Introduction to Orkney ICT Forum

Members share a professional interest in the application or management of ICT locally.

Aims are to share best practice, ideas, information; provide mutual professional support; identify and enable professional development; and represent members and their interests.

Broadband in Orkney

Orkney ICT Forum, 24th April 2002

The Shetland Cable (Steven Heddle, OE)

Broadband Pathfinder Project (Jim Buchan, SE)

Delivering Local Services (Robert/Greg/Sweyn, OIC)

Broadband for SMEs (Stuart Robertson, HIE)

Questions at the end, please.

Broadband in Orkney*

*with particular reference to the Shetland fibre optic link

Steven Heddle

Orkney Enterprise

Orkney ICT Forum, 24th April 2002

Introduction

Shetland fibre-optic cable project A definition of broadband… Current telecoms provision Stimulation of demand Distribution What next?

Shetland fibre-optic cable project

£11.5M project for 385km of fibre optic cable linking Caithness-Orkney-Shetland

Partners: S+S, SICCT, OIC, SIC, HIE network, ERDF Carriers carrier, operated by S+S, SICCT 24 fibres offering terabit (1012 bs-1) capacity Further connections Project lifetime Important it happens now Users?

Broadband- a definition…

Broadband is always on ‘high’ bandwidth available through a range of technologies

Drivers for broadband

Fast data transfers/ VC / video streaming Telemedicine E-business Scottish Executive …the things we don’t realise yet that we

can’t live without

Current telecoms provision

BT: 840Mbs-1 available to O&S for voice,data, and analogue TV

Thus: 155Mbs-1 for mobile phones, BBC, Orkney College

Microwave links, at > 50% capacity Satellite services ISDN generally available from all exchanges…

ISDN availability (1)

ISDN availability (2)

Stimulation of demand

Existing demand is satisfied, or can be…

To create a market, stimulate demand Pathfinder Modernising Government / NGfL Digital Inclusion

Distribution of broadband services

Require suitable technologies and providers of managed services

ADSL? Wireless? Powerline? Satellite?

What happens next?

Listen to following presentations! Develop strategy in consultation with

local users, and in conjunction with HIE and service providers.