Delivery of fast Broadband is still Too Slow says Oxfordshire Voice survey

Broadband providers in Oxfordshire are continually failing to serve companies across the region effectively or efficiently and they need to get their act together – fast.

That’s according to Oxfordshire Voice (1) which reflects the views of Oxfordshire businesses working in collaboration with local authorities.

Oxfordshire Voice is calling on the heads of the leading broadband providers to meet its partners face-to-face and explain why they are failing to deliver and how they are going to resolve the issue or at least compete internationally through more comprehensive broadband (2).

These calls are the result of a survey by Oxfordshire Voice, which polled five hundred business people across the county. It found more than three-quarters of them thought broadband speeds and the levels of connectivity were not good enough for a successful business environment. The survey also found the problem is not confined to the more rural areas. Poor internet speeds and poor customer service from the providers is also a serious issue in the city.

This, and a number of other issues around technology and connectivity, were also debated at the first partners’ meeting (3) of Oxfordshire Voice. The meeting also heard how dreams of Oxford becoming a ‘Smart City’ are being held back by poor infrastructure and low connectivity.

“We are always hearing about weak phone signals, poor broadband speeds and lost data. Our thriving business community deserves better, but confidence in the providers is low,” says Frank Nigriello of Unipart at Cowley. Unipart is an Oxfordshire Voice partner and hosted the opening event.

“However, it’s no good just complaining. Oxfordshire Voice is focussed on collaborating with everyone involved in problems such as this so we can solve them,” says Mr Nigriello.

Tony Hart, of Smart Oxford, which is charged with promoting Oxford as a ‘Smart City’ said, “Digital technology underpins all business (and social) activities nowadays and it is essential that we establish an effective digital infrastructure (connectivity and open access to data) to enable the Oxford city region to live up to its potential as a world-class ‘smart’ city.” Hart also told the meeting that there needed to be far more awareness of the connectivity issues.

Part of Oxfordshire Voice’s role will be to create greater awareness of these issues and any measures in place to help businesses. Oxfordshire County Council’s Craig Bower has asked Oxfordshire Voice to help create more awareness of their services and progress to date, “We consider the availability of fibre broadband to be critical in achieving a thriving economy and communities in Oxfordshire. The Better Broadband programme www.betterbroadbandoxfordshire.org.uk/cms has enabled nearly 80,000 premises, including businesses, to access superfast broadband.

“The programme is keen to help any businesses which still don’t have decent broadband. Although some 96% of premises in the county have access to superfast broadband, the council recognises those businesses remaining without coverage are severely constrained.” To find out more about the programme, visit the website or see more details in the notes below. (4)

With 96% of premises having access to superfast broadband but 75% of those surveyed still unhappy, there is clearly a requirement for increased speeds to match the aspirations of the business community.

The huge potential of Oxfordshire Voice was demonstrated with the plethora of problems besetting business in the one debated field of digital technology. Many questions were asked and a number of potential solutions debated.

=This is just the start but to make Oxfordshire Voice more powerful and heard more loudly we need to grow the committed group of businesses that underpin the structure of Oxfordshire Voice. Businesses concerned about their future and the future of Oxfordshire should contact Richard Rosser, founder of Oxfordshire Voice. Please also visit issuu.com/b4-business/docs/b4_voice_a4> for more information about Partnership opportunities.

Public and private sector support of the Oxfordshire Voice initiative is vital to ensure debates truly represent a collaboration between business, local authorities and elected officials. With support from Oxford City and Oxfordshire County Councils already secured, Oxfordshire Voice is openly inviting the District Councils and local MP’s to join the monthly forums to ensure we are all working together and pulling in the same direction. Confirmed Oxfordshire Voice Partners – see (5).

The Oxfordshire Voice forum and its survey is the beginning of a new and innovative two-fold strategy for the county. Firstly, to create a collaborative organisation to inform policy and find workable solutions to the many issues facing the business community. Secondly, to make sure the rest of the world gets to hear how Oxfordshire is one of the world’s most vibrant, productive and attractive places to do business.

Other key areas of focus include transport and communication, social and environmental issues, housing and skills. The latter will be the focus of the next Oxfordshire Voice forum, drilling down as to why it is so hard to recruit in Oxfordshire. It takes place on 15th November at Pembroke College from 4pm to 7pm. (6)

Note to editors

1 – About Oxfordshire Voice:

Oxfordshire Voice is a public and private sector collaboration which aims to provide solutions to the key challenges stifling economic development in Oxfordshire.

Oxfordshire Voice was set up and is managed by B4, Oxfordshire’s leading business community. For further information about OV see: issuu.com/b4-business/docs/b4_voice_a4

The survey debated at the first forum was sent to over 500 business people in the B4 community and was sent out via email on survey monkey. Other Q&A’s are available on request.

2 – Competing internationally:

Full-fibre (also phrased as FFTP – fibre to the property) for the UK is 3.5% in comparison to Estonia that has 70%, Portugal that as 85% and much of Scandinavia has 95%.

In Oxfordshire, currently 8% in Oxfordshire has full fibre.

3 – More about the Unipart forum:

See also links below to pictures and video from the Unipart forum:

• Video: youtu.be/GKtlygUe4Hs
• Photos: flic.kr/s/aHsmukFrNm

4 – Details about the Oxfordshire County Council broadband programme:

If any business does not have access to broadband capable of at least 30Mb/s download, please contact Oxfordshire County Council which has funding from DEFRA to help address the final few percent of rural businesses without fast broadband, and there is also a government scheme for helping with costs of full-fibre connectivity. Please contact broadband@oxfordshire.gov.uk. Details of the government scheme are also available at gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk.

There is also a central government scheme available for businesses and residences to get significant funding for full fibre connectivity gigabitvoucher.culture.gov.uk. If you contact broadband@oxfordshire.gov.uk a member of the team will get back to you and will provide further details of the government scheme or with details of further coverage under the Better Broadband programme.

5 – Oxfordshire Voice partners include the following:

6 – Future Oxfordshire Voice events:

The formal launch of Oxfordshire Voice will take place at The Blavatnik School of Government on Thursday 17th January.

Register for the next OV forum at Pembroke College here: oxfordshire-voice-recruit.eventbrite.co.uk

Attendees at the forum including representatives from the following: