Dorset SMEs taking advantage of £3,000 broadband scheme

Around 750 SMEs in Dorset are taking advantage of a scheme that enables them to have access to faster broadband.

The Connection Vouchers Scheme, which was run by Dorset County Council on behalf of Dorset, Poole and Bournemouth, was set up to offer small businesses up to £3,000 towards faster and more reliable broadband.

Over £1m of connections have now been made collectively, with some businesses now having access to broadband speeds of up to 300mbps.

Success

Faster broadband provides a number of advantages for small businesses, such as improving employee productivity, increasing security, access to new markets and enabling them to provide a better service for their customers.

Dorset County Council portfolio holder for economy Cllr Colin Jamieson said that the scheme has been a “tremendous success” for Dorset.

According to Jamieson, a “wealth of businesses” are taking advantage of the offer, and many are already seeing the benefits that faster speeds make.

“The scheme has further helped in transforming Dorset’s digital landscape, especially for commerce. Creating one new job for every four connections made and attracting investment into the county, the Government initiative has further cemented Dorset’s status as a desirable destination for business,” he said.

Boost

Whilst the Connection Vouchers Scheme has now ended, it is expected to boost Dorset’s local economy by £5m. Businesses in the area are still able to have access to faster internet speeds.

The scheme was initially set to run for a year from March 2015 but ended up closing back in October when it could no longer be funded due to a high demand nationally.