1,000 Milestone for Broadband Campaign

News release

22nd August 2012

More than 1,000 businesses across Lincolnshire are backing a campaign to improve broadband in the county – but thousands more are needed to help demonstrate the appetite for superfast speeds.

A total of 1,015 county firms have stepped up to support the Broadband Means Business campaign, with almost half of them signing up since June alone. The aim is to reach 10,000 business sign-ups by December, leaving just four and half months to get around 9,000 extra businesses to give their backing.

Just 84 of the businesses which have registered are from Lincoln, with a further 66 having registered in Boston and 94 in South Holland. Leading the way is East Lindsey, which has seen 320 businesses support the campaign, followed by 168 businesses in West Lindsey and 144 and 139 firms in South Kesteven and North Kesteven respectively.

Simon Beardsley, Chief Executive at the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce which is spearheading the campaign with the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) and the Institute of Directors (IoD) on behalf of Lincolnshire County Council, said: “The business community in Lincolnshire will see huge benefits once there is better broadband provision in the area. All businesses need to do to help get to that point is to take just a couple of minutes and register with OnLincolnshire.org to help bring that provision here.

“Even if you already work in an area which has good broadband, this is a chance to support the wider community and help those which operate in the so-called ‘not spots’. I think this maybe why we’re seeing such higher numbers of sign-ups in more rural areas like East and West Lindsey where there is a much poorer service – but we’ve all got a responsibility to help the whole county get connected.”

The campaign encourages people to sign up to OnLincolnshire.org, a dedicated website run by Lincolnshire County Council highlighting issues surrounding poor broadband speeds.

All the sign-ups will eventually be used to demonstrate to commercial suppliers that there is an appetite for superfast broadband in the county.

The initiative is part of Lincolnshire County Council’s Lincolnshire Broadband Plan, which aims to bring next-generation broadband (a minimum of 24Mbps) to 90% of county premises by 2015 and a guarantee of at least 2Mbps for the remaining 10%.

Michael Self, Development Manager for Lincolnshire at the FSB, added: “We have a fantastic opportunity right now to revolutionise communications through the ‘Broadband Means Business’ initiative from OnLincolnshire.

“We have the funding already in place – usually the hardest part – and all we need to do now is prove to the service providers that there is the demand here for advanced broadband. There’s no commitment, just an expression of interest, and so I would call on all local businesses to go onto the www.OnLincolnshire.org website now and register.

“Let’s make Lincolnshire the place to do business by bringing advanced broadband here as soon as possible.”

Register at www.onlincolnshire.org or, if you have little or no broadband access, complete a form which is available from Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce, the IoD or the FSB. Alternatively, you can register on a public network computer at your local library or call 01522 782066.

Ends

Notes to editors:

• The Broadband Means Business Campaign is being spearheaded by the Lincolnshire Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Small Businesses and the Institute of Directors. It will run between June and November this year.

• Lincolnshire County Council alone has put £10 million towards the OnLincolnshire project, another £4.3 million coming from Lincolnshire’s district councils and the European Union.

• Businesses can add their names to an online register calling for better services at www.OnLincolnshire.org. Those without access to the internet can still add their voice by calling Lincolnshire County Council’s Customer Service Department on 01522 782066 and giving their details.

Cerri Delaney
Shooting Star PR
01522 528540
cerri@shootingstar-pr.co.uk
www.shootingstar-pr.co.uk
t: @cerridelaney

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