Many Minnesota Businesses Want Faster Internet Services
St. Paul, MN (PRWEB) September 04, 2014 -- Explore New Infographic
New research released today by Connect Minnesota shows that while online sales represent substantial revenues for state businesses, a significant number of Minnesota businesses want more bandwidth or faster Internet service. The survey reveals that 21,000 Internet-connected businesses want more bandwidth; of those, nearly two-fifths (39%) report that they can’t get faster service where they are located.
“The data continue to illustrate the importance of broadband to our state’s businesses and our economy,” said William Hoffman, state program director for Connect Minnesota. “Bandwidth and high-speed Internet access are no longer luxuries for businesses – they are necessities.”
Among other findings of the 2014 Minnesota business survey:
• Online sales represented more than $36.8 billion in revenues for Minnesota businesses last year
• More than one in five Internet-connected Minnesota businesses (21%) now rely on cloud computing services, including data storage and back-up, file sharing, and website hosting
• 76,000 Internet-connected Minnesota businesses lack redundant or backup Internet service. This means that if anything were to happen to their Internet service, they would be unable to connect to the Internet
• More than one in eight businesses say it is important for new employees to be able to create or edit a mobile app, while one in nine say it is important for new employees to know at least one programming language
• Nearly half of Minnesota businesses (46%) say they spend their own time and resources training new employees on the software that their business uses
These and other findings are available on Connect Minnesota’s website.
Connect Minnesota’s 2014 business survey was based on interviews with 603 state businesses; the research was conducted as part of the State Broadband Initiative grant program for Minnesota, funded by the NTIA.
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About Connect Minnesota: Connect Minnesota has been working since 2008 to ensure that Minnesota residents have access to the economic, educational, and quality of life benefits derived from increased broadband access, adoption, and use. Part of that work includes maintaining detailed analysis of broadband availability across the state to support broadband planning efforts. Maps and tables of availability are available to view on the state and county level located on the Connect Minnesota website. As a public-private partnership, Connect Minnesota partners with technology-minded businesses, government entities and universities to accelerate technology in Minnesota. The work of Connect Minnesota is made possible by support from the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development. For more information about what Connect Minnesota is doing to accelerate technology in Minnesota’s communities, visit http://www.connectmn.org.
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Jessica Ditto, Connected Nation, http://www.connectednation.org, +1 (202) 251-4749, [email protected]
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