Posted: 07th Dec, 2010 By: MarkJ

New figures from KC ( Karoo ), the incumbent telecoms operator and broadband ISP for
Hull and
East Riding (Yorkshire), show that
internet traffic levels soared by 40% over the last week as employees stranded at home by the snowy weather conditions embraced
remote working.
The traffic increase was over
25% higher than experienced during the heavy snow of January 2010, which is apparently due to an increasing number of small businesses using technology to remain operational.
Sean Royce, Commercial and Finance Director at KC, said:
"In today’s digital age, a prolonged period of bad weather is no excuse for businesses to grind to a halt. It is so easy and cost-effective for employees to work from home using a computer and a mobile phone, and by having the right software and broadband service in place.
Unlike many other ISPs, our Karoo broadband service allows VPN access as a matter of course, making it easier for stranded workers to remain productive. The surge in traffic we’ve seen since the bad weather began suggests that a significant number of bosses have enabled remote working since the last cold snap!"
Last week the RSA, an insurance company, estimated that the
total cost to the UK economy of our bad weather conditions could be up to £1.2bn. Similarly FirstCare, an absence management company, claimed that
11% of the work force was unable to work.
It should be said that not all homes have a broadband link capable of effective home working, especially when other family members need it too. The severe weather conditions also caused power cuts and other connectivity woes, which made it hard for some to get online.