Businesses urged to prepare for super-fast broadband traffic

Businesses urged to prepare for super-fast broadband traffic

Many businesses may be unprepared for the surge in traffic that super-fast 4G mobile broadband could bring, it has been claimed.

New research by Barclays found that half of online businesses expect 4G to boost traffic to their sites, yet 89 per cent of those quizzed have not taken action to ensure their website is mobile-ready.

The bank’s Online Business Outlook 2013 found that a third of businesses have seen their web traffic rise since Christmas but the vast majority do not have websites that are accessible from mobile phones. The research revealed that websites which have been optimised for mobile typically sell 27.8 per cent more than those that haven’t.

Furthermore, whilst many believe 4G will be good for sales, 45 per cent are concerned their site won’t be able to cope with the bump in traffic.

Of the companies surveyed, 64 per cent said they recognised that a sound mobile strategy was essential for their business but almost the same amount (60 per cent) admitted that they had not implemented one so far.

Barclays managing director and head of technology, media and telecoms, Sean Duffy, said, “We are advising our online clients to become mobile-ready, as it’s a significant opportunity, particularly with the imminent roll out of 4G networks across the UK due to make mobile browsing easier for more and more consumers.”

He added, “Businesses that fail to move with the times risk losing out on valuable e-commerce opportunities."

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