Broadband drive still on
Superfast speeds reaching more
A community push for better broadband connectivity in rural areas is continuing.
A new fibre cabinet in Killearn now means that residents and businesses can now place their orders for better broadband, and some have already had new services installed.
The development means services in the area can reach up to 30Mbps or more, according to the Killearn Broadband Group (KBG).
People living in `The Trees’ housing estate or in the centre of the village should be able to get superfast broadband, and around half of postcodes in the village are now connected to one of the fibre cabinets.
The report said: “Balfron has also got more cabinets, with 85 per cent of the village now showing as `Accepting Orders’. Strathblane and Blanefield is in a similar position with slightly over 85 per cent of the village covered.
“Buchlyvie has almost 90per cent showing as connected while Croftamie and Drymen is showing nearly 60 per cent `Accepting Orders.’”
In Balquhidder, one community group – which has been fighting for the last decade for better coverage – is looking to finalise a plan that would see homes gain access to fibre cables.
The Balquhidder Community Broadband (BCB) group is hoping to capitalise on a fibre cable installed by the EE network in Balquhidder Glen back in January.
The group is hoping to use the EE emergency service fibre cable to deliver fibre broadband to homes in the village as the first phase of the project. Funding already committed by Stirling Council and LEADER will go towards delivering a full service to those areas not covered.
BCB is however open to opportunities for any gap funding support, to address the more marginal areas of the glen. The network also provides a starting point for a potential `daisy chain’ of backhaul service to other communities in Western and Northern Stirlingshire.
Stirling Conservative candidate, Stephen Kerr visited members of the BCB this week.
David Johnstone of Balquhidder Community Broadband said: “It has been a long and difficult road but we have stuck with it and hopefully we can cross the final hurdle. It was great to meet Stephen and discuss the project and acknowledge the interest he has shown in what we are trying to achieve for Balquhidder and potentially the wider area.”
Richard Harris, Balquhidder Community Broadband, added: “After over ten years of campaigning and three years of wrestling with dysfunctional bureaucracies, we are finally able to bring our area into the 21st century.”
Stephen Kerr said: “A fundamental part of an MPs job should be to proactively support economic growth for all sectors and regions across their constituency. That requires a digital `level playing field’ so businesses can compete globally and everyone can access all the benefits .”