Free wi-fi could be rolled out at 14 sites

Alness is one of the places that could be provided with free wi-fi

Councillors are to be asked to approve a plan to provide free wi-fi in the centres of villages and towns across the Highlands.

The service would be similar to Ness Wifi in Inverness, which Highland Council launched in February.

The planned locations are Alness, Aviemore, Dingwall, Dornoch, Drumnadrochit and Fort Augustus.

Also, Fort William, Invergordon, Nairn, Portree, Tain, Thurso, Ullapool and Wick.

A report will go to Highland Council's places committee on 16 August detailing the plans for approval.

Committee chairman Allan Henderson said it would cost about £115,000 to put in the necessary hardware across all 14 village and town centres.

Maintaining all the sites would cost about £20,000 annually, he said.

If approved, all the places could have free wi-fi by the end of next year.