Work on `re-wiring’ of city is underway
Council spending £3m on broadband network
If the pavement outside your house hasn’t been dug up yet, the chances are it will be soon.
Work has now started on the 14-month project to lay 12 and a half miles of hi-tech computer cable across the city.
It’s hoped the copper-free ‘dark fibre’ network – costing Stirling Council up to £3 million – will provide unlimited bandwidth and vastly improve broadband speed.
It’s aimed at turning Stirling into Scotland’s fourth ‘Gigabit city’ but it will have no impact on average domestic broadband speeds in Stirling, which are among the lowest in the country.
The cables will connect 30 Stirling Council sites including schools, libraries, offices and community facilities.
Officials at the authority hope it will increase productivity across all areas of council operations and lay foundations for other development such as connecting mobile masts and delivering safer city infrastructure like smart CCTV and street-lighting.
And the council anticipate the new network will be extended over time to offer the majority of Stirling’s 3,000 businesses what officials say will be “affordable” access to digital facilities expected to be far better than those currently available.
Cable infrastructure is to be laid across Stirling, from Bannockburn to Stirling Agricultural Centre, during the initial development phase.
Workmen are at the moment digging up pavements in Riverside and laying pipework and creating control boxes.
Members of the council’s finance committee last November agreed a £2.44 million, seven-year contract with MLL Telecom for the installation and maintenance of the cable network. There is an option to extend the value of the contract up to £3 million during the period to cover additional services.
MLL, based in Marlow, Buckinghamshire, are working on the project with CityFibre Ltd, who have a registered address in London and are described as the leading “pure fibre infrastructure provider”.
Announcing the link up with MLL and CityFibre in January, the then Council Leader Johanna Boyd said the move was “excellent news for those who live, work and study here”.
She added: “This leap forward for our digital connectivity will make our existing businesses more competitive, encourage new businesses to the city centre, and enable us to deliver education and skills programmes, which not only ensure our students are the most digitally skilled in Scotland, but also provide people of all circumstances and skill levels with opportunities for employment. It will also allow those accessing council services to do so faster.”
She added: “Following a competitive tender process we have worked closely with MLL Telecom Ltd and CityFibre to ensure that Stirling’s needs are fully met through this project, not just today but well into the future.”
James McClafferty, CityFibre’s head of regional development in Scotland, added: “As the first organisation to be connected, Stirling Council will, for example, explore the e-learning potential offered by Gigabit connectivity in schools and libraries, whilst improving the use of digital and web-based tools and services for both staff and customers.
“What’s more, as the project progresses we expect Stirling to benefit economically as the city becomes more competitive in terms of attracting new businesses, supporting growth amongst existing firms and creating jobs.”
Ross Duke, MLL Telecom’s technology director said, “The Gigabit City network will transform the way in which Stirling’s communities,