Digital forum

REPRESENTATIVES from BT Scotland and Highlands and Islands Enterprise will be in Shetland later this month to answer questions on the roll out of superfast broadband to the isles.

The £146 million publicly funded project is designed to bring fibre optic broadband to 75 per cent of households in the north of Scotland.

In Shetland this will include most of the larger mainland communities, but those living in Whalsay, Yell, Unst and the outer isles will be left out.

BT Director Brendan Dick and HIE director for digital policy Stuart Robertson have now both accepted invitations to the northern isles digital forum, organised by isles MP Alistair Carmichael and local MSP Tavish Scott.

Carmichael said broadband and mobile coverage was of central importance to people in the northern isles.

“Creating a platform for discussions between industry experts and local people is of particular relevance when it comes to finding solutions,” he said.

“The digital forum was created to facilitate this discussion and I encourage everyone to engage in the debate by attending the event.”

The public event will be held in the North Staney Hill hall on Friday 18 April between 10 am and midday.

Meanwhile, the UK parliament’s public accounts committee has criticised the coalition government saying BT has been given a monopoly to run a total of 44 taxpayer-funded rural broadband schemes, including the one for the highlands and islands.