Digital Shetland Strategy Quote

The main network providing telecoms services to domestic users and the private sector in Shetland is the network owned and operated by BT. This network is not delivering the services people and businesses need.

The C&W Pathfinder Network does not deliver services to the private sector and does not deliver for communities. The technology deployed on the network does not have the longevity needed to deliver for the future needs of Shetland. [ED: a contract for these services expires in March 2014 and there are no "concrete plans" for replacing it]

As things stand today, there is fundamental failure to deliver services in Shetland that are reliable, resilient and fit for the 21st Century.

Digital Shetland Strategy Quote

The Backbone Network is the next step in ensuring that the whole of Shetland will benefit from improved communications. This backbone network will stretch from the main Point of Presence (PoP) in Lerwick out into Shetland’s remote and rural communities. In order to deliver the services required over the coming decades, this backbone network will need to be fibre optic based wherever and whenever possible.

Open access to this fibre optic network will be ensured so that existing and new Telco’s can make their services available to end users. Development of this backbone network will be done in conjunction with the existing Telco’s (including mobile operators), Shetland businesses, communities and the public sector.

The Council’s own use of the backbone network for communications between offices, schools and dispersed workers is an important technical and financial driver for this strategy.