Businesses 'must be given incentive to increase broadband speeds'

The leading providers of business broadband should be given further incentives to improve the service they offer and increase the available speeds.

Richard Patterson, spokesman for advice and information site broadband-expert.co.uk, explained the reasons for increasing speed alone are often clear.

It is commercially viable to do so, as raising the rate at which users can upload and download on the web will grab attention and help to win more subscribers.

However, there are other areas of a business broadband package that do not make business sense and could therefore be ignored, despite customer demand for them.

Mr Patterson urged authorities to "ensure that areas which are not commercially viable for broadband providers to service with superfast or even standard broadband connections are the beneficiaries of government funding".

The Country Land and Business Association this week suggested the top Christmas wish of many people and companies located in rural areas of the UK is for faster broadband to be installed.