The Institute of Directors (IoD) has demanded that the government move forward plans to roll out faster, full fibre broadband.
The government had previously announced plans to replace the UK’s current, copper wire infrastructure with fibre-optic cable by 2033.
But the IoD has now called for the deadline be moved forward to ‘soon after 2025’, citing unfairly slow internet access for businesses in rural areas.
“We are jogging while the rest of the world is sprinting,” said Dan Lewis, the IoD’s senior advisor on infrastructure. “With an ever-changing world of work, business should be looking to enable employees to work flexibly.
“Unfortunately, firms are paying the price for the neglect of full fibre connectivity.
“Where you live should not determine your ability to work, or even start a business, with flexibility. The internet should be creating a more level playing field for businesses regardless of location, but uneven broadband coverage means the opposite is true.”