4 May 2007

The Scottish executive could be set to invest £3.5 million in a new project to bring broadband Internet access to remote areas of the Highlands.

It is the governmental body's aim - if the project is undertaken - to offer the web to the last unconnected villages in the country, in some of the most remote areas.

Although all Scottish dwellings have ADSL connectivity, the large distance between exchanges are still resulting in barriers for some individuals.

These factors have led to somewhere in the region of 750 complaints received by the executive.

However, project coordinator Eddie Murphy said that the body is keeping its options open with regards to how the areas should be connected.

"We are quite definitely not pre-judging which technology to use," he remarked.

Over the last two years, the Highlands and Islands Broadband Pathfinder Project has sought to provide all of the remote regions of Scotland with broadband access, with some £70 million earmarked to complete this task.

© Adfero Ltd

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