Latest research highlights confusion over roll-out strategy

A recent survey from bOnline has shown that many SMEs are unsure about the availability of altnet in their area, with confusion over the UK’s broadband roll-out strategy.

The research shows that 74 percent of SMEs are not sure if there is an altnet available, and among those that believe there is, the majority (65 percent) have not yet tried to access them.

Reasons for not doing so range from a belief there will be no real price advantage (35 percent), to too much hassle to switch (30 percent) with 11 percent simply “not trusting them”.

These latest findings follow-on from bOnline’s July survey that indicated over two thirds of SMEs either did not know if Openreach’s Ultrafast FTTP broadband had yet reached their area or if it was yet available.

Anthony Karibian, CEO and founder of bOnline, the company championing digital low-cost voice solutions for SME businesses that conducted the latest survey, commented: “Britain’s small and micro businesses deserve better and the country’s patchwork approach to building out its FTTP network is not helping.

“SMEs require solutions today that both enable them to compete on an equal footing with corporates and bring down their costs given the imminent squeeze on margins from the National Insurance increase.

"That is what bOnline is in the market doing. Failure to properly mobilise the UK’s SMEs will only further hold back the country’s growth.”

In terms of broadband speeds, Britain recently ranked 35th in the world.

Indeed, confusion around the UK’s strategy for introducing full-fibre across the country continues to be a dominant theme amongst SME owners.

According to bOnline’s findings, three fifths (58 percent) are unaware that there are now over 20 independent full-fibre altnets across the country.

Only a slim majority (53 percent) understand that major broadband service providers such as Sky Broadband and TalkTalk are not building out their own full-fibre networks but providing their services via other network operators such as BT Openreach, Virgin Media and CityFibre.

Nearly half of respondents were also not convinced that the level of choice being provided by the UK’s approach to introducing FTTP will be helpful, half of those (52 percent) thinking the roll-out is “way too complicated”, 10 percent that all the services will end up similarly priced, with 7 percent concerned that “many won’t survive”.