# Why a good internet connection is a must for all. Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2021-07-27 Category: TECHNOLOGY Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/technology Meta Title: The Digital Divide: Impact on Rural Businesses in the UK Meta Description: Discover how lack of fast, reliable internet creates a digital divide for rural businesses, hindering growth and online capabilities. URL: https://financedigest.com/why-a-good-internet-connection-is-a-must-for-allhtml ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/13-1736838119004-compressed.jpg) By David Hennell from [4G National Broadband](https://www.4g-internet.co.uk/) The internet is one of the most valuable resources we all have access to. In fact, it’s so important that for years there has been an ongoing campaign to have it recognised as a core human right. From shopping to socialising, the internet is at the heart of how we live. And that’s not just the case with our [personal lives – it ever increasingly applies to the way](https://www.financedigest.com/five-ways-to-keep-your-personal-data-safe-from-hackers.html "Five ways to keep your personal data safe from hackers") we work too. **The renaissance of rural business** It’s all too easy to think of remote [working as something that only impacts corporate staff – those people who sit in Zoom meetings](https://www.financedigest.com/meetings-in-the-metaverse-how-likely-is-this-the-future-of-work.html "Meetings in the metaverse – how likely is this the future of work?") all day or spend their days writing documents and uploading them to Google Docs. But the truth is far more complicated. A staggering 800,000 new [businesses were incorporated in the UK in 2020 – with 75%](https://www.financedigest.com/green-initiatives-cut-self-storage-business-space-stations-energy-costs-by-75.html "Green initiatives cut self-storage business Space Station’s energy costs by 75%") of these being founded in someone’s home. And only a fraction of these fit this stereotypical view of [remote working](https://www.financedigest.com/remote-working-tips-to-help-it-last-longer.html "Remote working tips to help IT last longer"). The [internet is crucial for businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/pinshares-and-pinterest-two-of-the-best-pinshares-for-branding-your-business-on-the-internet.html "Pinshares And Pinterest – Two Of The Best Pinshares For Branding Your Business On The Internet") of all kinds and all sizes – from farming and manufacturing through to arts and design. It’s what [connects businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/keeping-data-connected-for-greater-business-value.html "Keeping Data Connected for Greater Business Value") to their suppliers and customers, allowing them to monitor in real-time what is happening with their products and on their websites. And from a blinkered ivory tower perspective, it’s all too easy to assume that every business and [home in the UK that wants access to fast](https://www.financedigest.com/at-the-home-of-zara-fast-and-slow-fashion-collide.html "At the home of Zara, fast and slow fashion collide"), reliable internet can get it easily and immediately from a traditional fibre broadband provider. But that simply isn’t the case. According to Ofcom, 600,000 properties scattered all around the UK lack access to fit for purpose broadband, meaning that for them, this transition and access to the most necessary online services for [businesses to thrive has been next](https://www.financedigest.com/workforce-management-the-next-cloud-resource-for-businesses.html "Workforce management; the next cloud resource for businesses?") to impossible. The digital divide that results from this disparity in [internet access](https://www.financedigest.com/51-of-brits-support-teresa-may-and-would-grant-access-to-their-personal-communication-and-internet-browsing-history-as-part-of-the-snoopers-charter.html "51%* of Brits support Teresa May and would grant access to their personal communication and internet browsing history as part of the Snooper’s Charter "), where many are left forced to use outdated and slow ADSL connections, barely even having access to what we consider basic functions, is one of the biggest handicaps for independent businesses and workers. If there’s no fast and stable internet connection available, how can [businesses be expected to succeed with no workable access to online necessities such as video conferencing and e-commerce management](https://www.financedigest.com/finance-management-for-small-business.html "Finance management for small business")? **Rural businesses and the ‘Digital Divide’** While this might sound like an isolated problem, it’s actually a concrete example of the [digital divide](https://www.financedigest.com/remove-the-digital-divide-for-employee-productivity-management.html "Remove The Digital Divide For Employee Productivity Management") in the UK. A [slow connection means slower growth](https://www.financedigest.com/china-nov-export-growth-slows-but-imports-accelerate.html "China Nov export growth slows but imports accelerate") and makes it harder for businesses in rural areas to realise their potential. That’s profoundly unfair – no one should have their [business aspirations hamstrung just because they don’t happen to live in a city or urban location](https://www.financedigest.com/dont-judge-a-business-by-its-location-entrepreneurial-creativity-could-help-fix-the-fraud-industry.html "Don’t judge a business by its location: entrepreneurial creativity could help fix the fraud industry"). This applies to rural businesses of all [shapes and sizes](https://www.financedigest.com/all-shapes-and-sizes-how-to-match-your-technology-to-your-finances.html "All shapes and sizes: How to match your technology to your finances") – even the most traditional of firms are ever more reliant on the internet. A report from Rural England found that the vast majority of rural [businesses view their smartphones as their most important](https://www.financedigest.com/the-importance-of-intuition-in-business.html "The Importance of Intuition in Business ") device (82%), closely followed by a laptop (79%) – needless to say, both of which depend on reliable connectivity. This isn’t connectivity for the sake of it – the same [research revealed](https://www.financedigest.com/a-nation-of-toffs-research-reveals-what-brits-class-as-posh-in-2016.html "A nation of toffs: Research reveals what Brits class as ‘posh’ in 2016") that a quarter of rural businesses had found that better connectivity allowed them to be more flexible in the way they worked. And it’s not just deskbound [workers who benefit](https://www.financedigest.com/industries-with-the-most-workplace-accidents-and-workers-comp-benefits.html "Industries with the Most Workplace Accidents and Workers Comp Benefits"). Technological developments such as the [Internet of Things](https://www.financedigest.com/2017-the-year-of-the-internet-of-some-things.html "2017 – The year of the Internet of ‘SOME’ Things") are already transforming farmers’ lives for the better by providing easier, safer ways to automate key farming activities like watering crops, monitoring processes and feeding animals – increasing efficiency and giving workers precious hours back in their day. But this again utterly depends on the availability of a reliable connection – farms that lack this risk becoming through no fault of their own the “have-nots” who look enviously over the fence at neighbours that are able to [reap the benefits](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-tourism-sector-already-reaping-the-benefits-of-brexit.html "UK TOURISM SECTOR ALREADY REAPING THE BENEFITS OF BREXIT") of a fast connection. **Untapped Economic Potential.** Taken together, there’s a clear and compelling argument for making rural connectivity a [priority for businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/intelliflo-shapes-business-priorities-with-insights-from-splunk-enterprise.html "Intelliflo Shapes Business Priorities With Insights From Splunk Enterprise") and politicians alike. There is far too much of an urban-centric [focus on further improving the broadband of those who already have a perfectly good connection](https://www.financedigest.com/quesnays-female-founders-in-tech-competition-to-expand-program-with-focus-on-insurance-technology-and-event-at-insuretech-connect-2018.html "Quesnay’s Female Founders in Tech Competition to Expand Program with Focus on Insurance Technology and Event at InsureTech Connect 2018"), rather than addressing connectivity for rural Britain, the area by far the most in need. With an increasing shift towards [remote and hybrid working](https://www.financedigest.com/trust-the-foundation-of-international-remote-working-culture.html "Trust: The foundation of international remote working culture"), good connectivity ensures that people can live where they want to live – without having to compromise in any way on their ability to do their jobs. It also brings real, significant [improvements for rural businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/improve-your-business-while-saving-the-planet-and-your-back-with-easycat.html "Improve your business while saving the planet and your back with EasyCat") – from farmers who can take advantage of the potential of the Internet of Things through to cottage businesses who can reliably advertise their products, communicate with suppliers and engage with customers. Perhaps most significantly of all, providing [universal broadband that is fit for purpose will do a huge amount to reinvigorate and enable rural businesses](https://www.financedigest.com/apple-hostshigh-tech-start-ups-from-worlds-number-one-university-business-incubator.html "Apple hostshigh-tech start-ups from world’s number one university business incubator") and in so doing, reverse rural decay – the growing tendency for younger residents to migrate away from rural locations in search of more widespread employment opportunities in cities. And crucially this ambition can be realised today. While most discussion is fixated upon the cost, difficulty and timescales involved in expanding fibre-based broadband into more remote areas, the truth is it’s by no means the only option. There are compelling broadband [delivery technologies](https://www.financedigest.com/revolutionising-financial-content-delivery-means-getting-core-technology-right-first.html "Revolutionising financial content delivery means getting core technology right first") which can be installed anywhere almost immediately – whether that’s via a satellite signal or by leveraging the UK’s 4G network. The latter can happily be used to provide remote [properties with a connection](https://www.financedigest.com/immediate-lift-of-oxford-property-prices-to-result-from-new-direct-high-speed-rail-connection-with-london.html "“Immediate lift” of Oxford property prices to result from new direct high speed rail connection with London") far faster and far more reliable than their existing ADSL lines – and in most cases doesn’t require anything more than a new router. Ensuring rural areas have access to a fast, reliable connection is the best way to help reduce the UK’s [digital divide and reinvigorate the rural economy](https://www.financedigest.com/going-cashless-the-developing-digital-economy.html "Going Cashless — The Developing Digital Economy"). The continued failure to do so leaves these areas [digitally deprived and wastes their largely untapped economic](https://www.financedigest.com/how-digital-commerce-merchants-can-weather-the-economic-storm.html "How Digital Commerce Merchants Can Weather the Economic Storm") potential – and that’s not to mention the substantial disadvantages suffered by rural homes and families. The question [must be asked:](https://www.financedigest.com/10-questions-cfos-must-ask-themselves-about-privacy.html "10 questions CFOs must ask themselves about privacy") when there are cost-effective alternatives ready to go right now, why should anyone be left waiting for the connection they deserve? --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---