British Telecom is poised to begin work on improving access and quality of broadband services across 50 locations to be identified around Scotland. The provider is in the midst of discussions with the Scottish government regarding this project, which will open up new vistas of internet access for residents of rural and remote locations in the country.

Finance Secretary Swinney agreed that while most of the locals residing in urban Scotland did have high-speed internet connectivity (click for fastest broadband info), the same could not be said for people residing in the rural areas, where people have to struggle with painfully slow speeds. Residents and government representatives of rural locations like the Borders have therefore welcomed the news and expressed their gratitude to the Scottish government.

A budget of £3m has been allocated for the upgrade, which will mainly focus on rural areas. The project is likely to begin with an analysis and selection of fifty exchange sites. The selection will be carried out based on connection speeds available and difficulty in access to internet.

The proposal for upgrade of rural broadband was announced by minister Stephen Timms, who also presented his plans for high-speed broadband connectivity across the UK. Telephone customers can expect a 50p additional charge in their telephone bills even before elections, if Mr Timms’ proposal is accepted. The money thus collected will be used for developing technology for high-speed broadband and widening the network keeping the rural populace in mind. The minister plans to present his proposal to parliament as part of the Finance Bill, but the move is being opposed by the Conservatives.