Business hit by slow net link (From Western Telegraph)

Business hit by slow net link

The virtual absence of a high-speed internet connection channel in Pembrokeshire is damaging efforts to establish new enterprises and jobs in the county.

Only British Telecoms exchanges in Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock are broadband-enabled.

Services are limited because the cost of extending the network, particularly to rural areas like Pembrokeshire, is not commercially viable to private companies like BT.

But this has created major obstacles for local businesses like Upton Farm Frozen Foods Ltd.

Proprietor and dairy farmer Richard Francis, a diversification pioneer, is eager to buy BTs broadband services but claims to have been consistently fobbed off during his application process.

I need the service urgently at Upton Farm to help me develop my frozen food business, he said at last weeks opening day of the Pembrokeshire County Show.

Broadband greatly speeds up internet connection and gives a considerable advantage to the increasing number of businesses using the net as a tool for sales, marketing and customer support.

He had been assured by a BT customer service representative that he could receive broadband, but this was contradicted by its sales department which claimed his line was not suitable.

The current atmosphere of non-communication, confusion and contradiction which I have experienced from BT does not encourage confidence in IT services and investment in commercial ventures, added Mr Francis, former chairman of the Dyfed branch of the Country Land and Business Association.

His comments came as Welsh Economic Development Minister Andrew Davies pledged a £100 million programme to bring broadband services to an extra 310,000 homes and 67,000 businesses in Wales. He promised that the unit would become fully operation by next April.

It wont be a moment too soon believes Richard Packman, of the Pembrokeshire Business Initiative.

An absence of broadband is hindering the competitive nature of Pembrokeshire businesses simply because internet connection costs are significantly higher, he said.

We have an example close to our offices in Haverfordwest. A business has moved into the area, everything is fine and its e-commerce is up and running well but the company says it must now get its call charges down. A broadband service is particularly important to remote areas like Pembrokeshire, he added.

The one disadvantage we have is our remoteness from the marketplace. The introduction of electronic commerce removes this to a certain extent but we cannot afford to disadvantage ourselves with a lower standard of service created by slow internet access.

Mr Packman is urging businesses to get together to lobby BT to introduce broadband at its other exchanges in the county.