The village of Buchany had previously suffered from poor broadband coverage but is now benefiting from the life-changing tech following a grant of £35,500 from the council and the efforts of local people.
Buchany Broadband Group, formed my members of the local community, was awarded the funding to design and build a fixed wireless solution, which is now delivering fast and reliable connectivity to 30 businesses and homes.
Since 2019 the council has supported 23 alternative broadband projects across Stirling, with over 1,100 premises securing ultrafast connectivity. As well as supplying funding, the programme provides communities with technical and project management support.
Local businesses have hailed the vastly improved connectivity in the Buchany area, with an internet speed up to 100Mbps.
Delighted
Wendy Robertson, Manager of Café Circa at the Scottish Antiques and Arts Centre, said: “We are delighted to be connected to this ultrafast service. This brings much needed stability and speed to our business which relies on digital connectivity for almost all aspects of our daily running.”
Faster and reliable
Rory McLeod, Estate Manager at Doune for Moray Estates, said: “Being able to access a gigabit broadband has transformed how our business operates. The service is so much faster and reliable, allowing the business to perform tasks, such as digital mapping, which in the past was unthinkable.”
Working in partnership
Cllr Jen Preston, Vice Convener of the council’s finance and economy committee, said: “Enhanced digital connectivity is life-changing for rural residents and businesses. It allows people to access essential services and supports and enables businesses to realise their full potential and grow the rural economy.
“The network in Buchany is another great example of working in partnership with the local community to deliver a bespoke broadband solution that meets their needs.
“This collaborative approach has been key to the success of the programme and we remain committed to working with communities to address any gaps in rural broadband availability.
Stirling Council’s Rural Broadband programme won the Scottish Government’s Delivering Excellence Award at the 2019 COSLA Excellence Awards as well as the 2019 UK-wide Independent Network Co-operative Association (INCA) Gold Prize.
More information on Stirling’s award-winning digital infrastructure can be found here: https://investinstirling.com/sector-specific/digital-connectivity
