Broadband - 2/3rds of businesses consider broadband essential for operations

[xln telecom] More than two-thirds (67 per cent) of businesses consider broadband to be crucial to their work.

This is according to the latest survey by XLN Telecom, which polled 657 firms in the small to medium-sized business sector.

The most important services and utilities included the telephone (77 per cent), electricity (76 per cent), water (39 per cent) and gas (19 per cent).

Almost half (42 per cent) thought that broadband was a basic essential for the running of their businesses.

This is almost a four-fold leap on the number that thought it was critical in 2005, when only 11 per cent considered it as vital.

However, confusion remained over broadband speeds – an issue which has recently been highlighted by the industry regulator.

More than a third (37 per cent) did not know which broadband speed they were paying for – suggesting they might be not be getting value for money.

Commenting on the survey findings, XLN's managing director Christian Nelleman said: "Today, the vast majority of companies of this size simply cannot function without business broadband, and decision makers have a right to call for packages suited to their organisation in terms of scale, service and cost."

Business broadband crucial for success