FSB Report: UK Broadband not fit for purpose

High speed broadband came under the national spotlight this week with a leading business lobby group warning that too many firms in the UK are being held back by not being able to move out of the internet slow lane. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) wants the government to show ambition with its broadband targets and to oversee the creation of world-beating digital infrastructure that will enable businesses to grow, innovate and compete in international markets. Coventry has already over-achieved on that ambition with businesses in the city soon to have access to some of the fastest communications in the world. The city is moving into the fast lane through the Coventry CORE and being transformed into the UK’s next Gigabit City. The ultra-fast connectivity will enable speeds of one gigabit per second, which equates to 1,000 megabits – that’s 100 times faster than the current UK average and 10 times faster than the FSB’s target for 2030. Quite simply, this year Coventry will be more than 15 years ahead of target. It’s an enviable position and businesses in the city now need to ensure they don’t get left behind and overtaken by those already moving into the ultra-fast broadband lane. Gigabit speed connectivity has the power to transform the way businesses in the city operate and deliver huge economic rewards, with significant increases in productivity, efficiency and cost savings. The FSB says that current government targets of 24 megabits per second for 95 per cent of the population and two megabits for the remaining five per cent will not meet the future demands of UK businesses. It says that with an estimated 45,000 firms still on dial up, and many more struggling with speeds lower than two megabits per second, it is clear that while the residential market may be seeing the benefits of high speed broadband, this is often not the case for the business community. Businesses in Coventry are undoubtedly in a fortunate position. They have the golden opportunity to be at the forefront of the digital age by accessing the Coventry CORE, giving them a massive advantage both here in the UK and overseas. Well over 100 businesses in the city have already responded to our ‘Gig Up Coventry’ campaign by registering their interest on the Coventry CORE website. They recognise the huge difference that gigabit speed connectivity can make to their business and want to make sure that their area is on the network map. Now is the time for others to make sure they don’t miss out by registering their no-obligation interest at www.coventrycore.com so that we can expand the network to meet demand to deliver ultra-fast speeds.