 The project will bring access to areas across Scotland for the first time |
Broadband access is to be rolled out to remote areas across Scotland for the first time using a mix of internet, satellite and wireless technology. The Scottish Government has awarded a �3.3m contract to increase access to 3,800 households and businesses. Some of the larger clusters include parts of North Sanday and Rousay in Orkney, Jura, the Angus Glens, Ettrick Valley, Skye and Wester Ross. The work will be carried out by Avanti Caledonian Broadband. The Scottish Government asked members of the public to identify access difficulties so that the "reach" problem - where people cannot access broadband due to their distance from an ADSL-enabled telephone exchange - could be addressed.  | SEE THE BROADBAND PLANS
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Enterprise Minister Jim Mather said: "In this 21st Century, as many people as possible should have broadband access. It is a vital tool for business, helping drive economic growth, and is now used by ever more households as standard. "Scotland currently has over 99% broadband availability and we have been monitoring access difficulties - that's why we asked those without access to come forward and register so that we could build a clear picture of the extent of the problem." Work on connections will begin in July and the programme will finish by May 2009. David Williams, chief executive of Avanti, said: "I am very proud again to be solving a digital divide problem which has significant social and economic ramifications for European families and businesses. "There is also no doubt that this contract win with the Scottish Government further entrenches our European market lead in rural broadband."
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