Page being revised, please check again for more up to date information - (18th March 2008)

The survey conducted by Broadband Access Strategies for the South West Regional Development Agency posed over 50 questions to interviewees from 2500 separate companies, and held a series of focus groups. The companies were sampled evenly across each county in the South West and ranged from micro businesses to medium-sized enterprises to corporate giants.

Their insights have been captured both in a summary document and in a comprehensive report. They vary from the predictable to the intriguing and paint an exact picture of the current state of ICT usage by South West businesses. The findings provide an essential resource for forming policy, understanding the ICT market (and opportunities within it) and helping to form opinions about the true picture of ICT in the South West of England.

The internet is the core ICT function for many companies, revolutionising 21st century communications in the process, and 58% of all South West companies are connected. In general, the ratio of connected businesses grows with the size of the company thanks to the effects of greater resources, dedicated ICT staff and more office-based workers. Curiously, internet usage tails off at the 200+ staff level, because, as focus groups confirmed, companies are afraid of virus attacks, security breaches and/or a drop in productivity – although only 2% of large companies admit to having no ICT use at all.

No matter their size, all companies are using the internet for the same features: basic internet access and web-browsing (58%), external email (54%) and websites (40%). These technologies appear to form the limits of an Internet ‘comfort zone’ of understanding; there is still a long way to go before the use of extranets, EDI, video conferencing and computerised process control etc. make a significant impact.

Broadband, there is little doubt that broadband is having a major impact on ICT in the workplace. It is the ‘hot topic’ and formed the subject of the majority of conversations held during focus group sessions.

Despite the interest, dial-up remains the most common connection option for business at 31%; however broadband connectivity across all access platforms has now reached 17%, with ADSL as the dominant option at 11%.

The simplicity and costs of ADSL and cable broadband are a definite influence. In areas where ADSL is not available 50% fewer companies (of 50 staff or less) have broadband than in areas where ADSL is enabled, creating a concerning rural divide. This contrasts with a mere 10% difference between large companies (200+ staff) who perceive the critical value of broadband, whatever their circumstances, and will willingly seek non-ADSL solutions.

The comprehensive report also contains analysis of ICT Skills and Support, Drivers and Economic Impact, and the use of ICT by the Tourism and Leisure Sector.