The Business Exchange Bath & Somerset Issue 14: Winter 2019 | Page 36

What’s happening in your
network right now?
Could intruders already be inside your network?
Lost connection: How poor broadband and mobile connectivity hinders small firms
Crossing your fingers and hoping for the best
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LOST CONN
How poor broadband and mobile co
30%
of small businesses receive
download speeds of
less than 10 Mbps
3
of
sa
sp
fo
rising to
39%
Please get in touch if you’d like to hear more about this or any of our cyber security
in rural areas
services. Visit: www.CNDLtd.com or to discuss further call: 01225 811806
SMEs in the South West hindered
by poor network connections
Small businesses in the South West are being held back by
poor broadband and mobile connections, according to new
research by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB).
The findings, revealed in FSB’s new digital
infrastructure report, Lost Connection, show
that 41% in the South West are struggling
with broadband speeds that are insufficient
for their current business requirements.
Almost half (44%) in the region say their
broadband is not good enough for their
future needs.
The report also explores mobile
connectivity, with data showing over half
(56%) of small firms in the region cannot get
a good connection on their mobile phones.
Connection issues are crushing the
growth and productivity of small business
owners, with more than one in three (32%)
reporting how poor mobile and broadband
connection has prevented them from
contacting or being contacted by existing
customers – or even potential new clients.
A similar number (30%) said poor
connection is a barrier to growing their
36
www.tbebathandsomerset.co.uk
business, while over a quarter (26%) of small
firms are saying that poor mobile coverage
has led to a loss of business or sales.
FSB says that, with over half (52%) of
business owners revealing they want to
adopt full-fibre when it becomes available in
their area, Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s
ambitious promise of nationwide full-fibre
or gigabit-capable broadband by 2025 must
be kept. The body is calling on Government,
industry and regulators to work together to
remove barriers to the roll-out of full-fibre,
to resolve the productivity puzzle and ensure
no one is left behind.
FSB is also calling for a public
commitment from Government that every
premises will receive download speeds of at
least 10 megabits per second (Mbps) by the
end of 2021.
Additionally, to help improve network
coverage and attempt to get rid of ‘not spots’
4
of
exp
un
con
Almost half (47%) of small firms say their
internet speeds are lower than what was
promised by their provider
in rural areas, FSB is supporting the idea of
is having
on small
businesses.
The results
Impact
of poor
broadband
or mobile c
a shared rural network among the four large
of a study we undertook with the Somerset
mobile network operators to try to bridge the
Chamber of Commerce echo the FSB’s
gap in phone reception.
survey - 42% of businesses don’t have
Mike Cherry, FSB National Chairman,
access to fibre broadband and half have
said, “Unfortunately, an unreliable internet
to deal with daily or weekly drop-outs in
connection and poor phone signal are
service. Fast, reliable broadband shouldn’t
familiar challenges for small businesses
just be a privilege for large city-based
across the UK.
businesses, it’s essential for all companies
“Government is promising ambitious
looking to compete on local, national and
full-fibre and gigabit-capable broadband
international levels”
prevented
say it’s a barrier
targets, which are very much welcomed,
but from contacting,
now must translate words into
help
or action
being to contacted
by, customers
growth of their b
millions of small businesses.”
Jez Allman, Director of Sales for local
broadband provider Truespeed, said,
“Worryingly for the region, the results
from the FSB’s research did not come as
a surprise. Truespeed work with harder to
connect areas of the South West and have
of
seen the detrimental effects poor broadband
32%
31%
5
34%
of small firms are willing to upgrade
pla
fu
wh
av