Away from the major conurbations, small businesses are likely to have it tougher. Aside from sometimes suffering from not having sufficient transport links connecting them to the wider world, they might find it hard to get a good internet connection, something which is an absolute must for any ambitious enterprise, irrespective of location. Rural firms have a lot more problems, basically.

In getting the whole of the UK connected, the major centres of population were among those best-placed to benefit as they received access to fibre optic and superfast broadband first. Businesses in cities such as London, Birmingham, Leeds and Glasgow already got a big leg up over their rivals, but are rural companies starting to catch up their big city counterparts?

A helping hand

After being left behind by some of the major broadband providers in favour of businesses and homes in the more densely-populated parts of the UK, some campaign groups have sprung up to try and raise awareness of the lack of attention paid in connecting rural outposts. Broadband is something that every business needs, whether for marketing, sales or networking.

In Devon and Cornwall, a recent initiative to try and improve broadband reception in the two counties revealed that many respondents to a recent survey felt that satellite broadband was surprisingly popular. This scheme had been given the thumbs up by many who managed to get broadband via satellite technology, but nationwide, some rural communities are still left behind.

Persistent problems

While running a rural business has many benefits, mass-rollout of superfast broadband for the entire UK could take years to complete. This will leave many companies feeling that they’re behind the times. Nevertheless, alternatives like satellite broadband may help to plug that gap without the need for waiting for engineering works to take place and be completed.

As roughly 20% of all business done in the UK is in rural environs, it makes sense for every business that needs it to have a good internet connection. Ensuring that they can connect to the net by any means necessary, they should be able to compete with their urban peers without fear of being cut off or being forced to settle for slow speeds.