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Substandard internet access choking UK SME growth

Over a quarter of UK SME’s are still living in the dark ages when it comes to internet use, according to a survey by Talk Talk Business.

The survey on connectivity in UK business established that 70% of small firms were still using residential broadband in 2011, despite its’ ill-fighting nature.

It also found that, despite huge technological advances in recent years, nearly one in ten businesses still use a dial-up internet connection.

Furthermore, more than half of sole traders and small firms are having their business hindered by below par internet access.

According to Freelancer.co.uk, 57% of small companies believe that the poor quality of their internet connection, attributed in part to a perceived rural-urban divide, affects their ability to run a successful business.

Matt Barries, CEO of Freelancer.co.uk, said: “Reliable and robust internet access is essential for all UK businesses to take advantage of new business opportunities the internet provides”.

Organisations have to evolve their strategies in order to support employees in accessing new technologies in an efficient and secure way.

Business Grade connectivity from Talk Talk Business could be the solution.

High performance internet connectivity, with speeds up to 1Gbps, and ideal for multiple users and connected devices, is now available. Talk Talk, who have nearly 20% of UK broadband market share, also ensures priority for business traffic.

It can offer businesses the speeds, scalability and control that can support the organisation through the latest technology at the lowest costs.

The survey found that 40% of business leaders do not have IT costs broken down in sufficient detail to identify savings.

With bandwidth demand growing 15% year on year, guaranteed bandwidth provided by internet suppliers is an imperative. This enables businesses to reduce costs whilst still making the most of up to date applications.

With 46% of firms set to adopt extra data services in the next 12 months and 53% of businesses likely to consider switching to Superfast Broadband, the need for powerful fibre connectivity, high speeds and high data allowances and download capabilities are going to be paramount not just for UK SME’s, but for the UK economy as a whole.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Talk Talk Business .