'More focus needed on business broadband quality'

The government should focus on the needs of businesses as well as domestic consumers as it develops the UK's broadband infrastructure, according to a fibre network provider.

Geo, which specialises in providing fibre optic networks, said that while much of current government policy seems to be aimed at improving connection speeds to domestic users, Britain's economic recovery depends on businesses having modern infrastructure.

Having the technology to allow the more efficient use of VoIP hardware and networking connection speeds could give British industry a more competitive edge.

Chris Smedley, chief executive of Geo, said: "We must also consider what UK plc can do to lift the country out of recession. How will the government drive initiatives to help support these businesses with the right regulation, network infrastructure and services to deliver on it?"

He added that delivering faster connection speeds to domestic users is just one part of updating Britain's IT systems.

The government recently announced plans to connect every home to a service of at least two megabits per second within four years, but critics argue this will not be a fast enough baseline speed for many businesses.