Running of critical business computing
software and
e-commerce applications could suffer if the government fails to
roll out
fast broadband, according to a report from the
British Computer Society.
More than one-third (31%) of the 152 UK businesses surveyed said
they would need speeds of 100Mbps to run core business computing,
including SAP, CRM and ERP systems and e-commerce applications.
Just over 40% said they were unable to receive the speeds they
required because they were in locations with poor access to
broadband.
Some 73% said a minimum speed of 2Mbps should be available to
all businesses across the UK to run essential applications and to
connect branch offices.
The Communications Management
Association, which represents network managers and is part of
the BCS, warned last year that there was a limited window of
opportunity over the next 12-24 months for the government to
develop and implement a roadmap for
next-generation broadband.
"Now, 14 months on, there is little sign of either a concerted
or innovative approach to regulation and policy-making, which the
government acknowledged as recently as last September as being
necessary," said David Harrington, CMA's director of regulatory
affairs.
"The gap between government rhetoric and formulation of policy
appears to be as wide as ever."
The report is the second to suggest UK competitiveness could be
damaged by lack of fast broadband. The first, published by the
Broadband Stakeholder
Group in June, argued that denying business access to fast
broadband could impact on the UK's gross domestic product.