Will the next generation broadband roll out benefit UK businesses?

The Communications Management Association (CMA) has made a survey on the future broadband needs of businesses in the backdrop of ongoing next generation broadband debate. The report shows that majority of the businesses surveyed ( six in ten) expect the next generation access (NGA) to provide minimum 10Mbps for the businesses in the UK. Less than one-thirds of them said the businesses can meet their requirements with 2Mbps (universal) broadband. The same percentage of the participants (three in ten) said their business broadband needs might require 1Gbps speeds in 2012. Significant number of businesses participated in the analysis also pointed out the increased use of streaming content like video in the business sphere.

The study also revealed that majority of the businesses is not likely to provide additional support investment for NGA at least for this year. It seems the businesses have doubts about whether the future broadband would show flexible approach towards the businesses when it comes to benefiting from the high speed connectivity.

David Harrington of CMA research firm said:
“While the debate around next generation broadband has focused largely on consumers’ future requirements, the needs of business are just as, and some might argue in the present economic climate, more pressing. It is vital that the benefits of increased bandwidth come to fruition and allow businesses to benefit from improved applications and increased flexibility.”

The analysis also showed that 90 percent of the businesses questioned felt that Ofcom should chalk out regulatory plans for funding next generation broadband roll out. One-third said that the funding requirements of the roll out can be met out by broadband tax or billing the customers with an extra £1.50 per month as suggested by the broadband analyst firm, Point Topic recently.