The importance of better broadband connections to the Highlands has been highlighted by a local newspaper.

According to the Inverness Courier, it is vitally important for businesses operating in the area are provided with enough bandwidth to compete in a difficult economy.

What's more, broadband has also become fundamental to modern living in the home as well, with growing amounts of media and culture available through the internet.

The newspaper cited the Inverness Chamber of Commerce, which has recently been bringing attention to the significant gap between advertised speeds and actual service levels of the business broadband being supplied in the Highlands.

While some commentators have been harsh of the government's 'universal service commitment' to role out 2Mb coverage across the whole of the UK by 2012, the Courier called for plans to be made a "robust reality instead of a pipe dream".

This month, MPs from Norfolk have been planning a sit down with BT Openreach in an attempt to improve the coverage of broadband in the county.