Glasgow businesses get free super-fast broadband trial

Businesses in Glasgow will get the chance to trial free super-fast broadband provided by BT.

Eligible businesses in the Glasgow Halfway area can now take part in the new trial, which lasts until the end of March next year. The test of fibre to the cabinet' will give businesses download speeds of up to 40Mbps and upstream speeds of 2Mbps.

Businesses in Muswell Hill, London and Whitchurch, Cardiff have already signed up to test drive the technology in trials currently being carried out.

In research to support the new trial, BT Business claimed that 61 per cent of small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) using faster broadband beieved it has had a positive impact on their business.

The national survey of 7,200 SMEs also revealed that 28 per cent of firms were using faster broadband to improve their websites, while another 25 per cent were using it so they could use more bandwidth-hungry technology online.

"Our three super-fast broadband trials will allow businesses to tell us just how they want to use the services and what's possible in real world conditions. It's very exciting for BT and those who want to take part," said BT Business managing director Bill Murphy, in a statement.

BT said it was the first major phase of its 1.5 billion investment in super-fast broadband by 2012, to ensure that 40 per cent of British homes and businesses could get fibre-based super-fast broadband.