News / 3G in Baltasound
BALTASOUND in Unst is to be the latest part of Shetland to enjoy a 3G mobile signal after it was selected as part of Vodafone’s Rural Open Sure Signal programme.
It follows in the footsteps of Walls on Shetland’s west side who joined the scheme last year, and Hamnavoe , which joined last month.
The move has been welcomed on the island of Unst, which has suffered from notoriously poor mobile signals.
Northern isles MP Alistair Carmichael has pledged to ensure the isles “not spots” are better connected.
He said the UK government had signed “a landmark deal” with the main mobile providers EE, Three, O2 and Vodafone to halve the number of areas with weak signals and reduce the number of not spots by two thirds.
“For too long the isles have been at the back of the queue for investment in mobile phone coverage and new developments in telecommunications.
“This is particularly true for some of the most remote areas in Orkney and Shetland.
“I will be making the case to ensure that our remote communities are not excluded from these vital upgrades.
“Reliable mobile coverage and 3G is vital to support our growing economy and this legally binding agreement will help deliver the mobile phone coverage we need and deserve.
“Along with billions of pounds of investment from the UK government in expanding broadband infrastructure, we are now making progress on getting the northern isles better connected.”
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