New FSB research to highlight importance of Internet access to SMEs
This announcement comes ahead of a report released tomorrow by the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) exploring digital demand amongst SMEs and the importance of Internet access to their business. In addition, a study by McKinsey Global Institute estimates that SME productivity could be increased by 10% by doing more online.
Boosting small businesses with 100Mb broadband speeds
Through a package that has been specially designed to support the connectivity needs of businesses located in multi-tenanted buildings, 3,000 businesses co-located in 300 buildings within Manchester’s 9-postcode Northern Quarter will now have access to the fastest, cheapest and most reliable dedicated internet connections
Once the ultrafast fibre is installed directly into the premises, each of the small businesses gets their own dedicated internet connection with equal upload and download speeds. For example, a 1Gb connection will be installed into a building and a business within it can purchase a 50Mb or 100Mb product*. This should meet the basic connectivity needs of many businesses, but for those who require more there are individual leased line options available with speeds of up to 1Gb. Businesses in the area can register their interest by visiting virginmediabusiness.co.uk/techcitymanchester.
Building on success of London’s Tech City
Similar packages were launched earlier this year in London’s Tech City, a technology cluster located in East London. More than 450 London businesses, located in 70 buildings, are now being connected to Virgin Media Business’s dedicated connections.
Each small business in a building connected with fibre by Virgin Media Business is able to apply for a subsidy from the Government’s SuperConnected Cities scheme.
In his spring budget Chancellor George Osborne announced that the Government will allocate £4 million to establish a technology start-up hub in the Northern Quarter to help create “thriving local ecosystems” similar to those seen in London. This followed on from a report published by Tech Nation earlier this year which highlighted that Greater Manchester has seen a 70 per cent growth in digital companies between 2010 and 2013 with one of the highest average company turnover growth rates in the UK.
Peter Kelly, Managing Director, Virgin Media Business, said: “A central part of any technology hub is reliable, secure high-speed internet. This can make the difference between thriving and merely surviving for small and medium sized businesses so I’m thrilled we’re able to bring Manchester’s vibrant business community our latest package with the fastest broadband speeds.”