SMALL business owners in one of Scotland's new towns have launched a campaign to drag its broadband speed up to acceptable levels as they claim it is no faster than old-style dial-up connections.
Representatives from a number of East Kilbride firms – including Joyce Heaps Homes, TARA Fabrications, ReTek and Centurion Signs UK – have already met with MSP Linda Fabiani and BT Scotland director Brendan Dick to voice their concerns.
The businesses claim download speeds at some times of day can be just 0.15 megabits per second, with uploads little better at 0.42 megabits.
Research which was published by communications regulator Ofcom earlier this year suggested the average speed across the UK was 7.6 megabits per second.
Glen Ballantyne, managing director of Centurion Signs UK, recently launched an online store selling health and safety signs around the world.
However, he said: "How can our businesses grow and embrace the economic advantages offered from online trading when we have an internet connection that only a caveman would envy?
"We need BT to invest in its broadband structure in the town, and its continued refusal to improve the offering has left us baffled."
BT said it had only been made aware of the issue recently and was examining what could be done, including whether the firms could use its Ethernet business class service which has speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second.
The telecoms giant said it had made "significant investments" in East Kilbride, with more than 22,000 homes and businesses having access to speeds of up to 20 megabits per second.
However, an ADSL broadband over copper network can lead to fluctuations in speed depending on how far away the receiver of the service is from a telephone exchange.
A spokeswoman for BT said: "We are aware of a small number of businesses in East Kilbride which have raised an issue about broadband speeds. We are now looking into any shorter term improvements that might be technically and commercially viable."
Local MSP Linda Fabiani said: "Many businesses across East Kilbride have contacted me about this so I was pleased to facilitate the meeting with BT. East Kilbride is Scotland's largest town and has a dynamic business community which helps to drive the economy of Scotland.
"It is essential that all agencies work together to make sure that EK-based companies are not in any way disadvantaged."
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