Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has welcomed the UK Government’s £1bn mobile connectivity programme, calling it very good news for his region.
As a result of the new Shared Rural Network scheme, people in rural parts of the United Kingdom stand to enjoy huge improvements in their mobile coverage. The scheme forms a major part of the UK Government’s plan to level up across the four nations and bring economic and social benefits to people no matter where they live.
The Scottish Conservative MSP said: “Improving our communications infrastructure is vital if we are to encourage investment and job creation in the Highlands and Islands.
“Those of us who live here have become almost too used to having to deal with unreliable mobile phone coverage and calls dropping off. That’s why I’m so pleased that our region – and many of our more remote communities – stands to benefit from this scheme."
“Increasing 4G signal and addressing the problem of so-called ‘partial not-spots’ is so important and could make the world of difference to many local people and businesses. Good communications connectivity for our communities is so important in supporting the jobs that allow people to live and work in rural Scotland."
“But this is only the start of the improvements we need to see. We also need SNP ministers to deliver on their much promised but much delayed R100 broadband rollout. Access to fast, reliable broadband is vital, but we’ve been let down too many times by Scottish Government rhetoric which is vastly differently from reality”.
More on the announcement here: Mobile connectivity revolution to boost the Union - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
