22 February 2019
The National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has found that just 16 per cent of members now have access to superfast broadband, albeit an increase of 12 per cent since 2015.
However, despite clear improvements to 4G services and increased access to superfast broadband, the results of the broadband and mobile survey still underlined the importance for improved coverage to help farmers and their businesses.
The latest NFU findings also found that 96 per cent had web access through a device. Of that figure, 89 per cent of respondents said broadband was an integral part of their day-to-day business.
In addition, it highlighted that a considerable number of the 812 farmers who took part (42 per cent) continue to experience the slowest download speeds of 2 Mbps or less, although this has fallen from 58 per cent in 2015.
Furthermore, just 17 per cent of those surveyed receive a reliable mobile signal in all outdoor locations – and 19 per cent in all indoor locations.
Still the survey did produce more positive news in that there was a significant increase in farmers accessing superfast download speeds of 24 Mbps or more over the past four years.
Stuart Roberts, vice president of the NFU, said slow broadband speeds and intermittent mobile coverage were barriers to improving farm productivity and fostering faith in digital technology.
“It’s vital that government ensures rural businesses have access to the same reliable broadband and mobile connectivity as urban businesses so they can remain productive, competitive and innovative,” he said. “The benefits that farmers receive from applying full connectivity are many; from optimising the use of inputs to decreasing farm costs and improving productivity as a result.
Andrew Glover, chair of the Internet Services Providers’ Association (ISPA) told Networking+ that in many rural locations it is important to consider alternative solutions to fixed broadband, including satellite and wireless connections. “ISPA hopes that with the increasing support from the UK Government through the FTIR, the industry will be able to build on this progress to reach the rural areas that need it most,” he said.
