IT infrastructure poor in UK

News Article - 29 April 2010
Category: Technology

Professor Peter Cochrane, one of the UK's most respected futurologists, has criticised the United Kingdom's IT infrastructure for lacking the modern advancements available in other countries. Professor Cochrane's comments centre specifically on the UK's broadband offering, which is severely lacking in bandwidth compared with networks in Korea and Japan.

Upgrading the UK's entire infrastructure would cost an estimated £500bn, a significant sum considering the UK's spiralling budget deficit and the immediate need to cut back spending. However, upgrading the broadband network would require an injection of just £5-£15bn. This would connect every home and office in the UK to optical fibre and ultra-fast broadband speeds.

According to Professor Cochrane, upgrading the broadband network could lead to economic rejuvenation in many areas that would offer a superior return on the initial investment. Regions that have made the switch to ultra-fast broadband - in particular South East Asia - can now access technology-based facilities unseen in the UK.

The current British broadband network is ranked between 20^th and 30^th in the World in terms of bandwidth and infrastructure. States leading the broadband agenda spend around 2% GDP growth on broadband expansion; the UK does not spend close to this, and with the scrapping of the 50p tax from the Finance Bill it may become even more difficult to raise the finance required to fund future expansion.

In the business world, IT infrastructure leads the agenda in much the same way. Companies that lack the connectivity offered by high-speed connections, and the internal cohesion offered by robust business software may suffer from reduced profitability and less efficient operations as competitors gain access to newer technologies more easily. All businesses should upgrade internal IT infrastructure, where there is a clear business benefit, and not rely on the government to lead future expansion.

Access' robust business software solutions are one of the best ways to join-up internal communications and ensure all data is accessible to the right departments at the right times. Decision-making becomes far more logical with full financial disclosure in mind, leading to a number of company-wide improvements. One of the most positive benefits is enhanced supplier relationships - full purchase analysis is available in real-time, giving companies all the tools needed to interrogate supplier performance at any point in the supply chain.

For more information, please call Access on 0845 345 3300.

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