UK SME broadband voucher scheme overhauled
Posted on in Business News
The Government has moved to boost the low uptake of their Connection Vouchers scheme, which offers grants worth between £200 and £3,000 to help small and medium sized businesses install a superfast broadband (30Mbps+) service in any of 22 cities across the United Kingdom, by making further changes.
Approximately 3,000 vouchers have been issued to date, with an average value of around £2,500. This means only £7.5 million has been spent on subsidising business broadband when £100 million was allocated to the programme.
Several attempts to address the problem have already been made, such as by reducing the minimum voucher value from £250 to £200 and making the scheme available to smaller firms, self-employed individuals and start-ups. Most recently some of the 22 cities, such as Bristol, have even expanded the schemes availability to reach outside of the city.
Speaking to the Financial Times, Digital Minister Ed Vaizey was keen to talk up the successes of the voucher scheme thus far, noting that 6,000 businesses have signed up.
"It is a demand-led scheme and it is important to get the details right - registration will be made as simple as possible," he commented.
Mr Vaizey went on to hail the progress that is being made elsewhere in the government's digital strategy. For instance, he said Wi-Fi hotspots are being introduced in public buildings and work to extend rural broadband coverage is continuing apace.
Now the Government has decided to give their vouchers a big push via a new £2m advertising campaign to help raise awareness of the scheme and they're also carrying out their promise to simplify the application process, which should make it easier and faster for SME firms to secure a grant before the March 2015 deadline.
Find out more about applying for a broadband vouchere here