What is being done about rural internet speeds?

While the news is full of the super-fast 5G roll-out, many of us who live in rural areas still suffer from totally inadequate internet speeds.

The Argyll and Bute Council’s proposed new Local Development Plan talks of the importance of having fast telecommunications and I would agree.

Internet speeds that are similar to those enjoyed by city populations would contribute a great deal to helping rural area populations and economies grow. So what are our leaders doing to resolve the problem of rural areas being left behind?

My local exchange is Tayinloan and when I check with Openreach, there is no foreseeable schedule to upgrade that exchange. I find this particularly annoying as I believe there is a fibre optic cable running along the length of the A83 from Campbeltown to Tarbert.

I can think of three solutions to this problem for Kintyre.

1. Our government could force Openreach by law to provide similar internet services in rural areas to those in cities – similar to the law that commits the Royal Mail to provide a good rural service although some areas may be loss-making. This would spread the rural upgrade costs across all users rather than exclude some rural areas from having a fit-forpurpose service.

2. The government and council could recognise the importance of fast telecommunications in rural areas and release, or raise additional funds to allow the speedy upgrades to take place.

3. Wind farm trust money could be used to contribute towards upgrading the remaining exchanges under the private government scheme. I think the social and economic benefits would justify such spending.

Rural areas are at a great economic and social disadvantage due to their remoteness from large city populations.

Investing in their telecommunications network would not only remove this disadvantage but it could allow them to compete in the rapidly growing internet economies.

Upgrading our communications infrastructure has to be a high priority and any financial problems have to be resolved now. Iain Logan, Tayinloan.