BT sets up new broadband connection for Orkney

Jul 8 2008

Fibre optic cable will bring island into 21st century network

BT is laying a new fibre optic submarine cable between Orkney and the Scottish mainland to help bring its 21st century network to the Northern Isles.

The 70 kilometre long cable will run from Skaill Bay in Orkney under the Pentland Firth to Dunnet Bay, around five miles east of Thurso.


BT has awarded the contract to install the cable to independent marine engineering company Global Marine Systems.


Global Marine's ship CS Sovereign is using its submersible plough and remotely operated vehicle systems to place the cable up to one metre below the seabed.


BT has already reached agreement with Faroese Telecom to share part of a new fibre optic submarine cable which has been laid between the Faroe Islands, Orkney and Shetland and the Scottish mainland.


The cable, which comes ashore at Banff, will provide connectivity to the Northern Isles alongside existing microwave radio links.


BT Scotland director Brendan Dick said: "This is another major step forward in the massive amount of preparatory work we are progressing so that people living in the Northern Isles can share in the benefits that our next-generation network will bring.


"It's one of the biggest projects BT has ever undertaken. Nearly 60 exchanges in the islands, from the largest to the smallest, will have existing equipment removed and replaced with 21st Century kit.

"And it will be well worth the wait, because every exchange, no matter how remote, will have the same capability as a city centre exchange."