Regional Development Australia says Hunter businesses are struggling with current broadband speeds.

RDA Hunter CEO Todd Williams will this morning outline the region's business case for better high speed broadband.

The Hunter will trial the design and construction of the next phase of the NBN roll out.

Mr Williams says improving broadband speeds will lead to more investment into the region.

"We've found businesses primarily can't do what they need to get done now, in the current environment," he said.

"Our research has shown that, on average, every single company, every single day, is losing at least 10 minutes of down time - that's buffering, waiting for files to transfer, internet dropping out.

"That is, per day, lost productive time of nine months, every day in the Hunter."

Mr Williams says the significant loss in productivity is costing the region money and potentially jobs.

"It equates to a lot of money.

"The other thing that it equates to, that is disappointing, is you can actually use that time to undertake more work and that actually equates to jobs, so if we get the high speed broadband piece right it's going to equate to jobs.

"The Hunter knows what to do with high speed broadband and we need it.

"Return on investment is going to be there by way of the Hunter being able to do more work to employ more people."