Shetlanders today celebrated the arrival of next generation fibre broadband. More than 4,000 businesses and homes in Lerwick, Quarff and Sumburgh now have access to superfast broadband.
Advocate General for Scotland Lord Wallace was in Lerwick to mark this announcement with representatives from Highland and Islands Enterprise, BT, Shetland Islands Council and local businesses.
Lord Wallace said:
I really valued the opportunity to be in Lerwick today and meet some of the people and businesses that will benefit from today’s announcement. Shetland has been part of my life for many years and I know that this project - bringing together Scotland’s 2 governments with Highlands and Islands Enterprise Shetland Council, BT and others - will be welcomed by businesses, families and individual Shetlanders alike.
This is the first of Scotland’s island communities to benefit from the rollout of fibre broadband and it must just be the start, as more communities aspire to have access to what is increasingly seen as a necessary utility like electricity.
Superfast broadband is a prime example of cutting edge technology becoming an essential part of everyday life. That is why the UK Government is investing more than £120 million into rural broadband in Scotland to help support families, jobs and services and to help our businesses to expand and grow.
Superfast knitters from the Spiders Web were on hand to help out with the launch of superfast broadband in Shetland.