Broadband plan for rural Scotland

The Scottish Executive wants to ensure broadband availability for rural areas and has invited suppliers to bid for framework contracts to provide the necessary infrastructure.

The Executive is running Pathfinder projects in the South of Scotland and the Highlands and Islands to test its policy of using the combined weight of public sector demand for high-speed communications to stimulate roll out into remote areas.

The plan is to make it worthwhile for commercial telecoms providers to invest in infrastructure for otherwise unviable areas by providing a guaranteed level of demand from public sector bodies such as the health service and local government.

The Executive has launched the official buying process with an advertisement in the Official Journal of the European Community, looking for a framework contract that government departments and local authorities can take advantage of.

The agreement is expected to be signed towards the end of next summer, with the services available in 2004.

The Pathfinder projects are an important development towards the Executive's aim for broadband connections for all Scotland's rural schools, local government and health services, says deputy finance and public services minister Peter Peacock.

'Broadband provides such a boost for rural areas as it effectively removes geographical disadvantage.

'It will enable pupils to access the highest quality online information, provide video connections to support learning and allow health and local government services to transfer data quickly.

'It also offers the opportunity for different parts of the public sector to work together more effectively and for local government services to be delivered more easily to customers,' said Peacock.

The contract will not specify what kind of technology is used to provide the service, but it must link to national and international networks such as the Janet university grid, the Government Secure Intranet, NHSNet and the Internet.

The Highlands and Islands and the South of Scotland were selected for Pathfinder status because broadband was unlikely to be delivered through the free market.