The internet is essential to most of us these days. It’s become so necessary in fact that life appears to fall apart every time there is a problem with our connection. It’s understandable therefore that we all get frustrated when the speed of our internet connection suddenly drops. However, business owners probably get more frustrated than the rest of us. Internet downtime means that e-commerce sales can’t be processed, projects can’t be completed and employees can’t complete vital tasks. Is it any wonder entrepreneurs get so irritated?  Still, the good news is that the government is committed to ensuring every household and business in the UK will have access to high speed broadband by 2015. But why is superfast broadband so important? Why do businesses need rapid access to the information super highway?

Because of constant technological advances, a fast, reliable internet connection is vital for the majority of business functions these days. Businesses rely on broadband not simply for email and web browsing, but for things like VOIP phone systems, data analysis and access to social media platforms. According to a recent report from the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook are vital for businesses to market their brand and interact with customers. The FSB also maintains that internet access and downloads are a priority for businesses when it comes to “sourcing information, working with partners and, critically, selling to customers.”

Businesses need next generation broadband to compete with other businesses on a national and global scale and expand into areas like e-commerce to drive exports, particularly in times of recession. The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) is pushing for universal high speed broadband because it believes it will empower businesses to expand into different markets and sell a broader range of products so that they have the opportunity to compete with larger businesses both at home and abroad. The FSM argues that speed equates to efficiency and therefore increased productivity.

The advantages of next generation broadband

Superfast broadband helps business compete online by offering many important technological advantages:

• the ability to surf, upload or download data in a fraction of the time, even when several users are on the same connection

• the ability to upload photos, video files or complex graphics to the internet in seconds

• it lets businesses enjoy a higher quality of voice and video calls over the internet

• it enables employees and customers to send and receive large files easily

• it can carry out bandwidth-hungry tasks simultaneously, like watching an online HD broadcast while someone else works on a complex graphic or video project

• shorter waiting times whilst complex web pages to download

• a higher capacity for rich media, large complex files and online business processes

• the ability to utilise more cloud computing resources, reducing hardware and software capital expenditure

• it improves a company’s web presence, allowing it to capture customers online

• it allows employees to work remotely more easily, improving their work/life balance while saving time and reducing carbon emissions

• the ability to voice-enable a business website, which allows customers to access information via phone rather than computer screen

• In-house voice and data networks can be integrated, enabling improved information sharing and better customer service

• Improved HD video conferencing

• Scalability – fibre broadband enables businesses to cope with the constantly rising volumes of video and content