Locals on remote Scottish island can now buy Christmas presents online and stream Netflix for the first time after 4G mast hailed as a ‘lifeline’ is finally installed

• Bruray, one of the Out Skerries islands, part of Scottish 4G Infill programme 
• Alice Arthur, 63, able to avoid six-hour round trip to Lerwick for presents 
• B&B owners say the infrastructure has ‘drastically’ improved their business 

Residents on a remote Scottish island have been enjoying the benefits of a new 4G mast, allowing them to buy Christmas presents online and stream Netflix without any issues for the first time. 

The new infrastructure was installed this summer on Bruray, one of the Out Skerries islands which are the easternmost part of Shetland and are located more than 130 miles north east of mainland Scotland.

Alice Arthur, 63, previously had to make a six-hour round trip to Lerwick, on mainland Shetland, to do her Christmas shopping for her seven grandchildren and always worried that what she ended up buying wouldn’t excite them.

But Mrs Arthur said she is now spoiled for choice after mobile internet was installed on the island as part of the Scottish Government’s 4G Infill programme, which has ‘opened up a whole new world’ for her. 

Elsewhere on the island, Kia and Paul James, owners of Rocklea Retreat B&B, say their business has ‘dramatically’ improved since the 4G infrastructure was installed over the summer. 

The £28.75 million Scottish 4G Infill programme is delivering 4G infrastructure to rural and island communities across Scotland, which previously had no or extremely limited mobile coverage. 

Alice Arthur, 63, lives on Bruray, one of the Out Skerries islands which are the easternmost part of Shetland and are located more than 130 miles north east of mainland Scotland

The £28.75 million Scottish 4G Infill programme is delivering 4G infrastructure to rural and island communities across Scotland, which previously had no or extremely limited mobile coverage

Mrs Arthur previously had to make a six-hour round trip to Lerwick, on mainland Shetland, to do her Christmas shopping for her seven grandchildren and always worried that what she ended up buying wouldn’t excite them

Mrs Arthur said: ‘Gift buying for my grandkids was never easy as I was only able to choose from what was available on the Shetland mainland, and without many options to choose from, I was always worried that some of what I found wouldn’t be very exciting to them.

‘But now, with this new connectivity, there’s just so much choice.

‘I can find such a wide range of toys and clothing, at good prices, and have them delivered right to my door. It’s made things so much easier.’

Mrs Arthur is not the only person on the Out Skerries islands to be benefiting from the new 4G mast. 

Kia and Paul James, owners of Rocklea Retreat B&B say their business has ‘dramatically’ improved since the 4G infrastructure was installed over the summer. 

Mrs James, 52, said: ‘Yeah, we’ve noticed a significant improvement. In the connectivity here, and in our ability to be more consistent with communicating with our customers as well.

‘If people are out doing a walk, we know that they can contact other people if needed for any help or for any advice on where to go. 

‘There’s connectivity not just here at the B&B, but all over the island as well. So it just makes it a much more of an attractive, more connected place to be definitely doesn’t feel as remote.’ 

Before the mast was built, Mr James says they relied on patch internet coverage from the mainland, meaning if the weather was bad, they received little signal. 

Now, because of the new infrastructure, people on the island are able to work from home, such as the Kia and Paul’s son, whilst council meetings can now take place in the town hall because of the 4G coverage.

Mr James said: ‘It’s been up since the summer, prior to that we were relying on very patchy four g signals from Shetland, mainland. If the weather was bad, it went out it wasn’t particularly good

‘It’s been particularly beneficial to our son, because he works from home as a web developer from here. So it’s supporting remote working as well. The business’s website easy to manage. It’s been pretty much transformative.

‘It was meant to up last year in October, but the weather got in the way. I mean, we had power cuts and storms and all sorts of things. So it really is quite a lifeline service for us out here. At the moment it’s all but provided by EE, but we’re hoping to get Vodafone to put service out here as well.

‘I mean, we can now get Internet in the community hall. So things like remote teams, meetings and things for council work, it really has made a huge difference. And we can stream Netflix as well which is great.’

Scottish innovation minister Richard Lochhead said: ‘Thanks to our £28.75 million S4GI programme, we’ve brought 4G to these Shetland islands, showing our commitment to providing future-proofed connectivity to rural and island communities.

‘These phone masts mean residents, businesses and visitors in these communities can work, communicate and access services more efficiently.

‘This is about creating opportunities for businesses, improving daily life and ensuring no-one – even the hardest to reach – is left behind in the digital era.’

In addition to the mast in the Out Skerries, EE has recently activated a 4G mast as part of the S4GI programme on the island of Foula, Shetland.

Through EE’s partnerships with the Scottish Government, WHP Telecoms, Cellnex UK and Scottish Futures Trust, EE 4G connectivity is now available on 51 of 55 S4GI mobile masts across Scotland.

Through EE’s partnerships with the Scottish Government, WHP Telecoms, Cellnex UK and Scottish Futures Trust, EE 4G connectivity is now available on 51 of 55 S4GI mobile masts across Scotland

In addition to the mast in the Out Skerries, EE has recently activated a 4G mast as part of the S4GI programme on the island of Foula, Shetland

Greg McCall, chief networks officer at BT Group, said: ‘Alice’s story is a powerful reminder of how reliable 4G connectivity can transform the everyday lives of people in rural communities, especially those living in some of the UK’s most isolated areas.

‘These new 4G sites provide residents with fast and reliable access to online services like banking, healthcare, and shopping, while empowering rural Scottish businesses to take mobile payments and offer new digital experiences.

‘Together with the Scottish Government and our industry partners, we are helping close the UK’s digital divide and deliver the connectivity boost countryside communities can rely on.’

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