Monday 1 June 2026
 12.4°C   SSW Light Breeze
Community /

BT planning telecommunications upgrade in Foula

An aerial view of Foula.

BT is looking to extend the radio towers in Foula to upgrade telecommunications in the island.

A planning supporting statement said the move will improve Foula’s broadband and allow current phone lines to change to the new ‘21st Century’ network before old equipment is switched off, potentially in 2027.

It said this will also keep the island’s payphone in service.

BT is seeking permission to extend the two existing steel towers by just over six metres to reach 11.1 metres in total. The plan is to also house two new 1.8 metre radio dishes.

The supporting statement added: “In order to ensure that there is no risk to existing services, all of the new infrastructure will be established in parallel to the current systems.

“Only once construction activities are completed and tested, will cross-patching take place to bring the new equipment online.”

Become a member of Shetland News

Shetland News is asking its readers to consider paying for membership to get additional perks:

  • Removal of third-party ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.

If you appreciate what we do and feel strongly about impartial local journalism, then please become a member of Shetland News by either making a single payment, or setting up a monthly, quarterly or yearly subscription.

 
Advertisement 

Sign up
for our Newsletters

Stay in the loop with newsletters tailored to your interests. Whether you're looking for daily updates, weekly highlights, or updates on jobs or property, you can choose exactly what you want to receive.

Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 
Advertisement 

JavaScript Required

We're sorry, but Shetland News isn't fully functional without JavaScript enabled.
Head over to the help page for instructions on how to enable JavaScript on your browser.

Interested in Notifications?

Get notifications from Shetland News for important and breaking news.
You can unsubscribe at any time.

Interested in Notifications?

You can install the Shetland News app on your device, simply tap and then 'Add to Home Screen'.

Loading the app will allow you to accept notifications.

Have you considered becoming a member of Shetland News?

  • Removal of third-party ads;
  • Bookmark posts to read later;
  • Exclusive curated weekly newsletter;
  • Hide membership messages;
  • Comments open for discussion.