smallbusiness.co.uk: Helping your business think big

Broadband is a high-speed, ‘always on’ connection to the internet, enabling the faster transmission of data. It has been widely-publicised in the last year and the Government has initiated tax breaks for research and development, and allocated funds to help enourage take-up amongst small businesses.

For example, small firms in Scotland are being encouraged to sign up for the Business Broadband Incentive Fund, a Government-backed scheme to increase broadband take-up in the area. Grants of Ł300 are available for businesses requiring a basic connection, while those seeking more advanced connections can qualify for grants of up to Ł1,200.

Getting connected

By far the most popular way of getting a broadband connection is through Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line (ADSL), but you can connect via cable, satellite (a more common option in rural areas) or a leased telephone line that has a permanent connection to the internet.

Many internet service providers (ISPs) provide broadband services. How much you pay will depend on the size of your business, but remember to shop around for different quotes, as prices can vary considerably between different providers . Don’t forget to factor in installation and set-up costs as well as the monthly fee, and also check out the level of ongoing support and maintenance.

But is it worth it?

If your business is such that you need to transfer a lot of data, then having a broadband connection could give you benefits in a number of areas.

For instance, if you are in the habit of sending large documents by courier post, think about transferring them over the internet. It can also mean that lengthy documents can be downloaded more quickly and effectively. According to a small business survey from Intellect, 96% of respondents believed that increased productivity was also another benefit.

“The most obvious benefit of broadband is high speed internet access. Broadband can improve the running of online sales operations as businesses can send and receive important and time-sensitive information –such as sales orders and requests to suppliers – much faster than is possible via dial-up internet connections,” says Business Link for London.

It also cites reliability and flexibility as additional benefits. For example, if your internet connection is ‘always on’ it is less likely to cut out or have problems connecting.

And can you access it?

Unfortunately, broadband is not available everywhere. A quick and easy way of finding out whether there is a broadband connection near you is to check out UK online for business’ ‘broadband availability checker. You only need to enter your phone number and postcode to find out whether a service is available. At present, though, the service is still being developed, and its coverage is restricted to BT and NTL Business and Liberty Broadband, but UK online for business claims that other providers will be added soon.

(9/10/03)

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