The UK’s most challenging rural broadband project to a major step forward today as engineers start work on the country's longest publicly funded subsea fibre connection linking the Outer Hebrides with the mainland.
The new fibre optic cable -
From here an overland backbone internet communication network will run from the Butt to Barra.
When switched on in 2016, the landing point -
The work forms a vital part of a £146 million public investment to create a huge
1200km land and subsea fibre network across the region. It will bring fibre based
broadband to many parts of the Highlands and Islands for the first time.
By the end
of 2016, more than 200,000 homes and businesses will be able to benefit as a result
of the project and BT’s commercial roll-
Local community representatives joined
project partners as the cable was brought ashore from specialist cable ship the Rene
Descartes, operated by Orange Marine, which will now make the journey to the mainland,
laying the cable along the seabed.
Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “It’s
fantastic news that this network is being developed to bring the benefits of high
quality digital connectivity to our island communities, many for the first time.
“This
is an important step towards ensuring that Scotland has world-
prosperity.”
Stuart Robertson, HIE’s Director of Digital for Highlands
and Islands, commented: “This step is a vital part in the rollout of a network which
will change the face of broadband services in the Highlands and Islands. Without
public sector support, fibre based broadband would have reached around 21% of premises
in the Highlands and Islands, centred mostly in higher population areas.
“Our project
aims to boost coverage dramatically and is reaching out to areas like the Outer Hebrides
where there were no commercial plans. It is a hugely challenging and ambitious project
and we will continue to work to bring the social and economic benefits of faster,
reliable broadband to as many people as possible.”
Over the coming months BT will
be visible across the region as they carry out the huge engineering feat to develop
the fibre network, upgrade local exchanges and create the local fibre networks which
bring services to homes and businesses.
Brendan Dick, director, BT Scotland, said:
“This is an historic day for the people of the Western Isles as our subsea cable
is landed at Stornoway and fibre broadband in the isles begins turning into reality.
“The
cablelayer Rene Descartes will spend the next week laying and ploughing the cable
into the seabed across the Minch before landing it at Ullapool, where it will be
hooked up to our mainland fibre backbone.