Scottish get £3.3m broadband boost

Affordable services expanded to thousands

1 July 2008 10:35 GMT / By Katie Scott

Just weeks ago, we reported that Dundee is to become Scotland's top cyber city after a firm specialising in high speed broadband connections picked the city for new cables.

But it seems thousands more Scots could soon be enjoying faster connections.

The Scottish government is hoping to improve broadband provision following a spate of access problems with a £3.3m investment.

Following on from a deal with Avanti Caledonian Broadband, thousands of households and businesses are expected to get a much better service.

Nearly 4800 households and businesses have registered for the government initiative to identify access difficulties which include people being too far from from ADSL-enabled telephone exchanges.

The research will identify areas where the current broadband provision is lagging and then Avanti Caledonian Broadband will act.

Enterprise Minister Jim Mather explained: "In the 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. So we've asked those without access to register so that we could build a clear picture of the extent of the problem."

"I'm pleased that every single eligible household and business should now benefit from affordable broadband access over the coming months, giving business a boost and enhancing the lives of householders."

Areas across the country will benefit from the rollout, from the East Highlands to the Scottish Borders, Tayside and Argyll.

Some of the larger clusters which will be covered by the contract include parts of North Sanday and Rousay in Orkney, Jura, Angus Glens, Cumbernauld, Ettrick Valley and Skye and Wester Ross.

Full tags

Software, Online, Broadband, Ofcom