. kinex, a brand operated by Verastar, supplies the reliable, cost-effective business broadband services your company requires to carry out vital business tasks online while keeping overheads to a minimum.
Verastar
Verastar is a leading provider of essential business services to micro SMEs, operating under the following brands: kinex, Clear Business Water, Titan Telecom, Marble Telecom, Economy Gas and 118777 Limited. Our business model is focused on providing a spectrum of consolidated services that disrupt traditional markets and create great savings, efficiencies and value for our customers.
