The Essex Broadband partnership has officially launched and stressed the need to educate people on the benefits of high speed internet access.

High speed - Essex Broadband partnership is looking to promote the benefits of high-speed net access for business

Keynote speaker at the launch in Great Baddow, John Snyder from the East of England Development Agency (EEDA) said the importance of broadband in the business world should not be underestimated.

"I think we are looking at something as fundamental as electricity," he said.

The partnership is backed by Essex County Council, EEDA and the regional broadband aggregation bureau ADIT.

Mr Snyder pointed to the need for Essex to keep pace both national and internationally in the adoption of broadband.

He highlighted the need for social inclusion among communitites which had until recently struggled to get access to the net via broadband and emphasised the need for the organisations in the partnership to work co-opeatively.

"If we don't work together we have lost the plot altogether," he added.

"We have to understand broadband and apply it."

Describing the use of broadband as a 'fundamental core service' he said: "Businesses do not use it because they don't really understand that value of broadband."

Stephen Castle, Essex County Council's cabinet member for strategic co-ordination and stakeholder liaison, said the purpose of the partnership was 'to ensure Essex is wired for the 21st century.'

Published Thursday September 30, 2004