SNP MSP Gail Ross asks about the B4RN project, external in the North of England.

Robbie McGhee, broadband policy team leader, Scottish government says the B4RN project has been very successful but is difficult to replicate.

Mr McGhee says the government has talked to BARN and is looking into it.

Image source, B4RN

According to its website:

"B4RN is a professionally designed fibre optic broadband network, registered as a non-profit community benefit society, and run by a dedicated local team with the support of landowners and volunteers. We offer 1,000Mbps FTTH broadband to every property in our coverage area within North West England, costing households only £30 per month."  

Committee deputy convener Gail Ross says, in the current contract, it has been difficult for communities to know whether or not to go forward with community schemes because they have no ideas of a timeframe.

Mr Ewing says he appreciates it is frustrating and some communities want to press ahead now but that the Scottish government has a clear plan to provide R100.

The rural economy and connectivity secretary says this is a challenging project which takes a lot of work and effort to get right.

"It is not like switching electricity suppliers," he says.  

Committee convener Edward Mountain says "in the Highlands there are a lot of places that have no G let alone 3, 4 or 5G."

Image source, bbc

Green MSP John Finnie says there needs to be meaningful scrutiny and that the committee's investigation is being impeded by the UK government's lack of engagement with the Scottish government. 

Mr Finnie says it shows disrespect to the committee. 

Committee convener Edward Mountain says the committee will seek to take evidence from the relevant UK ministers, including  UK government Digital and Culture Minister Matt Hancock.

Mr Ewing says he would expect more than a "Hancock's Half Hour".

Image source, Google

Residents of an internet-starved Stirlingshire village are to install their own 22-mile broadband network.

The Balquhidder community broadband project, external will connect about 200 households and businesses.

The project will cost about £300,000 with the funding being provided by private and public investors, including Stirling Council.

Work is expected to begin in the summer with the project due to be completed next year.

The Scottish government is committed to delivering 100% broadband coverage for Scotland by the end of the current parliament in 2021.   

Tory MSP Jamie Greene says he wants to make sure that the public are not spending money twice and if the Scottish and UK government projects can work together.

Mr Ewing says he has suggested a working group be set up.

The rural economy and connectivity secretary says the response from the UK government has been disappointing and he hopes there can be a more collaborative approach going forward. 

Image source, bbc

Committee convener Edward Mountain says he has been to many meetings about the cost of providing the last 5% of broadband to the Highlands.

Mr Mountain asks if the government can come up with the estimated £400m.

The Scottish government is committed to delivering 100% broadband coverage for Scotland by the end of the current parliament in 2021. 

Mr Ewing says: "We are fairly early on in the process."

The minister says the way to get the best value is by tendering.

He says the UK government should strictly be picking up the tab for this anyway.

Mr Rumbles asks whether the government has set aside enough resource to achieve outcomes by 2021.

The Lib Dem MSP asks if Mr Ewing is confident there are enough resources to meet his commitments.

Mr Ewing says this is a fair question and that the government recognises that it is a challenging project but that it is achievable.

The rural economy and connectivity secretary says, if Scotland was to remain in the EU, then that will also provide funding.

"We would be looking for the UK government to match any EU funding as they promised they would," he says. 

Image source, NOMINET

In November we reported that part of the wireless spectrum freed up after the digital TV switchover is being used to provide broadband services in rural Scotland.

The first to benefit from "white space" internet will be residents on the Isle of Arran, who have struggled with poor broadband speeds.

Domain name firm Nominet is partnering with telecoms firm Broadway Partners to roll it out.

They claim it is the first commercial service using the technology in Europe.

Image source, bbc

Rural Economy and Connectivity Secretary Fergus Ewing says he wants to make sure the taxpayer is getting the best deal.

Mr Ewing says the government does not think the cost model from Ofcom was the best one.

Robbie McGhee, broadband policy team leader, Scottish government agrees saying it was conservative.

Tory MSP Peter Chapman asks what countries Scotland will connect to.

Mr Ewing says there are no definitive plans yet and the priority is to connect homes and businesses in Scotland first. 

Image source, bbc

Tory MSP Jamie Greene asks what international fibre links might look like, where they might be and what they might cost.

Rural Economy and Connectivity Secretary Fergus Ewing says the government sets high ambitions.

Mr Ewing says Ireland has connected an international fibre link with the USA.

He says this was one of the reasons that HBO filmed Game of Thrones there.

Mr Ewing says he has met with companies who are involved in the "nitty-gritty".

The rural economy and connectivity secretary says that it is important that people are trained up in this work. 

He says a lot is being done and he gets the impression that local authorities have opened the door and are keen to get on board with this. 

Image source, Thinkstock

In December we reported that almost £18m is to be invested in broadband services in Scotland to improve speeds in rural areas.

The money is part of a £440m UK package aimed at delivering access to superfast broadband.

The cash comes from "efficiency savings" and money returned by BT as part of the UK government's broadband rollout scheme.

Critics said they feared the scheme would not benefit those with the worst service.

Image source, bbc

Rural Economy and Connectivity Secretary Fergus Ewingsays the government is looking to work with the operators to use the business rates system to ensure Scotland is not uncompetitive with the rest of the UK.

Mr Ewing says some of the tariffs imposed down south have been pretty exorbitant.

He says the Scottish government wants to work with businesses and he says the UK government failed to do this.

SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson asks how competitive we are internationally and asks if ways are being explored that every new building in Scotland can be digital ready.

Mr Ewing says "we are making sure that all new buildings are digitally ready.

The rural economy and connectivity committee says in June last year a mobile action plan was published to invite mobile providers to come to Scotland. 

SNP MSP Richard Lyle asks what data the Scottish government will be using.

Mr Ewing says the Scottish Futures Trust commissioned a report from Deloittes which said the estimated benefit from a fully digitised Scotland would be £13,000,000,000 per annum.

Ms Grant says it seems "a bit much that we are paying for it again and again".

Mr McGhee says because it is a reserved matter, Scotland cannot regulate on it.

He says it reiterates some of the difficulties around telecoms as a reserved matter. 

Image source, Science Photo Library

In October we reported that high-speed broadband was to be installed in an additional 360,000 homes and businesses across Scotland by the end of 2019, Virgin Media has announced.

The plans will see fibre optic broadband delivered to both urban and rural areas.

A total of 125,000 premises in areas including Kilmarnock, Ayr, Prestwick, Dunfermline, Dalgety Bay and Inverkeithing will benefit.

Virgin Media said it was part of its £3bn "Project Lightning" UK expansion.