Cloud computing switch could enhance demand for business SDSL
A growing number of small companies are upgrading their internet connection, which could signal a rise in business SDSL uptake.
According to a new Easynet Connect poll of 255 IT decision-makers working in British small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), 19 per cent said they planned to increase their bandwidth ahead of a switch to cloud computing.
And the demand for business SDSL could rise rapidly because just 13 per cent of respondents indicated they would be upgrading at the end of 2008.
The study also revealed that next year could see many more companies switching to cloud computing applications such as Google Docs, Apple MobileMe and Google Apps.
For the uninitiated, cloud computing enables businesses to access services through their web browser without having to worry about internal technical support or server space.
But while 73 per cent of firms plan to introduce cloud computing over the next five years, business SDSL customers may be interested to hear that just 29 per cent have a formal strategy in place to handle the switchover.
With cloud computing, consumers need to regularly upload information so it is recommended they use a connection with good upstream rates such as business SDSL.
Factor in additional usage from video conferencing, media streaming and IP telephony and the need for good upload speeds becomes clear.
But one of the study’s most surprising revelations is that 80 per cent of companies are still reliant on ADSL connections, which offer a significantly lower upstream than downstream.
One possible solution is for them to arrange a high-speed business SDSL connection, taking advantage of up to 6Mbps and unlimited downloads.