Posted: 22nd Dec, 2010 By: MarkJ

The
European Union (EU) has officially granted state aid clearance to the
Shetland Islands Council (SIC) for homes and businesses on the islands to benefit from a new
fibre optic broadband cable link with mainland
Scotland (UK).
The
Shetland Fibre Optic Network (SFON) project will, in total, cost roughly
£1.1 million to complete but could significantly improve broadband ISP connections for island residents. Until now only the
Faroe Islands have been able to benefit from the original 2007 laid cable after BT refused to extend it.
According to the
Shetland Times, a fibre optic cable running between
Lerwick and
Hoswick is now expected to be completed before summer 2011; work to hook up the other towns will commence later in the year. It was revealed in September 2010 (
here) that
£367,500 of the total was to come from the
European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).