The Scottish Government’s Scottish 4G Infill Programme (S4GI) is a £28.75 million initiative delivering 4G infrastructure and services in up to 55 mobile “notspots” in rural and remote parts of Scotland. S4GI is being delivered in partnership with WHP Telecoms 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 at Strathconon, Highland has made a big difference to residents and visitors. For John Turner, 4G coverage has made home and working life a lot easier:

• Work: “I work from home and now I’m able to take part in online meetings without experiencing time lags and colleagues talking over each other due to the poor connection.”
• Social life: “We can now use Skype to speak to family and friends.”
• Entertainment: We can finally join the 21st century … and our viewing habits have already changed for the better with Netflix, Amazon or iPlayer.”
• Tourism: “I rent out a holiday cottage and, although the tourism industry has been hit hard, I’ve been able to provide guests with a better broadband service.”
• As part of the Emergency Services Network (ESN), this mast will ensure vital police, ambulance and mountain rescue emergency services can offer rapid response to local and national crises.

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)