An announcement that Perth is to get superfast broadband next year has been greeted with delight along with a call for the rest of the region not to be left behind.
BT confirmed it is to upgrade the local exchange to allow Perth customers to enjoy massively improved connection speeds of up to 40Mbs by autumn 2012.
The news is a massive boost for businesses, which have long complained about slow connections leaving them trailing competitors in other parts of the country.
John Swinney, the MSP for Perthshire North and Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, said: “The arrival of superfast broadband is a very important development for Perth and will be welcomed across the board. This investment in will not only allow greater choice and service for consumers, but will also greatly help Perthshire businesses.
“There is no doubt that faster broadband is a real benefit to householders and provides businesses with a competitive advantage. Scotland”s economy will grow on the back of innovation and rapid communication which this new network will assist with.
“Businesses in Perth will be able to exploit this high-speed connection from a choice of suppliers ensuring competition.
“Although this development is great news for Perth, it is also essential to maintain the pressure on suppliers to improve broadband services in rural areas. Scotland needs businesses in Perthshire and elsewhere to be responsive and flexible towards their customers and seek out new markets, superfast broadband will undoubtedly provide a tool with which they can succeed.”
BT says it expects to make superfast fibre broadband available to two thirds of UK homes and businesses by the end of 2015, building the new network using a mix of fibre to the cabinet (FTTC) and fibre to the premises (FTTP) technologies.
Local MSP Murdo Fraser runs an online petition calling for better broadband speeds and said: “It is vitally important that Scottish communities, homes and businesses have access to broadband and the announcement by BT will be welcomed in Perth.
“The continuation of this scheme by BT will bring benefits to communities and to the Scottish economy. Families and business will have quicker access to the internet through a wide range of suppliers which will lead to falling costs and increased competition.
“This investment is good news for all, providing a supportive environment for sustainability and growth across our region. The challenge remains for many rural areas in Perthshire and Stirlingshire, especially the more technically difficult areas of our geography.”
Despite the good news for Perth, rural Perthshire again faces being left out leaving locals fuming about their service.
Lawers freelance photographer Marieke McBean said: “I can”t send photographs by email. I have to go to a local hotel to use their wi-fi to send images to customers. Not having high-speed broadband makes working from home pretty difficult.”
Katy MacLeod from the same area said: “We run a project trying to encourage individuals and small businesses to remain in the area. The dire broadband service here counters that process, promoting yet another Highland Clearance.”
BT”s £2.5 billion project also includes Galashiels and Peebles in the Borders, Bannockburn in Stirlingshire, Morningside in Edinburgh and Strathaven in South Lanarkshire 45,600 new homes and businesses.
BT Scotland director Brendan Dick said: “Residents and businesses in these latest locations can look forward to choosing a high-speed connection over a network offering an unrivalled choice of suppliers, which keeps competition thriving and costs down.
“Our latest investment in these six exchange areas will propel internet users at home and at work into the 21st Century fast lane, and marks another milestone in the development of Scotland”s next generation communications.”
The Scottish Government was recently allocated £68.8m in broadband funding by the UK Government and has stated all Scotland should be covered by 2020.