Broadband improvements to led Scotland’s digital future 2/2/12
,MSP Alasdair Allan, has welcomed the Scottish Government’s Action Plan for Scotland’s Digital Future, published yesterday, which sets out the Scottish Government’s aim of ensuring a “step change” in broadband speeds for everyone by 2015 and putting in place infrastructure to areas that the market currently doesn’t serve.
Alasdair Allan commented: “The Scottish Government has set itself ambitious aims to improve Scotland’s connectivity, not least in the Highlands and Islands. This is backed by a serious funding commitment, which includes £68 million from the UK Government, £79 million from the Scottish Government and up to £25 million in European funding.
“Central to these plans is the Highlands and Islands Broadband Project, which will
start the roll-
“It’s important that the Western Isles are not at the back of the queue when it comes to the development of new broadband technology and infrastructure if we are to be economically competitive. The Scottish Government will certainly press the private sector to live up to their obligations, but also recognises the need to improve services across the areas of Scotland where the private sector shows little interest.
“In the longer term, by 2020, the Scottish Government wants to see world class broadband across Scotland. I will be keeping up the pressure on the Scottish Government as to what these aims will mean on the ground, particularly for the Western Isles, where there is certainly a demand for improvement.”