Highlands and Islands fibre broadband project 'on course'

Plans to begin the rollout of next-generation fibre broadband in the Highlands and Islands remain on schedule, according to an official.

In comments reported by the West Highland Free Press, a spokesperson for Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) said the project is "on course" to start this year.

She explained that negotiations with BT over the scheme have reached the final stages and a contract should be signed soon, by which time further details of the rollout will be revealed to the public.

The spokesperson described the initiative as a "highly-complex infrastructure project".

She added: "The project plans to make a massive public investment to deliver next-generation broadband to every area of our region - years before our businesses and communities would have seen it without public sector support."

According to research previously cited by HIE, access to super-fast broadband services could be worth as much as £70 million per year to the regional economy.

The Highlands and Islands was last year granted funding of £120 million from the Scottish government to support the rollout of next-generation broadband across the region's seven local authorities.