Posted: 02nd Jun, 2004 By: MarkJ
The Scottish Government has set in motion new plans to have near universal broadband coverage by the end of 2005. The outline uses a combination of different technologies (ADSL, wireless, satellite etc.) to achieve its goal:
The Executives previous target of 70 per cent coverage of the population with access to ADSL or equivalent by March 2004 was achieved in January. In late April BT announced that all exchanges on the trigger list will be ADSL enabled by summer 2005. But 400 of the 600 UK exchanges not on the trigger list are in Scotland, mostly in the Highlands and Islands. Coverage in Scotland now stands at 78 per cent and is expected to increase to 95 per cent by the summer of next year - 80 per cent in the highlands and islands- as these commercial triggers are activated.
Other rural broadband initiatives include:
- Exchange upgrades part-funded by Broadband for Scotland have brought ADSL to the Western and Northern Isles helping to increase broadband coverage in highlands and islands from 17 per cent in 2003 to 40 per cent this year.
- The Scottish Borders Rural Broadband project is providing a wireless Broadband connection to up to 1,000 users in the Borders.
- 9,000 SMEs have applied for the Business Incentive Scheme since its launch in 2003. The scheme provides subsidies of up to £1,200 for SMEs taking up their first broadband connection.More
HERE.