Business leaders will meet technology chiefs next week in a bid to prevent rural Perthshire becoming a business backwater.
Perthshire Chamber of Commerce will host BT Scotland’s head of Scottish affairs Ian Shanks as it fights for high-speed broadband across the region.
The chamber has received overwhelming support from businesses, councillors, MPs, MSPs and MEPs and other organisations in its continued efforts to ensure providing high-speed broadband for Perthshire is at the top of the agenda.
It is working to make sure all parties involved understand high-speed broadband must be brought to even the most remote corners of the county if rural businesses are to avoid being left at the starting post in the digital race.
The call for action came in the wake of the release of Ofcom’s UK figures showing that Perth and Kinross ranks 120th out of 200 local authorities for fixed broadband connection.
While BT has announced that superfast broadband will arrive in Perth within a year ahead of schedule it is felt the service is far more important to users in rural areas.
Firms across the region have claimed the lack of what have become basic business tools hamper their trade, reducing the effectiveness of web-based trade.
Chamber president Stephen Leckie warned: “Superfast broadband is now standard in global population centres yet many businesses in rural Perthshire are still struggling to secure competent fixed broadband connection.
”It’s a disgrace that many first-rate innovative businesses in our area are being denied the facility to communicate and compete on a level playing field.”
Ofcom’s figures show Perth and Kinross rates poorly in terms of average broadband speed. There is a 67% take-up where broadband is available but superfast broadband is only available to 33% of users.
”Perthshire is an area where rural and home-based businesses thrive,” Mr Leckie added. ”They will struggle and die however if they have to make do with standard or sub-standard connection speeds while other areas secure faster internet connections.
”Access to the internet is a key factor in today’s fast-moving business world and contracts can be won or lost on the speed and efficiency of communications. Without competitive high-speed links, the effect on our rural economy will be devastating.
”We need to secure the infrastructure to support our business future and everyone local council, businesses, politicians and individuals should be working together to ensure Perth and Kinross is as switched on as anywhere else in the country.”
The chamber says it also hopes to secure a meeting with Virgin Media.
The Scottish Government wants to see all of Scotland gain access to next generation broadband by 2020, with progress made by 2015.
The UK Government has earmarked £530m to bankroll high-speed connections to rural areas.
Martin Keene/PA Wire