We can't make calls or stream videos since Storm Amy damaged vital internet link

Residents of Tiree rely on a subsea cable for their internet connectivity

An island community have been asked to avoid making video calls or use online streaming in case it brings down broadband services.

Broadband, mobile data, and digital phone services all failed on Tiree after the subsea fibre cable connecting the island to the mainland was damaged during Storm Amy earlier this month.

A temporary system was set up to enable essential services, such as a doctors and post office, to operate, but the the community-owned network has strict limits on data.

Islanders told BBC Scotland News they have been given no assurances about who will underwrite the cost of satellite data, and repairs may not take place until December.

The damaged cable lies in shallow water about 600m (656 yards) offshore and will require both a barge and a period of calm weather for repairs to be possible.

In the meantime, the only working fixed broadband link runs through a BT-supplied Starlink dish - integrated into a community-owned network, run by Tiree Broadband.

The not-for-profit group estimate that the cost of keeping the island's 700 residents online is around £10,000 a month.

They say they have attempted to prioritise vulnerable residents and essential sites while data usage remains capped, and have asked locals to avoid anything that would place strain on the network - such as video calls or streaming large files.

An islander attempts to get a signal on Tiree

Rhoda Meek, of the Tiree Community Development Trust, said: "At one point during Storm Amy there was no means of communicating with emergency services beyond making a call through an analogue phone line.

"Some of the phone companies have been completely missing since it happened, their masts are completely out. EE and BT have 4G up but the signal is very erratic - you've got people out in gardens trying to get hot spots for connections.

"We're asking people not to stream anything and not to have video calls, because we can't risk data access getting worse.

"It shouldn't be the community that this is having to pay this data. It's a lot of money for a community trust to find."

Storm Amy's impact

Islanders praised the efforts of BT's resilience team for a rapid response after the storm, but said securing a longer term solution before winter was now a concern.

Business owners told BBC Scotland News their work was being made much harder due to the situation.

Kirsteen McKinnon runs a haulage business that works across Scotland, but has been without wifi or a phone for two weeks.

She said: "There are so many calls and emails you make in a day in order to keep things running, and we've not been able to do either.

"We can't get in touch with drivers, can't access vehicle trackers and it's impossible to organise collections or deliveries. It's really impacted the day to day running of operations.

Fraz MacInnes runs several businesses on the island, including a sea tours company and a car hire.

He added: "Luckily the sea tours are off season now, but bookings are coming through online and we can't get on to see them. All the car hires are online too, and we can't see them either.

"When Storm Amy happened our manager was away abroad and I couldn't see bookings coming in. We had to just wait at the airport to see who came off the flights.

"I ended up texting the manager in Spain, as she could access the systems and we couldn't."

Rhoda Meek said the problems raise serious questions about broadband access in remote places

Ms Meek said the current problems highlight a wider issue, where rural and island communities can become cut off from other areas due to technology failing.

She added: "We had been winding down Tiree Broadband because of fibre coming, and now we're having to spin back up with this.

"It's clear that fibre is not infallible, and there is no real back-up. This has raised serious questions as we are reliant on the internet to do so much now - right down to the Co-op ordering stock in."

Neil MacPhail, the chair of the community development trust, said Tiree Broadband was having to do the work of both BT and Openreach at the moment.

He added: "The community is keeping the island connected, but without a guarantee that the data will continue to be paid for, we simply can't extend service to everyone who needs it."

'Temporary solutions'

A BT spokesperson said: "BT's Emergency Response Team has worked across the community to keep Tiree connected following network infrastructure damage caused by Storm Amy.

"We've deployed temporary solutions that have allowed BT to maintain essential connectivity services for existing customers.

"This includes Tiree Broadband, and we're continuing to discuss options to keep connectivity in place for them until full service is restored."

A Scottish government spokesperson said the response to the damaged cables remained ongoing.

They added: "The Scottish government is liaising closely with BT, OpenReach and other key partners to ensure the fibre connection to Tiree is restored as soon as possible and that homes and businesses have access to reliable connectivity in the meantime through satellite technology."