Businesses get boost from superfast broadband scheme

A training and support scheme to help Lancashire businesses make the most of superfast broadband has given a vital boost to the Lancashire economy, according to the latest independent research.

The findings come today as the government announced that its nationwide rollout of superfast broadband had now reached more than three million homes and businesses in the UK.

Researchers from Edge Hill University Business School quizzed more than half of the 700 Lancashire firms involved in the programme, funded jointly by BT and the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and overseen by Superfast Lancashire, a partnership of BT, Lancashire County Council.

• 55 per cent of businesses involved in the programme made sales to new customers in the region
• 37 per cent made sales to new customers across the UK
• 64 per cent strengthened relations with existing customers
• 30 per cent saw an increase in turnover
• 27 per cent saw an increase in revenue

The Leyland centre’s pioneering programme was centred on face-to-face seminars about websites, social media, customer relationship management and online security all backed by mentoring and online resources to ensure firms made the most from high-speed fibre broadband.