Broadband slow due to huge demand
THE UPTAKE of superfast broadband in Shetland has been higher than in any other area across the highlands and islands, resulting in a dramatic drop of internet speeds across the isles.
Telecom giant BT has confirmed that its engineers were drawing up an urgent action plan to address the issue.
Last October, around 4,000 households in Lerwick, Quarff and Sumburgh were the first in Shetland to be connected to broadband speeds of up to 80 Mbps.
Since then download speeds for most customers have dropped significantly and services to other BT customers have been patchy and intermittent.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), who are responsible for the £146 million public contract to deliver next generation broadband to the area, said it was confident BT was doing everything it could to improve the situation.
During a visit to Shetland, the development agency’s chairman Lorne Crerar confirmed that engineers were about to start converting the next 11 local exchanges to superfast broadband.
These are in: Brae, Gott, Hamnavoe, Scalloway, Sandwick, Skellister, Sullom Voe, Vidlin, Voe, Walls and Weisdale.
He also hinted that there was hope for a phase two of the current roll-out programme to reach remote communities not covered by the current contract.
“The uptake in superfast broadband has been exceeding expectations. We are aware of the speed issues, and we are satisfied by the assurances given by BT,” Crerar said.
Area manager Rachel Hunter added that BT had no choice but to deal with the speed issues quickly given the timetable for adding more exchanges to the network.
A BT spokesman said: “We’re aware of broadband speed issues affecting some users in the Shetland area and we’re sorry for any impact on local people.
“Our planners are currently drawing up an action plan to optimise capacity in the local network to improve speeds. This will be implemented over the coming weeks.”
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Crerar continued by saying that HIE’s ultimate aim was to get 100 per cent of households and business connected.
The target for the current project is 84 per cent in the highland and islands area, but just 76 per cent of customers in Shetland.
During his two day trip to the isles he visited the PURE renewable energy project and the new Reel Gin business, both on Unst. He also met with local councillors on Tuesday evening.
Hunter said the development agency was due to invest £2 million into the local economy during this financial year, mainly supporting the harbour upgrades at Dales Voe and the Peterson base, at Greenhead, in preparation of the anticipated decommissioning business.
She said HIE was investing in industries that were looking beyond the current boom.
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