£12.5m to help businesses make the most of superfast broadband

A new £12.5m programme to ensure businesses across Wales maximise the benefits of superfast broadband was announced by Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology Julie James today.

Wales already leads the way among the UK’s devolved nations with the availability of superfast broadband, with 79 per cent of premises now able to access it.

As a result of Superfast Cymru, the Access Broadband Cymru scheme and it successor, plans to bring superfast broadband to a number of business parks and industrial estates as well as the commercial roll-out, superfast broadband will be available across the whole of Wales in 2016.

In order to ensure businesses take full advantage of the benefits £12.5m will be provided for a five-year  programme.

Funded by the Welsh Government, local authorities and £7m from the European Regional Development Fund, the project will support primarily small and medium sized businesses to understand, adopt and exploit the superfast infrastructure.

The project builds on lessons learned and evidence gathered following pathfinder projects undertaken in Gwynedd, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Swansea and Blaenau Gwent.

Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology Julie James said:

“We are making tremendous progress in bringing superfast broadband across Wales.

“To reap the maximum economic benefit from this investment it is simply not enough for businesses to take-up superfast broadband.  To take full advantage of the superfast enabled technologies businesses need to use them to change and improve the way they work.

“It is not just about doing things quicker, it is about doing things smarter.

“The £12.5m project I am announcing today will help businesses do just that, ensuring they make the most of what superfast broadband can offer.”

Finance Minister Jane Hutt said:

“European funding has played a key role in bringing superfast broadband to communities across Wales through Superfast Cymru.

“As a pro-business government we want to see businesses make the most of this opportunity so that the economic benefits are maximised and I am pleased that further EU funding will support this scheme.

”This project will help businesses to change the way they operate to achieve economic benefits not only for their business but for Wales as a whole.”

Main features of the programme will include:

• Direct business support and advice through Business Wales.  Superfast business workshops, clinics and one-to-one sessions at a local level
• Research and intelligence, including the tracking and of adoption and exploitation of superfast broadband by businesses and providing insight into emerging technologies to ensure new  opportunities are included.
• Training and accreditation for business advisors who are delivering support on the ground.
• Champions for each local authority who will help lead engagement with their authority and local business community.

Further details are available from the Business Wales website: www.business.wales.gov.uk/superfastbusinesswales