More than £1 million will be invested over the next three years to improve broadband provision in Perth and Kinross.
It is estimated that without this significant investment, around 3,500 homes in the area will never have basic broadband and a further 43,000 will not have access to next generation broadband.
In a bid to ensure residents and businesses in rural communities can stay connected, Perth and Kinross Council has joined forces with the Scottish Government, the UK Government and the European Union. They have entered into a contract with BT Openreach, which is also funding the project.
Work has already begun on carrying out improvements, with the first group of broadband exchange upgrades taking place in Perth, Scone, Invergowrie, Methven and Almondbank.
Further upgrades will be confirmed in the coming months.
As part of the proposals, next generation services which give speeds of at least 24Mbps will be available in 70% of properties by next year, rising to 90% by December 2017.
Although the council aims to have everyone in Perth and Kinross connected within the next three years, the best some communities can hope for is a speed of at least 2Mbps.
Next generation broadband has only been guaranteed for rural settlements with a population of 1,000 people or more.
These include Aberfeldy, Abernethy, Almondbank, Alyth, Auchterarder, Bankfoot, Blairgowrie, Bridge of Earn, Comrie, Coupar Angus, Crieff, Dunkeld and Birnam, Errol, Glencarse, Inchture, Kinross, Luncarty, Methven, Milnathort, Pitlochry, Stanley and St Madoes.
Those areas which will not have next generation access by the end of 2017 could receive additional funding to explore other options.
Perth and Kinross Council is currently seeking technical advice via a Scottish Government initiative, as there are national proposals in place to provide further help.
Funding could also be sought from the Scottish Rural Development Programme, including the new LEADER Local Development Strategy for rural Perth and Kinross.
Council leader Ian Miller welcomed the proposals, describing the improvements as “vital”.
He said: “In the interests of communities and businesses alike, it is vital that broadband access expands as quickly as possible in Perth and Kinross.
“For that reason, we have committed over £1m to this joint project with the Scottish and UK Governments and the European Union.
“The aim here is to bridge the digital divide that rural communities are experiencing.
“The initial announcement for Phase 1 of the project has already been made and I welcome that we should see the first areas getting enhanced access by this summer.
“We are also looking at ways, longer-term, to fill the gap for the remaining communities.
Under the plans, improvements are also set to be made to high-speed wireless coverage in Perth, which at present is fragmented and sparse.
The council is hoping that talks with mobile operators will lead to improved 3G wireless coverage and it will also invest in providing free public Wi-Fi hotspots in public buildings, including the city centre’s leisure facilities, museums and galleries.
For further details on the project, go online to www.pkc.gov.uk/broadband.