19th December 2011
Cloud Industry Forum calls on Local Government to speed up Broadband roll-out
The Cloud Industry Forum has warned that unless Britain increases its regional broadband coverage with high-speed services, then the economic recovery will be impeded.
Andy Burton, Chair of the Cloud Industry Forum, stated: “If as a nation we are going to grow out of our current financial crisis business up and down the land need to be able to operate, compete and create wealth and this can only effectively be done from a level playing field where internet connectivity is concerned.
“It is small to medium sized businesses that represent our broadest employer base, our diversity and creativity, and it is they who are best placed to create the Jobs and revenues the country needs. However, their route to market in many cases is hampered by poor ADSL speeds, which in turn restrict their ability to benefit from advances in technology like cloud computing, making it more costly, laborious and challenging to operate. It’s not only a matter of competitive edge within the UK, as the UK itself is failing behind emerging markets like China. We cannot afford to give away our opportunity to thrive in a digital age by failing to provide the infrastructure that can harness our tremendous UK entrepreneurial capability.”
“Local authorities need to submit their draft plans to government by the end of February if they wish to secure funding for superfast broadband roll-out. It is simply not acceptable that places such as Herefordshire has only spent £50,000 on this project. If government – no matter at what level local or national – is serious about economic growth, then they need to take the issue of network infrastructure seriously too,” he concluded.
About the Cloud Industry Forum (CIF)
The Cloud Industry Forum (CIF) was established in direct response to the evolving supply models for the delivery of software and IT services that has expanded well beyond the traditional on-premise method to one that now embraces hosted and/or, pay-as-you-use Cloud solutions.
CIF’s purpose is twofold: To drive a common and public level of transparency about the capability, substance and best practices of online Service Providers (SaaS, PaaS, IaaS, Web hosting providers etc) through a process of self-certification to a Code of Practice. Second, this Code of Practice, and the use of the related Certification Mark on participant’s web sites, provides comfort and promotes trust to businesses and individuals wishing to leverage the commercial, financial and agile operations capabilities that the Cloud based and hosted solutions can offer. CIF is ensuring the integrity and governance of the self-certification process through regular random audits as well as investigating complaints from parties that challenge any specific participants self-certification status.
Our ambition is to bring business consumers and suppliers of Cloud and Hosted Services closer together in a trusted, sustainable and rewarding ecosystem.
