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Scottish SMEs Offered Better Speeds

802 Event WiFi is offering Scottish SMEs a unique window of opportunity to dramatically increase their broadband speeds to improve their customers' experience and increase their profits.

As the only Wireless Technology Approved Installer in Scotland for the Connection Vouchers Scheme (CVS), it is positioned to bring superfast wireless broadband to companies, multi-tenant business premises and even entire towns across Scotland.

However, there is less than a year left for companies to benefit from the scheme, which can bring real business advantages by reducing software and hardware costs and enhancing the way they communicate.

The Connection Vouchers Scheme is a UK government financial incentive to bring people with poor broadband connections up to speed with the rest of the country. It has been running in 22 cities across the UK since April 1, 2014.

However, as 802 Event WiFi chief executive Felix Gibson explained: "Take-up of the scheme has been limited because the grants of up to £3000 for SMEs and charities apply only to the installation and capital value.

"It does not cover monthly rental expenses and companies are finding that their rental costs for up to 40mb of superfast download speed are likely to increase substantially if they subscribe to the scheme.

"However, 802 Event WiFi can deliver the scheme through wireless connectivity - rather than fibre or copper - and use the grant to install a wireless service which is likely to significantly reduce the businesses' monthly rental costs and make the scheme more attractive."

The clock is now ticking for business who want to take advantage of the CVS. On April 1 this year, the Government allocated another £40 million to extend the scheme to 55 cities in the UK including Glasgow, Aberdeen and Stirling, as well as Edinburgh and Perth which are already eligible.

After April 1, 2016, the grants will no longer be available.

802 Event WiFi is now targeting multi-tenant premises such as business centres, where landlords could offer business tenants a hugely improved broadband capability at very little cost to themselves.

The company is also able to deliver town-wide superfast access for small communities where businesses are close together and centrally located. It is also able to roll out much higher broadband speeds to individual hotels, restaurants and retail outlets.

Felix Gibson said: "As the only Scottish Wireless technology Approved Installer, we want to help SMEs and charities to take advantage of this excellent government initiative. But it is time-limited, and they must act fast to gain superfast speed and future-proof their businesses."