HighNet chosen for £2m scheme

Inverness-based telecoms service company HighNet has been selected as the only Scottish-based, government-approved supplier for a scheme to help businesses instal gigabit broadband.

The firm is one of 17 companies so far confirmed by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport to be part of a £2million trial taking place in four areas around the UK, including Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.

Under the scheme suppliers will be offering vouchers worth between £500 and £3,000 to businesses which can be used to pay for the installation of gigabit (Gb) speed connections. The aim of the pilot is to encourage the market to extend full fibre infrastructure in the UK by increasing demand and reducing the cost to customers.

The vouchers will

“This scheme will bring benefits to businesses”

cover the normal charges for installation, including hardware and on-site engineer visits. Businesses can also pool their vouchers to help build clusters of connectivity and further reduce costs.

HighNet, which manages more than 17,000 business lines across the UK, will work to provide connectivity with infrastructure provider CityFibre, the UK’s builder of “Gigabit Cities” and the national alternative provider of wholesale full-fibre network infrastructure.

David Alldritt, technology and innovation director at HighNet, said: “We are delighted to be a government-approved supplier for this landmark scheme which will bring the benefits of gigabit broadband to a range of businesses.”

The test phase will end when the money is used up, or by the end of March 2019.