£120m broadband boost for Highlands and Islands

[Kintyre Forum News]

Boost for broadband speeds in Kintyre - specifically mentions Mull of Kintyre as Southend has had its problems so good news.

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home ... s.17974471

THE vision of even the most remote communities in Scotland benefiting from super-fast broadband came a step closer yesterday with news the Scottish Government is investing £120 million in a new network across the Highlands and Islands.
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The aim of the investment will be to revolutionise commercial and community life from Unst in the north of Shetland to the Mull of Kintyre in the south of Kintyre.

The Scottish Government's own estimate is that it will take between £200m and £300m to cover the Highlands and Islands.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is in negotiation with BT, understood to be the sole preferred bidder to roll out the infrastructure, while other sources of finance will also be sought to bridge the gap.

Once installed, it would be open to other providers to use to offer their packages to businesses and private customers to buy.

Alex Neil, the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment, said the funding would ensure homes and businesses across some of Scotland's most rural areas could get the benefits of next generation broadband for the very first time.

He said the Highlands and Islands, with the help of public investment, already have basic broadband provision to around 99% of premises.

"Everybody in the Highlands and Islands recognises the importance of access to super-fast broadband, not just for the future of our local economies but indeed for the future of every aspect of life in the modern world," he said.

Alex Paterson, chief executive of HIE, said the funding put the Highlands and Islands on track to deliver the largest and most challenging rural broadband project in the UK.

"By bringing together the expertise and investment of both the private and public sector we want to roll out a service which will change the face of the region," he said.

[4th gen Suthen']

yes it is but the, almost total, lack of mobile phone signal is a much bigger problem.