The UK government is offering small and medium enterprises (SMEs) cash to upgrade their broadband access, in a bid to boost the country’s competitiveness.
A pot of £100 million (€119 million) is being made available to ten cities across the country as part of a government program to boost urban connectivity. SMEs will be able to apply for grants of up to £3,000 to cover broadband upgrades, and the government plans to add a further 12 cities to the scheme in January.
Prime Minister, David Cameron, says high speed broadband is a key element in giving UK SMEs the tools they need to compete globally. “What better way to support small businesses – the lifeblood of our economy – than to help kit them out for the 21st century,” he says, adding the project “has the potential to bring China to Cardiff, Brazil to Bristol, and the Emirates to Edinburgh.”
Maria Miller, secretary of state for culture, media and sport, says small businesses can “save thousands of pounds” and “generate thousands more” by leveraging the scheme.