Satellite Broadband drives rural areas back into business

by
Satellite Broadband drives rural areas back into business
Companies trying to run a successful business from a rural area have always faced bigger challenges than city based organisations. With the internet, and in particular social media now playing such a crucial role in building and retaining a loyal client base, it was feared that those with no dial-up access would suffer greatly.
Many broadband providers do not deem rural areas to be as profitable enough to warrant any investment, and have abandoned them as a consequence.
Modern day marketing
Statistics for 2013 show that there are roughly 33 million Facebook users and 34 million Twitter account holders in the U.K, which means any company hoping for client engagement without using social media are just burying their heads in the sand.
A slow dial-up connection will simply not cut the mustard when it comes to the fast paced nature of sharing information across the various social media platforms. As approximately 20% of businesses are located in rural areas, it is a sizeable enough chunk of the British economy that broadband providers cannot ignore.
Help from above
In response to this, a number of support groups have formed to fight the cause for businesses considered to be out in the sticks, and the results have been encouraging to say the least. In November 2011, The Devon and Somerset Rural Connection Scheme formed and have already been given big thumbs up from many delighted customers.
Not only did they benefit from impressive 20 Mb satellite broadband connection speeds; they were also given complimentary kits, free installation and on-going support. Devon council asked participants to complete a survey in order to monitor the campaigns success, with users saying the scheme had played a crucial part in the development of their business.
Dial-up drudgery
Andrew Walwyn CEO of Europasat said:
“For five years, we’ve been trying hard to reach the consumers still subject to the drudgery of dial-up, to show them that satellite broadband is the perfect alternative if they can’t get broadband over wires. The feedback we’ve had from those we’ve spoken to so far is that they simply didn’t realise that the satellite alternative existed or how fast modern satellite internet solutions are.
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you would like to receive our startup themed newsletter, full of the latest startup opportunities, events, news, stories, tips and advice, then sign up here.
The impact of standards, ethics and conduct on business success and profits - Work.Life has some interesting insights...

The lowdown on Space32 - the startup that wants to help hybrid-working businesses find the working space and solution that's right for them.

Global Tech for Good initiative seeks innovative startups and scaleups that are creating positive social impact and enhancing people's lives through tech.

The lowdown on Bidnamic, the startup that's combining advance machine learning with human expertise to help retailers to maximise revenue and profitability from Google Shopping.

Innovative Czech fintech startup 4Trans raises investment to expand first of its type AI driven factoring services across Europe.

Edinburgh-based life science company Cytomos secures funding to support further development of its innovative cell analysis tech.

Ethical Equity and Streets Consulting join forces to deliver Founder Workshop to help close the inequality gap in startup to scaleup funding.

Fancy being featured in this year’s SmallBiz100, which showcases the best of Britain’s vibrant small business community? There's just a couple of days left to do just that!

Screenloop secures major investment to support further development of its AI-driven recruitment platform that helps companies build the best teams and removes unconscious bias.

New research from School of Marketing reveals the impact that Covid-19 has had on key business sectors in the UK.
Published on: 21st January 2014
If you would like to enable commenting via your Startacus account, please enable Disqus functionality in your Account Settings.







- How the pandemic affected each industry 27th Jun 2022 New research from School of Marketing reveals the impact that Covid-19 has had on key business sectors in the UK.
- The Finalists of DBACE 2022 are revealed 21st Jun 2022 The lowdown on the innovative young visionaries that are in the running for this year's Deutsche Bank Awards for Creative Entrepreneurs.
- OKAPI: Orbits raises €5.5m for Breakthrough Space Traffic Management Software 13th Jun 2022 Innovative German SaaS startup OKAPI:Orbits secures investment to support its mission of securing efficient and safe operations in space.
- Kita, the world's first carbon insurer, raises £350k in pre-seed round 9th Jun 2022 Innovative startup, Kita secures investment to support build and launch of its essential carbon insurance products.