Shetland Telecom phase two underway

THE SECOND phase of the Shetland Telecom’s £1 million broadband project to connect the islands to the Faroese fibre optic cable has begun.

Last month Shetland Telecom completed the first phase of the link between Lerwick and Maywick, where the Faroese cable comes ashore, and is now connecting Lerwick with Scalloway.

Next year the final phase of the project between Scalloway and Maywick will be completed, to ensure a continuous connection for broadband users in the event of a break in the supply.

Shetland Telecom was set up with investment from Shetland Islands Council in an attempt to improve broad communications in the isles, after negotiations with other service providers failed to bear fruit.

Meanwhile highlands and islands Labour list MSP Rhoda Grant has hit out at both the Westminster and Scottish government for failing to invest in rural broadband.

She said that on Wednesday she was informed that £300 million of £830 million promised by the UK government for supporting broadband would not be released until 2015.

Advertisement10 of 11

She added that the Scottish government had not been fully engaging with Westminster over Scotland’s £68 million share of the funding.

Ms Grant said: “This compounds the fears BT expressed yesterday that island communities could lose out unless the Scottish government steps in and addresses this problem.

“This Scottish government needs to step up to the plate – it needs to engage, fund and give broadband the priority it requires and I will be calling on them, yet again, to do so.”