Dorset needs 10Mb business broadband within a year

Nearly two-thirds of businesses in Dorset region (64%) require broadband speeds of over 10Mbps, according to a survey from the Dorset Chamber of Commerce & Industry. Most of the respondents (84%) said they want to get these higher connection speeds within a year.

The research has revealed that 39% of the businesses in the region, currently receive speeds between 1 and 4 Mbps while 31% can achieve speeds of between 5 and 8 Mbps.

ISP BT is found to be largest broadband supplier, accounting for 43% of the connections in the area, while one in ten connections (10%) is provided by Virgin Media.

On average, the business firms in Dorset, pay between £20 – £30 a month for using broadband service, the study shows. 33% of the surveyed pay up to £20 a month, while 27% spend up to £30 a month and most of the firms (mainly, small companies) want that new, high-speed internet services are available within these cost levels.

“If we cannot deliver affordable fast broadband, Dorset risks losing employers and micro-businesses as they look to other locations. This will have an impact both on our economy and the calibre of business people who choose to work in Dorset.” said, Dr Monica Seeley, at the Digital Dorset Taskforce.

For the 2012 Olympic Games, BT is currently building fibre optic broadband infrastructure for Portland that can also bring superfast broadband to Bournemouth and Poole, the Digital Dorset Taskforce hopes. The Dorset Chamber Council launched the Taskforce last year to closely work with BT to achieve this objective.