Shetlands Telecom urges fibre optic broadband discussions

Shetland Telecom is urging rural communities to discuss possible ways that they can gain access to fibre optic broadband in the future.

Next month, the first part of Shetland Islands Council's fibre optic cable is set to be installed between Lerwick and Maywick, allowing Shetland Telecom and other internet service providers to begin offering speeds of more than 25Mbps to local residents and businesses.

According to the Shetland Times, project manager at Shetland Telecom Marvin Smith is keen for communities near the route of the cable to put forward solutions that will enable them to be hooked up to the network.

"We're certainly in the position now where we need to have conversations with any groups that are wanting to push forward with better telecommunications in their area," he remarked.

A machine known as a Ditch Witch was used to cut the trenches required to lay the fibre optic cable from Lerwick to Sandwick, where the subsea connection from the Faroe Islands comes onshore.