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Frustration on Skye over poor broadband

SNP MP Ian Blackford
SNP MP Ian Blackford

Residents on Skye have claimed their broadband speed has been so slow over the festive period it has been almost impossible to use.

Anger is mounting over BT’s handling of the fault, with a Facebook page Skye Broadband Users Group, being set up.

The problem started just two weeks after the telecoms giant launched so-called high-speed fibre broadband for hundreds of homes there.

Angry islander Neil Smith, of Portree, said: “I first complained on December 23, two days after my internet slowed down to a speed of 0.03 mbps. By then, I was aware of numerous other people across Skye who were experiencing similar problems.

“It was affecting services, businesses, and domestic customers, some of whom rely on the internet to keep in touch with relatives overseas. With it being Christmas time, this was particularly disruptive, though everyone acknowledged that our bandwidth issues paled into insignificance compared to those with flooded homes elsewhere in the country.”

He added: “The speed has improved in the last 24 to 48 hours but is only 1.8 mbps in Portree.

“Fortunately for me, I have been on holiday for the last week as I normally work from home for a national educational agency and would not have been able to undertake my normal day to day tasks. I know of many others in a similar situation.”

Local MP Ian Blackford said: “People expect broadband connectivity, especially at this time of year when they want to play games or chat to distant relatives and the like.

“But the second aspect is that many people on the island work from home. They may be writing, taking holiday bookings for rentals or hotels and they’re finding it very difficult to connect with their customers.

“And of course their customers will go elsewhere if they can’t get through to them.”

A BT spokesman said: “We have been working on a transmission issue which has been causing slow broadband speeds in parts of Skye.

“Two faulty cards were replaced at Portree exchange on Wednesday and engineers are working to rebalance broadband traffic on alternative routes to increase speeds. Separately, we are working on plans to improve broadband connectivity across the island.

“Meanwhile, it is important that all internet users log faults with their own service provider.”

He added that there wold be more fibre broadband in Portree and across the island as the roll-out “gathers pace” in the new year.