Openreach say it’s vital broadband connections mean no-one in the Highlands is left behind
The shift towards home working in recent years adds a new angle to the conversation around countering rural depopulation and supporting economic activity in the Highlands.
It was once impossible to imagine a world where you could be considered for a range of job roles, while only occasionally heading into the office. But it’s now an option for many.
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In rural Scotland it means more opportunities for people to remain in, or return to, rural communities, to bring up families and make a local economic contribution.
However, it all relies on improved broadband connections.
Openreach is working across the Highlands to connect people to fast, reliable, full fibre broadband, future-proofing their digital connectivity for decades to come.
Today, around 28,000 Highland properties can connect to our new network, with half adopting the technology and harnessing its benefits, and there’s much more to come.
We’ll soon start work in Dingwall, Fort William and other towns and villages, while our build in Inverness is ongoing. Our fibre checker has the latest information for each address.
It will come as no surprise to most that the build process is not always straightforward.
Unpredictable weather; challenging terrain and long distances; issues with accessing blocks of flats and private land; unique properties not designed with the digital world in mind - all keep our engineers occupied.
While there are no quick solutions, the need to deliver broadband connections at pace is imperative. So we’re constantly innovating to overcome these hurdles.
We’ve developed technology to transmit fibre signals over much longer distances, use drones to carry cables to remote places and are coupling 360-degree camera footage with AI software to plan the fastest cable routes.
These and other innovations are already helping us reach thousands of Highland households and businesses - and many more in the future.
Openreach plays an important role in driving new economic and social opportunities which can ultimately grow the Highland economy. As we look to the benefits of Scotland’s connected future, it’s vital no-one is left behind.
Robert Thorburn is partnership director at Openreach.
