Digital Highlands and Islands Stuart Robertson Head of Broadband and Digital Highlands and Islands Enterprise

Digital Highlands and Islands Action Plan - Overview

Highlands and Islands Region - Priorities for Digital Improving Connectivity Business Growth – ICT Business and Community Support Developing ICT Skills and Awareness (Digital Participation / Inclusion) Collaboration and funding Communications plan and awareness raising

Highlands and Islands Region - Current focus activity New ‘Broadband and Digital Team’ Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK) project ICT Business and Community Support – scoping programme of support with Business Gateway Citizens Online project Sectoral links – Digital Healthcare, Homeworking, Smart Tourism ICT Skills Action Plan development – with SFC, SDS, ScotlandIS, eSkills UK and SEnt Glasgow School of Art, Centre for Design Innovation

Digital Participation Citizens Online project “Everybody Online” – recruitment of digital champions in remote communities Supporting individuals to develop IT skills through local events and sessions in communities Funded by BT, Nominet Trust and the Highland Council Project has successfully worked with 380 people in the Caithness and Sutherland area since 2008 HIE currently working with the UK digital ambassador as the rural partner for the Race Online 2012 team

Partnership and Collaboration UK and Scottish Government Business Gateway (national and local) Public sector partners (incl. UHI, NHS, Las) Private sector, including representative business organisations Technology Strategy Board and the Knowledge Transfer Networks Professional organisations Represent the region on the Scottish Technology Advisory Group and IAG for ICT

Connectivity Review Connectivity in the Highlands and Islands is good –Broadband coverage is good; high take-up –2G coverage is comparable to other rural regions...but it’s not great –Low broadband speeds –Small exchanges on Exchange Activate –Limited ADSL2+ –Gaps in 2G coverage –3G coverage limited to a number of towns

Superfast Broadband UK45%50%66% Telephone exchange ADSL up to 24Mbit/s Fibre to the cabinet up to 100Mbit/s

Current & Planned Rollout

UK Government Objectives To ensure this country has the best Superfast Broadband in Europe by the end of this parliament To ensure delivery of Standard Broadband to virtually all communities in the UK within the lifetime of this parliament

BDUK Process £530m available to 2015, £300m expected to be available in October 2010 announced funding for 4 initial superfast broadband projects –Highlands and Islands, Cumbria, North Yorkshire and Herefordshire £68.8m allocated to Scottish Government Devolved Administrations to agree national plans with BDUK

Highlands and Islands Project Key Towns Employment Deficit Area Fragile Area and Small Towns 20km within Initial Towns Additional Settlements

Highlands and Islands Project Provide superfast broadband into towns Will deliver improved backhaul across the region Further work will investigate roll-out of 3G and 4G coverage Will investigate re-use of infrastructure PQQ shortlist announced – BT, C&W, Commendium and Fujitsu Expect upgrades to begin in 2012/13