MSP urges BT to ‘up its game’

A WESTERN Isles MSP has called on BT to improve its services to the island communities.

MSP Alasdair Allan wrote to BT’s head of service in Scotland following a ‘catalogue of complaints made to his constituency office in Stornoway in the past few months’.

He asked for BT to address the issues that islanders have been facing, ranging from persistent installation delays to intermittent network service.

Mr Allan said: ‘As the Scottish Government continues to invest in broadband services across Scotland, it’s time for BT to up its game in the Western Isles.

‘The number and the nature of the complaints I have received to my constituency office is not acceptable.

‘In the 21st century, a reliable broadband service is not a luxury, but an essential part of everyday life.

‘In rural communities such as ours, many rely on their broadband services to run their local businesses or maintain contact with friends and family on the mainland.

‘The Scottish Government has bold and ambitious plans to invest in ensuring that 100 per cent of premises across Scotland can reach a superfast connection by 2021.

‘BT must also show some ambition for our islands and address the faults that have affected too many service users.’

A BT spokesman said: ‘Engineers from Openreach, BT’s local network business, are working hard to extend fibre coverage to around 95 per cent of Scottish premises, through the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband project, by the end of this year and customer service is the organisation’s number one priority.’