A broadband revolution is coming to Highland Perthshire and those behind the scheme believe it could provide a jobs bonanza for the region.
In July, The Courier first unveiled details of the DIY plan to bring superfast speeds to previously deprived areas.
The ambitious project has progressed apace and now the Highland Perthshire Communities Partnership (HPCP) expects its first subscribers to go live in the spring.
It believes that jobs will be created through training a network of locally-based engineers, while access to cutting-edge services will enable a new generation of entrepreneurs to start rural businesses.
The partnership has been running for more than 15 years but the broadband project is by far its most ambitious.
It came about as a solution to the region’s on-going broadband woes after it became clear that the promised roll-out of speedy connection would take years to arrive.
The internet has become vital to the rural economy and it was felt that a three-year wait for decent connection speeds could cause families to leave the area and put businesses in jeopardy.
To tackle that problem head-on, the partnership devised its scheme, with phase one covering Amulree, Trochry and Struan before extending to all of Highland Perthshire.
The partnership has more than two dozen members including all the Highland Perthshire community councils and its work has now been backed by Perth and Kinross Council, Community Broadband Scotland and the SSE Griffin Wind Farm.
A spokesperson told the Courier: “The project will remain in the hands of the community, with full profit retention and asset ownership, allowing all profits to be reinvested in new technology so that Highland Perthshire can maintain good connectivity and stay ahead of the curve.
“As the roll-out continues, job creation will be an inevitable part of the project, both directly and indirectly.”
The spokesperson went on: “HPCP is committed to delivering where current broadband schemes have come up short, believing good connectivity to be more important to rural communities than those living in urban areas.
“Broadband is now a vital part of daily life and location should be no obstacle to good internet connection.
“The project envisions a stronger, better-connected Perthshire, where business can flourish and communities are empowered by the opportunities superfast broadband can offer,” added the HPCP spokesperson.
Funding is now in place to erect five small-scale telecoms masts at key locations to provide an improved service, with the intention of increasing speeds and creating more masts in the future.
The scheme has been endorsed by Perthshire Chamber of Commerce, whose chief executive, Vicki Unite, pictured, said speedy broadband has become a crucial element of daily business life.
“It is vital that businesses in both urban and rural areas of Perthshire have access to this critical infrastructure to support growth in our regional economy,” she said.
“For today’s businesses, having access to good broadband is as essential as being connected to other vital utilities, such as gas, electricity and water.”
Anyone who would like to express an interest in the scheme, or who simply wants more information, is asked to email katehpcp@gmail.com.