Business leaders in Perthshire have welcomed a commitment by BT to provide faster broadband.
BT promises higher speeds in Perth, Blairgowrie, Crieff and Kinross next year, but concerns remain on the timescale for rural areas.
The Scottish Government wants all of Scotland to have access to next-generation broadband by 2020.
Perthshire Chamber of Commerce will seek a meeting with the government to press the case for rural Perthshire to get a ”fair share” of Scotland’s £70 million in broadband gap funding.
It follows a meeting between Ian Shanks, head of Scottish Affairs at BT Scotland, chamber president Stephen Leckie, chief executive Vicki Unite and director Steve Stewart.
Mr Shanks confirmed almost 16,400 homes and businesses in Perth are to benefit from super-fast broadband by next autumn.
Blairgowrie, Crieff and Kinross will have next-generation copper broadband by spring.
Mr Leckie said they were ”positive discussions” and the directors were pleased.
He added: ”However, we remain concerned that businesses in other parts of Perthshire whose future relies on good broadband provision may have to wait nearly a decade for a key tool they need now, particularly in today’s challenging and extremely competitive environment.
”This is unacceptable and we need urgent, concerted action by politicians and broadband providers to ensure companies in rural Perthshire don’t suffer second-class treatment.”