Parts of Wester Ross to go from 'worst to best' broadband

Sending even a basic email is a challenge for the communities involved

About 140 homes in Wester Ross are to go from one of the UK's worst broadband speeds to the fastest in the next few months.

Low connection speeds have been a source of significant frustration in the area between Achnasheen, Garve and Aultguish.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise and a wind farm community benefit fund is covering the cost of new fibre cables.

Community group Garve and District Broadband has been driving the project.

The voluntary body's Steve Jones said many residents were currently experiencing "very slow speeds capped at 0.5Mbps".

He said: "It has been an interrupted service which has made sending basic emails or doing basic internet searching very difficult.

"But with fibre we are going from the worst broadband to the best in one leap.

"So it's bye bye to that buffering blue circle that goes round and round in the centre of the screen."

Mr Jones added: "We will be able to email very easily, we will be able to actually see people on Skype, and be able to watch a YouTube video or watch that a film that has been downloaded or is live streaming."