MCINNES WELCOMES BROADBAND UPGRADE FOR RURAL AREAS

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 24th Sep 2009

Aberdeenshire MSP, Alison McInnes, has welcomed the announcement that an agreement had been reached between the Scottish Government and BT to boost broadband in rural areas.

BT has admitted that there are many rural and remote areas in Scotland where people cannot access the internet or the received service is painfully slow.

Alison McInnes commented:

"The announcement by BT to upgrade telephone exchanges in rural areas of Scotland should give a boost to Aberdeenshire where several areas have, to say the least, a very sketchy service.

"We have areas around Peterhead, Huntly and Turriff where I know constituents are only managing to connect to very slow dial up services even when they are signed up to a broadband connection. This has put our local businesses relying on the internet at a disadvantage.

"I have written to the Cabinet Secretary urging him to ensure that Aberdeenshire is given priority in the first round of upgrades."