£3.9million broadband advice service for business

Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster has confirmed the award of a £3.9million contract to deliver expert broadband advice to local businesses.

Co-financed under the European Regional Development Fund Sustainable Competitiveness Programme 2007-2013, the contract for delivery of the support programme was awarded to Commendium Limited, following a competitive tendering process.

Those SMEs participating in the programme will have access to ‘supplier neutral’ expert broadband advice, delivered by teams of trained broadband advisers, who will develop and deliver tailored action plans.

Announcing the award of the contract to Commendium Limited, the minister said: “This £3.9million investment will deliver an important service to our SME community, which will offer practical business support.

“Broadband is an increasingly integral part of the economy. Its integration with Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) accelerates the performance of ICT and facilitates improved business efficiency, productivity and globalisation of services. It is a key driver for the development of the knowledge economy and is recognised widely in international studies for its potential to accelerate economic growth.”

Arlene Foster continued: “As an economy with a high reliance on SMEs, we must aim to drive higher levels of take-up and more sophisticated use of broadband technologies. We must exploit our success as the first, and to date only region in Europe to deliver 100% access to broadband services.

“This programme provides an excellent mechanism to assist SMEs by developing tailored action plans to assist them with their move towards full e-business activity.”

The programme has two specific objectives – to stimulate take-up of broadband within, and increase the level of e-business activity undertaken by, local SMEs. While the programme will carry a specific rural focus to promote the value of broadband in western areas where existing levels of take-up are below the Northern Ireland average, access to the support is available to every SME in Northern Ireland.

As part of the delivery strategy, the broadband advisers will operate out of fixed and mobile demonstration centres. Arrangements are now underway to establish the fixed demonstration centre in premises in Omagh and to procure the mobile centre which will cover all of Northern Ireland.

The minister concluded: “I am particularly pleased that this programme carries a rural focus and I encourage all councils to actively promote this service among their SMEs and to avail of the mobile demonstration centre facilities which will come on stream in 2009.

“I also congratulate Commendium Limited on winning this contract and look to them to build upon their proven track record in delivering broadband support services to SMEs.”

Commendium Limited is a business consultancy company based in Cumbria. It has experience in the delivery of tailored broadband support programmes to businesses.

Notes to Editors:

1. The contract for this trial was awarded to Commendium on 13 November 2008 following a competitive tender process.
2. The support service will operate to 2013, with a mid-point evaluation scheduled for 2011.
3. Details on the project are available by request (telephone 028 9052 9560).
4. Media enquiries please contact DETI Press Office, telephone 028 9052 9297. Outside office hours, please contact the Duty Press Officer via pager number 07699 715 440 and your call will be returned.