Businesses and consumers make broadband their recession-beating umbrella

The best protection against the current financial storms appears to be behind a computer screen.

That's the evidence in the news - during last year, the UK population invested in another 1.7 million broadband lines. This was despite the deep gloom and doom of 2008's second half. 

And the general consensus among industry analysts is that broadband's remarkable resilience is set to continue. Other products and sectors are being battered by the downturn but analysts are forecasting that between now and 2013, the country's 17.4 million broadband connections will expand to 22 million. While it's widely recognised that the UK broadband market's maximum growth period is probably over, that jump in numbers still represents an average year-on-year growth rate of 5% - and important extra revenue generation potential for Communications Providers who are primed to grasp it.

These figures are also tangible proof that even when short of cash, people are unwilling to cut their broadband connections. This is also supported by a recent BT market survey* which found that broadband tops the 'refuse to lose' list for 57% of UK consumers: the one thing they really can't imagine living without. And for 44% of those surveyed broadband has also taken on a new persona as a vital cost-saving tool.

In the new era of budget-conscious, stay-at-home lifestyles, people are not only using their broadband service more but also in fresh ways. Access to online TV and video services mean that they are switching from the traditional box in the corner for their entertainment. While the High Street is suffering from a shortage of footfall, online shopping, bargain hunting and price comparisons are booming. Social networking and multi-player gaming sites are thriving too. Demand for VoIP services is going mass market as a supplementary or alternative voice service.

Businesses too are taking a new look at how to gain more from their broadband connection to help cut overheads and boost efficiencies. Why travel to meetings when you have a number of online conferencing tools at your fingertips - and you can also add reducing your carbon footprint into the bargain? Who needs expensive city centre offices when you can connect your people to work from home? Applications of this kind are already commonplace in many larger companies and increasingly smaller businesses are recognising - and embracing - their advantages, underpinned by the services and the ideas their Communications Providers can provide at keen prices.

And if you're not already in the broadband business - or you don't want to continue with the costs and complexities of DIY service management - a new managed broadband solution from BT Wholesale could be your key, particularly as it's built for the shift to thrift.

BT Plusnet Partner Broadband comes with no set up costs, competitive wholesale prices, pay-as-you-grow charging and no customer number commitments, enabling you to go to market quickly at low cost and low risk. It also offers a revolutionary web portal that puts you in total control of your customers' accounts 24/7 with the help of easy customer migration admin, CRM tools, diagnostics tools and management info. Add all these factors together and you have an ideal opportunity to start capturing that forecast 5% growth in the market.

* You can read more about BT's 'refuse to lose' market survey here. 

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Find out more about our latest managed broadband solution - BT Plusnet Partner - here.  Or contact your BT Wholesale account management team.