StrathspeyNow is a project created to engage with home and business owners across Strathspey. Run by Destination Digital Ltd, we manage award-winning integrated digital communication and services. We created and are running Scotland and the UK’s only Digital Improvement District, CuparNow.
Who is ‘Destination Digital’?
Destination Digital has two main delivery partners:
- Destination66 – our integrated communication provider, managing communication using digital and social media channels to engage with multiple audiences.
- Rapier Systems – our digital services provider, managing all infrastructure planning, installation and maintenance. In delivering their services, Rapier works with many tech partners in the UK and around the world. The internet service we will offer will be through Rapier’s sister company, TransmitAir.
Why set up StrathspeyNow?
We have become increasingly aware of the need for improved connectivity through our day to day work.
The opportunity we are exploring is the creation of a gigabit-capable community network that will cover substantially larger areas than have previously been created: to date, home or business owners have sometimes come together to form ‘community fibre partnerships’ but, as you may be aware, these have tended to be relatively small clusters of properties extending (at most) to circa 20 owners in very small geographical areas. By their nature, they try to deliver fibre to each premises – often a very costly and protracted process.
Our plans are different: anchored to fibre (ultimately, as almost all broadband offerings are) we are evaluating demand for a gigabit-capable service that – if the demand is there – can be deployed wirelessly. You are able to register now for the Strathspey area via this link.
You can read media coverage of our work across Strathspey as well as in Fife’s East Neuk. In all areas, we are seeing homes and businesses register across both urban and rural areas.
How is this being funded?
There is government funding available to help with this project through a voucher scheme that provides support for eligible properties. After our registration period, we will evaluate demand. If the numbers are there, will be able to work with home and business owners to trigger available support funding. If you have family, friends, colleagues or neighbours who might be interested, please feel free to share this with them: the more who register, the more we will be able to deliver.
Is there a launch date?
After our evaluation – again, depending on demand – we will look to commence work on the network build. Homes and businesses will then be able to adopt our service on a commercial basis.
What are the benefits?
Beyond the deployment of a minimum ‘superfast’ and a wished for ‘ultrafast’ service, our community network will deliver community benefit – not only providing gigabit-capable access but also reinvesting in a number of community-support initiatives. The more who register, the more we will be able to deliver to benefit all.
We hope you can support this unique initiative by registering today.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Thank you for reading.