The poor state of broadband on Mull

Sir,

I live on Loch Scridain, which is lovely but means I’m connected to the Tiroran exchange. It can only supply a broadband speed of 0.5mbps, 1/50th of the UK average and 1/20th of the average from a conventional BT exchange.

I remember when the exchange was upgraded to this limited form of broadband and it seemed wonderful, but now it’s a real inhibition to the normal course of life. We can’t access things others take for granted, such as catch-up TV, Netflix or even the music service on Amazon Prime, and local businesses have to warn residents not to stream things on their phones.

Those things are luxuries but it increasingly effects essentials. Microsoft issues updates of 10gbs, a threeday download if everything is working OK, and more and more software companies no longer issue anything on disc. Some downloads are as much as 45gbs, which is just not practical for us. Businesses often find their credit card machines don’t work.

Currently the government is recommending satellite broadband but a 10mb service costs about the same as a mobile data contract and you have to keep your landline because satellite isn’t good for conversations, so that’s an extra £40 per month - in other words, it’s around £90 per month to get an average service from a BT exchange.

The collapse of Gigha Plus, the latest of many Scottish Government promises to improve our connection, should be the subject of an inquiry. Where was the due diligence in awarding a contract to a company on the brink of bankruptcy and why was all the money given to it before the work was completed?

Here is an alternative: upgrade the two local exchanges, Pennyghael and Tiroran, so they are capable of coping with the Scottish Government’s promise of fibre optic for all by 2021. A by-product would be they are also capable of giving residents up to 17mbps (the average from an ADSL exchange is 9.5mbps) right now.

It would cost less than the price of a new Mondeo – I checked. Richard Warwick, Tiroran, Isle of Mull.