Orkney Islands Council Welcomes £36m Connectivity Funding Boost

Orkney Islands Council has welcomed an announcement that additional funding will be made available for the roll out of broadband to properties in Orkney - but warned that some households will still miss out and more needs to be done

The Scottish Government has announced today (19 August) that an additional £36m is to be invested in the R100 programme, which will see another 2,637 rural properties across Scotland able to access gigabit-capable connections - faster speeds than were initially proposed when the programme was launched.

It is understood that around 1000 of those properties will be in Orkney.

Orkney Islands Council met with Government representatives - and local MSP Liam McArthur -  earlier this week to push for progress on the roll out of the programme

The R100 programme, launched in December 2019, pledged to deliver superfast broadband to 100 per cent of premises by 2021 – however, given the effects of pandemic this was delayed along with legal challenges - and it was expected that the programme would still not provide appropriate broadband access for many areas of Orkney.

With the additional finding announcement it is hoped that more areas will be covered - although Government mapping has showed that there are some areas that will still miss out.

The Council has been pressing the Scottish Government to develop an ‘outside in’ approach – whereby areas with the poorest connectivity are prioritised within the R100 programme, as the digital divide continues to disadvantage many in Orkney.

Council Leader James Stockan said: “Improved digital connectivity for local families and businesses is a priority for this Council. The promised improvements will allow businesses and the public sector to modernise, and to deliver improved quality of living including improved opportunities for remote education, learning and employment for residents - even more true in our post-lockdown world

"Today's funding announcement is tremendous news and follow significant lobbying by this Council.  It's particularly pleasing that the majority of the funding is targeted at the North area including around 1000 properties in Orkney.

“Orkney faces some of the most challenging connectivity issues in the UK. It is vital that the Scottish Government level the playing field so that our communities, our children and young people, and our businesses, are not left behind in a world that increasingly depends on the most modern mobile and wireless networks.

"That said, there are some areas of Orkney which may still miss out - and we'll continue to press for progress to ensure no one is left behind."

The R100 North Lot contract extension covers an additional 1,488 premises in the following council areas: Argyll and Bute, Na h-Eileanan Siar (Outer Hebrides), Orkney Islands and Shetland Islands.

The South Lot contract extension covers an additional 1,149 premises in: Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, East Lothian, Midlothian, Scottish Borders, South Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire.

The full Scottish Government press release can be found here  - https://www.gov.scot/news/delivering-faster-internet/