MAJOR efforts are being ­undertaken to boost broadband access for SMEs in Glasgow, but frustrations remain and more businesses signing up would help what is a demand-driven model, delegates heard yesterday at the 17th annual State of the City Economy Conference.

Mark Harrop, BT group director, wireless cities, devices, mobility and innovation, acknowledged gaps in coverage. "It's a fair point - all cities have challenges around broadband and Glasgow is not unique in that," he said.

As for when a fibre broadband boost will become available, he said "we know it's a challenge" and added that the company is working with the Scottish Government to achieve 98 per cent coverage by 2017.

"It's taking time, but infrastructure projects take time," he said. "I think we've made very, very strong progress and we will continue to deliver on that so then it will be about how do we do that last two per cent."

But he said, while BT is "pulling every lever" it can and understands the pressures and problems caused by a lack of broadband access, the pace of progress might not match SME needs.

In their case, he explained, their access is in many ways reliant on residential demand but less suited to much larger-scale ethernet options that are easier to install.

To boost access for SMEs, he said: "It takes time to build and drive the economic demand. I think there's a lot of benefit to be had from more businesses taking up what is there."

Mr Harrop did praise the sector's increased broadband uptake in the city, adding that he sees Glasgow as very able to take advantage of major opportunities like smart cities, which use digital technologies to help communities reach their full potential.

He said: "There's a huge addressable market there and I think Glasgow is really well-positioned to both exploit those technologies to drive savings and efficiencies and environmental benefits locally, and create export industries for skills, know-how, products and services that are developed here."

He said the first "green shoots" are there, adding that Glasgow could become a kind of "laboratory" around using technology to enhance the retail experience, for example "beaconing" that can provide smartphone users with local deals and other benefits by using their location.

"I think there's a lot of things we can do there," he said. Highlighting the opportunity for Glasgow, he also said, "You work so well together as a city, why wouldn't you succeed?"

Also pointing out the many strengths for business success of Scotland's largest city was Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce.

"There are so many reasons why we should be confident about what Glasgow has to offer in the next five or ten years," he said.

"We took the opportunity during the Commonwealth Games to use them as a platform for changing the story of Glasgow," he said, also stating that the city should no longer be talked about as undergoing regeneration, but rather recognised as one of the UK's economic powerhouses.

The city's size is often underestimated, and its skills base is "excellent" and superior to many competitors like Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool, he also pointed out.