29 May 2007
Scottish consumers currently boast the highest level of ADSL broadband uptake in the whole of the UK, with three of its major regions placed in the top ten uptake areas in the UK.
Figures from BT Wholesale showed that Aberdeenshire and Shetland are the first local authorities in Britain to have more than half their homes and businesses hooked up to broadband internet access.
England's first entry into the top ten was Oxfordshire, which was placed in seventh behind Scotland's Aberdeenshire, Shetland and Moray and Wales' Monmouthshire among others.
Brendan Dick, BT Scotland's Director, commented: "Aberdeenshire, Shetland, Stirling, Aberdeen and Moray are in a league of their own when it comes to broadband take-up.
"Fast internet access is now making a huge contribution to the economic success of Scotland, as businesses find new markets and work more efficiently, and households capitalise on the almost limitless abilities of the internet for education, entertainment and shopping."
BT also claimed that the figures showed the so-called digital divide was narrowing, with the higher costs some providers are charging because of network limitations for broadband users who live in far-flung corners of the UK seemingly not putting consumers off from subscribing to high speed internet services.
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