Shetland could be an ideal location for the government to trial high-speed broadband technology, according to one member of the Scottish parliament.

Tavish Scott, MSP for the island group, urged Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt to consider Shetland for one of three pilot projects set to be undertaken in rural areas.

In a letter to the minister, he explained that the islands have the "double advantage" of a new fibre-optic sub-sea cable link to the Scottish mainland, and a sparse, well-distributed population, reports Shetland News.

Many people living in the community are currently out of reach to even moderate-speed broadband, Mr Scott noted.

"With roughly a third of the islands' 22,000 population living in Lerwick and the remainder across the islands in villages and out in the countryside, Shetland can offer an ideal test bed for high speed broadband and its impact on rural communities with varying levels of remoteness," he added.

Mr Scott said there would be "considerable" advantages to providing the islanders with enhanced web services.

Earlier this month, the government announced that nationwide 2Mb broadband is unlikely to be seen until 2015 at the earliest.