Shetland awarded £1m in government funding to boost connectivity

Shetland is set to benefit from £1m of government funding to boost the islands connectivity.

The UK Space Agency (UKSA) will invest £1m in a project poised to fix the connectivity gap on Shetland's nineth largest island, Papa Stour.

The project aims to support efforts to boost sustainability in the region, which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest with seas designated as a Special Area of Conservation due to its diverse wildlife.

It is part of a wider funding announcement from the UKSA worth £3.5m for space technology poised to boost connectivity in remote areas.

A number of satellite-powered projects across hard-to-reach places in the UK are set to test innovative connectivity solutions in a bid to bridge the digital divide.

Tests will take place in remote and rural locations, where satellites offer the only “practical solution for connectivity”, UKSA said. It is hoped that by integrating advanced space technologies in these regions, it can boost economic growth and improve the quality of life for residents.

The funding round will target three projects across the UK. 

Telecoms minister Chris Bryant said: “Digital infrastructure is essential for our modern way of life. But for too long, many businesses and communities have felt left behind.

“This is why we must do whatever it takes to ensure we harness technological innovation to enrich people’s lives and tackle exclusion, rather than entrench existing inequalities. 

"These pilots, for instance, will help shape the next generation of connectivity, using a combination of satellite technology and mobile networks to test innovative new services that could be a real game-changer for remote and rural communities.”

It is claimed work to support the sustainability of Shetland has been held back by a lack essential services, including broadband and mobile service.    

The initiative will test hybrid satellite-wireless solution using Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and geostationary (GEO) terminals to create a “robust, flexible and high-speed communication system”, according to the UKSA.

LEOs terminals are devices that communicate with satellites orbiting relatively close to Earth, at an altitude of up to 2,000 km, while GEO terminals are vice used to communicate with satellites that orbit at a much higher altitude – more than 35,000 km.

It is claimed the project could become a blueprint for remote areas across the UK, by demonstrating how an integrated satellite-wireless solution can be managed on a ‘whole community’ basis, without needing many on-site personnel to sustain it.

Liz Peterson, councillor for Shetland West said: “As one of our most remote and fragile communities, Papa Stour, will directly benefit through the people who live here being able to have a better connection to the wider world.  This will also enable people living in Papa Stour to develop better opportunities to work remotely and we hope this will encourage new families to consider moving here.”  

Meanwhile, the two other projects announced by the space agency will look into providing portable gigabit-capable internet speeds and combining LEO and GEO satellite terminals with wireless/mobile technologies to boost connectivity at Northern Ireland’s northernmost point, Rathlin.