Six Communities for Broadband Pilot - Can Yours Qualify
18th November 2012
Six communities selected for Community Broadband pilot.
Residents in six communities across Scotland are to benefit from a £5 million fund to bring next generation broadband to hard to reach rural areas.
Three of these – Applecross, Colonsay and Tomintoul & Glenlivet are in the Highlands and Islands. Additional projects will be in Aberdeenshire, South Lanarkshire and Dumfries & Galloway.
Over the coming months, members of the local community will work with assigned broadband experts to develop ideas for improving internet access for local businesses and families.
This is being done through the Community Broadband Scotland initiative, which was launched in August to provide a one-stop-shop for rural community groups to develop broadband coverage in their areas.
Members of the communities will be offered technical advice and support, and experts will provide business planning tips to local residents.
Once plans have been put in place, funding will be allocated to roll out the proposals.
The pilot communities will benefit from the first round of allocations from the £5 million fund, with invitations for the second round being invited for early 2013.
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities, Nicola Sturgeon said: “Access to broadband is absolutely essential for rural communities like Applecross - both to enhance the quality of life and to stimulate the growth of the local economy.
“The six communities across Scotland to benefit from this first round of funding will act as case studies for future funding rounds.
“Increasing access to broadband for the whole of Scotland is a key priority area for this government, and that is why we have committed to providing next generation broadband access for the whole country by 2020.”
Community Broadband Scotland (CBS) is a national programme delivering a Scotland wide service to support community broadband solutions. CBS is a partnership between Scottish Government, Highlands & Islands Enterprise (HIE), Scottish Enterprise, COSLA and Local Government.
CBS will provide a suite of support mechanisms including advice, guidance and toolkits; an online and telephone resource; a network of staff on the ground delivering hands on advice and support locally to communities; and a Rural Seed Fund.
It will initially be targeted at communities in the 10-15% least likely to benefit from a next generation broadband (NGB) solution under the Step Change 2015 Programme and will provide an opportunity for those communities to take greater ownership, progress more quickly and trial innovative technology and business models.
For more details got to www.communitybroadbandscotland.org/
Related Businesses
Related Articles
Shell-volution is an ambitious industry-wide initiative supported by the public sector and the University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) which has been awarded £4.4 million of investment from the UK Government as part of the Islands Growth Deal. This innovative, ground-breaking project is set to transform shellfish aquaculture, bringing sustainable growth and additional quality jobs in mussel farming, based on detailed investigations (mapping and monitoring) and creating a model for improving security and reliability of wild spat recruitment, through industry best practice.
A Nairn-based foundry, which has achieved international recognition for its larger-than-life bronze castings has invested in a £200,000 expansion to help it reach greater heights. An award of £60,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) has helped Black Isle Bronze to improve infrastructure and purchase equipment to extend the range of projects the firm can undertake.
Young businesses and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands looking to increase productivity, innovation and employment can apply for funding from HIE. The fourth round of the Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) Young Business Capital Grant (YBCG) is now open to businesses that have been trading for less than five years with up to 250 full-time equivalent employees.
Ambitious young businesspeople in the Highlands and Islands have just one more chance to benefit from a tailored support programme. IMPACT30 was launched by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in 2018 to help nurture and empower the next generation of entrepreneurs.
The winners of the Highlands and Islands Food & Drink Awards (HIFAD) 2024 were announced on Friday 1 November at a prestigious ceremony at the Kingsmills Hotel, Inverness. Supported by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), the awards celebrate the talent, quality and diversity across food, drink and hospitality in the Highlands and Islands.
A family run engineering fabrication firm in Caithness is investing in a project to improve productivity, grow business turnover and create new jobs. Gow's Lybster Limited has been working with development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) over several years to develop its growth plans.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will return to Norway to host the Scottish Pavilion at Aqua Nor 2025. The Scottish aquaculture supply chain is invited to register their interest to exhibit as part of the pavilion or join the wider Scottish delegation.
A young engineer working on Britain's deepest nuclear clean-up project has been recognised by the Institute of Chemical Engineers (IChemE). Liam Gordon (27) won the Young Chemical Engineer of the Year award at the annual showcase event of the Aberdeen branch of IChemE, the professional body for chemical engineers in the UK.
Food and Drink TechHUB will provide financial and advice support to help businesses, including social and community enterprises, with commercial growth and net zero transition activities. Small to medium sized enterprises in the Highland Council area that operate in the food and drink sector and its supply chain are expected to benefit from a new programme of support launched his week.
Businesses and social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands looking to reduce the environmental impacts of their operations can now apply to a new Green Grant Fund launched on Thursday 26 September 2024. The three-year £2.7m fund was developed by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
