South East England Development Agency (SEEDA)

BROADBAND FOR BUSINESS IN BUCKS

29 November 2002

Lack of Broadband access across the South East is endangering the future economic success of communities.

To tackle this, the South East England Development Agency (SEEDA) has teamed up with Business Link to launch a further phase of the Satellite Broadband Pilot, which has already been successfully run in Hastings.

Business organisations and other agencies across the South East have been invited to a free breakfast seminar and exhibition held at Waddesdon Manor, Waddesdon, nr. Aylesbury as part of a region wide programme.

Alternative forms of Broadband access will be demonstrated and those attending will be given details of the eligibility criteria to compete for a limited number of available grants. Each grant is worth up to £1,060 for one year for Broadband access via satellite, and those who fulfil the criteria and are awarded grants will provide research findings over that time.

The Satellite Broadband Pilot is one of a range of SEEDA Broadband initiatives aimed at creating a world class digital infrastructure for the region. The initiatives are designed to promote the take-up of Broadband and provide insights into its effectiveness as a catalyst for sustainable development, particularly in areas with no current Broadband provision.

Chief Executive of SEEDA, Anthony Dunnett, said: "We believe that satellite Broadband can be a major catalyst for regeneration and economic growth, we have seen businesses transform their operations in our first pilot by being able to access and respond to new markets. By partnering with the Business Link network, we are able to explain the benefits and options to businesses across the region while giving direct advice to managers and owners."

The Satellite Pilot tests access to Broadband services in parts of the South East region where ADSL is not available. SEEDA designed the pilot so that participants provide feedback on the relevance, applicability and benefits of fast, always on, Broadband service. These results will help in driving the wider regional programme for stimulating Broadband demand in a part of the UK that is critical to the country's future growth.

Business Link's Chief Executive, Graeme Finch, said: "Because Buckinghamshire is predominantly a rural county with lower than average Broadband provision, this SEEDA project could really help accelerate telecommunication companies' commitment to accelerating the rollout of Broadband. We are pleased to be supporting SEEDA to deliver this project locally."

For further information about how to get involved in SEEDA's Satellite Broadband Pilot, contact the Business Link Customer Service Team on 0845 606 4466, or email info@businesslinksolutions.co.uk.