The Rural Highlands are Flung for a Loss with Poor Coverage

Rural communities in Scotland are clamoring for better connectivity, and broadband is on the forefront of the Scottish Rural Action’s (SRA) report. The report, according to Commonspace, takes a look at problems with connectivity in the Scottish countryside, and argues that “BT-partnered programs are supplier led rather than focusing on community need.” The report said that rural communities don’t have proper access, excluding them from “social and economic opportunity” and urges the government to invest more in backhaul efforts “rather than waiting for the roll out programs over which they have no control.”

So far, according to Commonspace, the Scottish Government has invested “£412m through the Digital Scotland: Superfast Broadband (DSSB) program to ensure 95 percent access to fiber broadband by 2017 and 100 percent by 2021.” Amanda Burgauer, BRA chair, said that if more focus was on broadband, the rural economy would get an economical boost. The SRA noted several difficulties with the DSSB program, as reported on by Commonspace:

•   They have found it difficult to find out what to expect for their area and projects have been delayed for long periods, in some cases for years
• Data presented by Audit Scotland shows that six council areas are yet to achieve the contractual target of 75 percent access to fibre broadband: Perth and Kinross, Highland, Argyll and Bute, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, and the Western Isles
•  Areas not currently benefiting from the rollout have access to funding and support through Community Broadband Scotland. SRA said that the initiative is “failing rural communities,” citing poor communications and lack of respect for the work of volunteers
• Some rural communities have less that one Mbps of speed, creating a digital divide between them and larger cities  

The Scottish Government responded to the SRA report, noting its currently investments in fiber broadband. A government spokesperson told Commonspace that “The Scottish Government welcomes the publication of this report by Scottish Rural Action’s Broadband Working Group and their five key recommendations.” The spokesperson recognized the need for improved connectivity, and said that it is “at the heart of its agenda, and delivering 100 percent superfast broadband coverage for Scotland by the end of the next Parliament is one of our key priorities, and we intend to outline the next steps on this later this year.”