Broadband limitation threatens British efficiency

Britain's comparatively slow broadband speeds are threatening business efficiency, according to a new report from the Communications Management Association (CMA), part of the British Computer Society (BCS). The reason for this is that lack of provision to meet predicted demands will frustrate companies' e-commerce operations.

Over a third of UK businesses predict they will need speeds of 100 Mbps to be able to meet future demand for next generation internet technology, according to the CMA's Next Generation Access report.

Yet around a third questioned by the CMA, the representative body for business users of communication, networks and services, say they currently do not receive satisfactory access to internet technology - such as infrastructure, services and applications.

The CMA is renewing its call for the government to create a national broadband strategy that anticipates the massive rise in demand for next generation access (NGA) to the internet over the next 12-24 months.