BT: Broadband speeds up to standard in Shetland

Major internet service provider BT has said it offers similar connection speeds in Shetland as it does in other parts of the UK.

Residents on the Scottish islands suffered a broadband outage last week after a fuse blew, but services resumed after a few hours and local web users were once again able to use VoIP hardware and browse the internet.

Rural UK residents have faced the prospect of not being immediately included in the government's universal connectivity plans, but BT says next-generation technology will reach Shetland within about 18 months.

A spokesperson for BT said: "We want the new network to be ubiquitous. It hasn't arrived in Aberdeen yet. It will be built."

Web users located significant distances from telephone exchanges normally find their broadband speeds are reduced, but a range of options are being considered to reach the government's universal connection target.

One of BT's closest rivals in the drive to next-generation technology is Virgin Media, which recently launched a 50 megabits-per-second service.