HIGH-SPEED broadband has arrived on the small island of Scalpay.
A wireless link is providing access to the same mainstream fibre-based services as is available on the mainland, without the need for subsea cabling. Wireless to the cabinet technology has been installed as part of the Digital Scotland superfast broadband project, which is a £146 million investment rolling out fibre-based services across the Highlands and Islands.
To bring superfast services to many parts of Scalpay, a radio mast with dishes has been installed by engineers from Openreach, the local network business which is part of BT Group, at North Harbour. The dishes send and receive radio signals from a site at Sunnyhill more than 6km away at Tarbert, in Harris. These signals are then relayed to green cabinets which serve the local homes and businesses. There are two on Scalpay, one at the exchange and the other at Outend.