The Scottish Government’s Scottish 4G Infill Programme (S4GI) is a £28.75 million initiative delivering 4G infrastructure and services in 55 mobile “notspots” in rural and remote parts of Scotland. S4GI is being delivered in partnership with WHP Telecoms Ltd. and the Scottish Futures Trust, and is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) to support activity in the Highlands and Islands.

The S4GI mast in Cairngarroch, Dumfries & Galloway, has provided much needed 4G coverage to the village and surrounding areas. Thanks to the programme, Steve and Sarah Austin, who own Stoneykirk Aviation Museum, have seen a huge difference in connectivity and are now able to offer an improved service to their customers.

The museum is privately owned and located around 10 miles south of Stranraer. It is a member of Aviation Heritage UK, the Scottish Aviation Museums Group and the Solway Military Trail.

We caught up with owner Steve Austin, who said:

• “Prior to the mast being installed we didn’t have mobile phone coverage which left us feeling isolated and being left behind “technically”. We used to have to walk into a field to try and get a signal. We can now enjoy the freedom of going online, being able to make and receive calls and are not afraid of missing any business calls which is especially reassuring for our business.
• “We attract a huge range of visitors from the very young to elderly, couples or families, and reliable, good connectivity is important to them.
• “Having the mast allows our visitors to remain online during their visit and allows them to post pictures to friends, etc., on social media. For instance, we recently had a father and young son visit. After being in the Vulcan (airplane) cockpit, the father was able to go online and show his son a video of a Vulcan in flight, which really enhanced his museum experience.
• “Having the S4GI mast has also helped our visitors find us, as being in a rural location, smartphones can be sometimes necessary.”

This case study is an example of the huge benefits the #S4GI programme is bringing to local communities. Find out more here: Scottish 4G infill programme: progress update - gov.scot (www.gov.scot)