Turriff to host public meeting for businesses and rural residents affected by broadband and digital connectivity issues
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Anybody affected by issues relating to broadband and digital connectivity is encouraged to attend a meeting in Celebrations at 7pm on Monday, October 10.
This public meeting is open to rural residents, businesses and the wider Turriff community.
Digital Stakeholder Lead Officer with Aberdeenshire Council Jack Rigby reached out to Turriff And District Community Council, following on from correspondence in February 2022.
Aberdeenshire Council’s digital engagement team is a dedicated resource to support residents, businesses and communities, in matters relating to broadband and digital connectivity.
He said: “Our team has access to a wealth of premise-level data and information, allowing us to support, advise, guide and educate members of the public on the wide range of support programmes available to rural residents to improve broadband connections.
“Additionally, we work closely with local and national Telecoms Operators, to ensure we can provide accurate and reliable advice to enquirers.
“Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) programme, has been created to ensure that every premises in Scotland has access to superfast broadband speeds (of at least 30MBPS).
“In the Turriff And District Community Council area, 240 properties are due to be connected to full-fibre broadband infrastructure in 2025, funded by the R100 programme.
“In addition, there are 122 premises in the area, that are eligible for up £5,000 worth of subsidy support, to obtain a superfast broadband solution.
“Our team are also able to support residents in accessing the UK Government’s Gigabit Broadband Voucher Scheme, which can offer an additional subsidy of up to £3,500, for rural residential and business properties, to obtain a gigabit capable broadband solution.
“Additionally, we work closely with colleagues at Scottish and UK Governments, as well as with stakeholders across a wide range of organisations, involved in 4G and 5G mobile connectivity, satellite broadband solutions, fixed wireless broadband solutions, digital place and smart city development, smart infrastructure and IoT and the move to digital phone lines.
“The digital engagement team has access to key data in many areas, but we do not have access to personal information, and so we are keen to promote our service, to encourage residents, businesses and communities to contact us with their queries around digital connectivity, in order to help as many people as we can.
“Aberdeenshire is the worst connected mainland local authority in Scotland regarding broadband, and we are striving to change this statistic.
“We would welcome the opportunity to provide more information, to answer questions, or provide more clarity and information in the matters relating to your area.”
For more information visit: www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/business/support-and-advice/communities/Digital-Connectivity/
