This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Technology and rural communities
06/10/2003
Getting Scotland digitally connected can help grow the
economy, strengthen communities and bring jobs to rural
areas, the First Minister will tell the opening reception
of the Convention of the Highlands and Islands on Lewis
tonight.
Jack McConnell will announce that the exchanges at
Stornoway, Kirkwall and Lerwick are to be upgraded to be
provide broadband ADSL as a result of a partnership between
British Telecom, THUS and Highlands and Islands
Enterprise.
Mr McConnell will say:
"Broadband can revolutionise our rural communities. It
can link schools with pupils from around the world, help
local authorities deliver modern services and, crucially,
can encourage businesses to flourish in even the remotest
of locations.
"A Smart, Successful Scotland is one where growth and
opportunity is encouraged right across the country.
Bringing the benefits of broadband to rural and island
areas will mean that people can set up businesses where
they choose. It will help reverse the trend of people
leaving their community to find work in the cities. It will
allow the Highlands and Islands to continue to grow.
"The Scottish government is committed to upgrading
communications right across the country. Today's
announcement, while a welcome one, is very much a first
step on the road to realising our vision of a digitally
connected Scotland.
"Our £24 million fund to support and develop broadband
is now delivering real results. I want the benefits to be
felt right across the country."
Deputy First Minister and Minister for Enterprise and
Lifelong Learning, Jim Wallace, said:
"We have made clear that our top priority is growing the
economy. Broadband can play an important role in this.
"Businesses in rural and remote communities in
particular can benefit from this technology, by providing
increased business efficiency and more e-business
opportunities.
"We recently launched our Business Broadband Incentive
scheme, which gives funding to companies across Scotland to
allow them to connect to broadband. Today's announcement
will allow more people to benefit from the opportunities
that broadband can offer."
BT Scotland director Bob Downes said:
"Bringing broadband to the islands is a major milestone
in our rollout programme, signalling our determination to
bring coverage to the most remote parts of Scotland.
"The complexities of the task are highlighted by the
fact that it's taking the joint efforts of two
communications companies and the enterprise agency to beam
the technology across the Minch and Pentland Firth.
"BT has made great progress to date rolling out
broadband across Scotland."
THUS Chief Executive Bill Allan said:
"This is a landmark telecommunication project for
Scotland which will bring real benefits to the people of
the islands. We are delighted to be involved in this
innovative project which leverages existing skills and
investment in Scotland to support the Scottish Executive's
plans to accelerate broadband availability throughout
Scotland."=20
The collaboration between BT and Thus entails use of
Thus's microwave capacity to the islands with BT upgrading
telecoms exchanges serving Lerwick in Shetland, Kirkwall in
Orkney and Stornoway in the Western Isles, to provide ADSL
broadband services.
This will result in broadband access for about a third
of all households/businesses on the islands.
The Executive is investing up to £24 million in
activities to encourage the roll-out and take-up of
broadband services in Scotland in order to help meet our
Partnership commitment of pervasive and affordable
broadband.
In the Highlands & Islands, the initiative is being
implemented by HIE and has already delivered a tranche of
exchange upgrades, along with support for businesses to
take up broadband.