Rural communities and businesses across Scotland are embracing digital technology to boost local and regional economies. Having good mobile connectivity offers businesses new opportunities. However, not everywhere has the connectivity needed to unlock the economic growth sought by UK and Scottish Governments.
Technological advancements have changed the ways in which businesses operate. High-speed connectivity removes barriers, allowing businesses to explore opportunities to maximise growth, get immediate access to information, and focus on more efficient ways of working.
The adoption of digital technology to enhance productivity, the growing use of e-commerce, and the increasing reliance on digitised business processes, makes the need for reliable connectivity across the country more important than ever.
Rural communities in Scotland are rich with small and medium sized businesses. Often forming part of the tourism sector, which already contributes over £4 billion to the Scottish economy each year, rural businesses have the potential to drive economic growth even further.
Research by mobile network operator Three found that having good connectivity contributes to £3.4billion per year in new revenue for British tourist businesses. An improved online presence ensures that they are visible and bookable online, helping connect visitors to businesses, building meaningful relationships with customers at an early stage.
Research commissioned by the Scottish Government, evaluating their 4G Infill Programme, found that increased mobile connectivity in rural areas resulted in new entrants to the labour force due to the increased ability to work and connect remotely. Employees now have increased access to the quantity and quality of online training, helping improve operations, resulting in more efficient day-to-day management of businesses.
New connectivity has enabled online banking, providing access to two factor authentication for cybersecurity, making communities and businesses more resilient to fraud. Businesses are able to better promote themselves through webpages and social media, as well as accessing new audiences through online marketplaces.
The importance of connectivity is further supported by independent research from FarrPoint using data from four of EE’s mobile mast deployments, which found that 4G connectivity can generate up to £6 million in social and economic benefits for a rural community. This includes connectivity supporting industries such as farming, fishing, tourism and TV production to name a few.
FarrPoint evaluated the impact of a mast constructed in Mallaig in 2021 as having potential benefits to the local community of over £1 million due to improved mobile connectivity. Local fishermen report that it has made their lives easier with the ability for them to keep connected whilst out fishing, allowing them to negotiate and sell produce, access online banking and stay on top of business correspondence.
They also report that they can now access live weather forecast information and can contact emergency services in the event they need help. This may be taken for granted in many urban areas, but this is life-changing in rural communities and by boosting business activities they are becoming efficient.
Increased mobile connectivity is not just supporting local and regional economies, but also making rural communities fit for the future. It helps retain current expertise and residents, making these areas attractive places for people to live, work and visit knowing they can access and enjoy mobile connectivity.
However, there remains a divide between rural and urban communities when it comes to the availability of digital connectivity. In order to unlock the economic potential of Scotland’s very rural areas, there needs to be increased 4G mobile phone coverage, as well as the infrastructure needed to deliver it.
Mobile infrastructure is being built and upgraded across the country as part of the Shared Rural Network (SRN), a £1 billion programme to improve 4G coverage across the UK, helping bridge the mobile connectivity gap, making rural areas a more attractive place to work, study, visit and live.
At the start of the programme, just 41% of Scotland had coverage from all four mobile operators. This is forecast to increase to 74% – the biggest improvement across the home nations. Similarly, 80% of Scotland’s landmass had coverage from at least one network, set to increase to 91%, significantly extending the places where people can make calls, access information on the go, and support business operations.
Connectivity has a crucial role to play in supporting the aspirations of the UK and Scottish Governments of boosting economic growth and investment by enabling innovation across sectors. The Shared Rural Network will help ensure areas with limited or no coverage are accessible to all and help unlock the potential for businesses to thrive using increased mobile connectivity.