SMEs: Could A Gigabit Broadband Voucher Get You Up to Speed?
If your broadband service (or lack of it) is holding your business back, the Government’s latest broadband voucher scheme could provide the help you need.
The Nationwide Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme
The Nationwide Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme (GBVS) represents a £67 million investment in faster internet connections.
Small or medium sized businesses will be able to get vouchers worth up to £3000 to help with the costs of connecting to full fibre broadband.
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Philip Hammond said: “We’re backing Britain’s small businesses by investing £67 million to bring full-fibre broadband to more businesses up and down the country.
“This means faster, more reliable broadband access as we build the digital infrastructure we need to make our economy fit for the future.”
The scheme forms part of the Government’s commitment to make full fibre broadband available to at least 10 million homes and businesses by 2022.
It will be available initially in just four areas – Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, Bristol, Coventry and Warwickshire, and West Yorkshire and York. However, the Government plan to roll out the scheme nationwide by the end of March 2018.
Going Full Fibre
The Government says that full fibre connections are faster, more reliable and cheaper to operate than traditional copper lines, and are capable of supporting not only gigabit, but terabit and even petabit speeds, which will serve the UK far into the future. Currently only around 3% of UK premises have access to a full fibre connection.
You must use a registered supplier to install your full fibre broadband. Suppliers can offer vouchers to both new and existing customers. The scheme will be open until March 2021 or until all available funding has been allocated.
DCMS secretary of state, Matt Hancock said: “Small businesses are the backbone of the British economy and now they can turbo-charge their connectivity with gigabit speeds.
“By building a full fibre future for Britain we are laying the foundations for a digital infrastructure capable of delivering today what the next generation will need tomorrow.”
Interested? Visit the scheme’s website to find out more. You can also check your business’ eligibility and search for a registered supplier.
