Despite efforts from the UK government, business leaders still feel there is a stark rural divide in connectivity, according to Cradlepoint‘s The State of Connectivity Report in Europe 2023.

The report surveyed over 3,000 respondents from the UK, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Spain, and Italy across various sectors at owner, c-suite, and senior management levels.

The technology decision-makers surveyed revealed that despite improvements in connectivity, their businesses still often suffer due to a poor internet access.

A third (33%) of businesses across Europe claimed to have lost work due to poor connectivity, with nearly half (46%) of all respondents having higher operational costs as a result of poor connectivity.

A staggering majority (90%) of business leaders think that better connectivity will improve their economic resiliency, with 25% saying it could add £10-20 million into the economy.

Still, 46% business leaders do not think their governments are being proactive enough in improving connectivity.

This is especially true for rural areas, where 74% of those surveyed felt like they were being left behind due to poor connectivity.

Across Europe, 74% reported an average downtime of up to two hours every week, at minimum, for their internet connectivity, costing potential thousands in lost revenue.

Interestingly, as the UK continues its fibre rollout, a majority of business leaders across Europe (67%) believe that cellular connectivity is a more sustainable alternative than fibre.

In the UK

While the report noted the strides in UK connectivity – with 5G reaching 70% of properties across the country according to Ofcom – business leaders still cited struggles.

Nearly 72% of respondents said they experience at least one to two hours of connectivity downtime a week.

This lead nearly two thirds (58%) to feel the government has simply not invested enough to their connectivity projects.

Despite Project Gigabit and The Shared Rural Network, business leaders are still unsatisfied with UK connectivity, according to the report.

A problem perhaps setting the UK apart from the rest of Europe in this ordeal is Brexit. Business leaders sited the ‘tortuous’ process of recruiting workers following Brexit as a potential roadblock slowing broadband rollout.

Further, the perception of the digital divide in the UK is stark, as over three quarters (79%) of business leaders believing rural areas are left behind, giving them no choice but to set up their business efforts in well-connected cities (84%).

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This only leads to an increase in skills shortages – rural students are help back by a lack of connectivity, 82% of respondents said.

While the UK has announced their Wireless Infrastructure Strategy since the survey was conducted, this can only be measured on its delivery, not its promises, Cradelpoint SVP EMEA James Bristow warned.

While this plan is a step in the right direction, the deadline of 2030 is still several years away, and the objectives leave lots room for improvement. For example, only getting 5G to populated areas means rural areas will continue to be left behind, often the places that need the most attention,” Bristow said.

“Meaning existing digital and productivity gaps will persist in the future as well. If the government is truly determined to establish the UK as a leading nation in the world of wireless infrastructure, and unlock the benefits this can bring to businesses, much more support is needed.”