Affordable commercial property and good Internet are key reasons behind Newport being names Wales’ “top” city for starting a business in a recent study by Quality Formations.
Despite Newport being ranked 28th overall out of 69 cities nationwide the study reinforces business’ reliance on good Internet access, which the Welsh Government are trying encourage with the expansion of their two broadband voucher schemes.
The Access Broadband Cymru (ABC) and the Ultrafast Connectivity Voucher (UCV) have been designed to help businesses and homes in disadvantaged areas gain access to faster broadband. Both schemes have been modified as below:
- ABC will now be available to all homes and businesses across Wales which “currently do not have a superfast connection” (30Mbps+)
- ABC will now offer two levels of funding depending upon the Internet speed required. The first level will offer £400 for download speeds of 10Mbps+ and the second level will offer £800 for 30Mbps+. New connections through this scheme must deliver a step change in speed – with at least double your current download speeds (e.g. a current connection of 10Mbps must improve to at least 20Mbps).
- UCV is being opened up to businesses across Wales to help them meet the initial capital costs involved in installing ultrafast broadband services.
The updated schemes are available immediately and are scheduled to run until March 2018.