Rural Scotland People, Prosperity and Partnership

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Radio Fixed Access Provision in Rural Areas

Scottish rural areas will benefit under Government proposals to extend competition in telecommunications services to customers through the use of radio fixed access, also known as the "local loop", the final connection between customers and the local switching centre.

• Radio offers a way to meet the demand for fast information highway links in remote rural areas where the cost of laying fibre-optic cable would be prohibitive;

• Although the Highlands and Islands are already well served (80% of working population) up to ISDN level as a result of the BT and Highlands & Islands Enterprise initiative, the new proposal should mean an improved communications service in the Borders and parts of Dumfries and Galloway;

• The proposal will particularly benefit the increasing number of people who telework from small villages who want better access to more advanced telecommunications services in order to extend the scope of their work.