Research into the market demand, technical options and costs to deploy high-speed broadband connectivity to digitally excluded communities.
A ground-breaking Broadband Quality Study by Cisco and Oxford University, published in September 2008 and updated in October 2009, highlighted a nation’s ability to benefit from next-generation internet services – the combined research team (Weigang and Sudeep, 2009) found that broadband quality is linked to the socio-economic advancement of a country.
The Chairman of the Commission for Rural Communities and the UK Government's Rural Advocate, Dr Stuart Burgess, launched his Rural Advocate Report in March 2010. This report focuses on issues affecting people living and working in rural England and covers several issues affecting the sustainability of the countryside with a set of recommendations that include digital communications.
Save9 Limited, an ICT research specialist based in North Yorkshire, has eight years experience in wireless, broadband and fibre networking technologies - deployed in both commercial and public sector environments. Ryedale District Council appointed Save9 to research and investigate the most suitable options for deploying high speed broadband connectivity to the key commercial centres of Malton and Norton.
Client feedback: Ryedale District Council
"Save9's research and consultancy service provided the Council with a valuable insight into private sector broadband-usage plus an analysis of end-user needs via their engagement with the local business community. This approach helps us to align our economic development plans to a rapidly changing rural economy and to develop projects that support local businesses and boost the District’s economy."
Our research included targeted data-collection methods; mass-mailings, interviewing key business stakeholders, town meetings (discussions and feedback at events and business networking groups) followed by an analysis of trends in the questionnaire results. The primary purpose of our data collection activity was to determine current commercial broadband usage and to identify the business drivers, attitudes and experience of internet usage - all related to how improving broadband services might benefit the local economy.