Unique Client Solutions Nottingham have
learnt of recent figures showing that 63 per cent of companies that are based
in rural areas in the UK are unhappy with the speed of their broadband.
Customer acquisitions company Unique Client Solutions, which specialises in direct sales to the communications industry,
learnt that two thirds of businesses in the countryside find that their
broadband speed hinders their daily business. This compares to 48 per cent of
companies in urban areas.
Unique Client Solutions recently reported
on the introduction of super high speed broadband into the UK. The Government
funded scheme will roll out 20 Mbps to cities around the UK. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) who provided the report believe that though this is an
encouraging start, it will not go far enough and will actually widen the divide
between urban and rural firms.
National Chairman of the FSB John Walker
said, “These figures show that firms are still unable to access basic broadband
to run their business effectively. With the technology we have today all firms
should be able to trade overseas, throughout the UK and from town to village.”
Unique Client Solutions backed his plea that “It is imperative the Government
takes action to close the digital divide between urban and rural businesses.”
The report by the FSB entitled, ‘The
missing links –revitalizing our rural economy’ also showed that 96 per cent of
rural firms and 84 percent of urban companies believed that their reliance on
the internet will increase in the coming years. It also showed that working
from home and self-employment was far more common in rural areas.
Managing director of Unique Client Solutions Nottingham said, “We’re all relying on the internet more and more
these days, not just for communicating but for carrying out essential aspects of
business such as reporting and finances. Whilst we are very excited at the
prospect of this huge upgrade of broadband over the next few years, it is
imperative, as the FSB has said, that we don’t simply focus on major cities but
spread the advantages around the UK.”
