Somerset Chamber has written to all the county’s MPs and the Chief Executive of Somerset County Council, flagging the concerns of businesses who say the current broadband coverage is simply not fit for purpose.
Half the respondents to a county-wide survey run by the Chamber said poor internet connections were already restricting their businesses – almost 10% said they had no broadband coverage at all, with some firms in Mendip and West Somerset relying on 4G and those in South Somerset turning to satellite provision.
The survey, run in partnership with ultra-fast broadband provider Truespeed, revealed coverage across the county was patchy and unreliable with 42% of businesses not having a fibre connection. Half of the respondents experienced daily or weekly drop-outs in their service.
Somerset Chamber ran the survey to get a clearer idea of the main issues affecting the county’s businesses after members consistently reported that poor broadband connections were hampering their business growth. The Chamber has now used the findings to lobby MPs Rebecca Pow, Liam Fox, Marcus Fysh, James Heappey, Ian Liddell-Grainger, David Warburton and John Penrose, as well as Pat Flaherty, of Somerset County Council.
The letter reads:
Join Somerset Chamber of Commerce to give your business a stronger voice both locally, regionally and nationally. Combined with local town chambers, we represent over 2,000 businesses across Somerset with a direct line to policy-makers at all levels.
