Connections
Briefing from BT Scotland • Winter/Spring 2014
Glasgow City Council first in
Scotland to offer free wi-fi
Community centres will be among first to benefit
Free public wi-fi internet access will be
available in Glasgow’s streets and public
spaces in time for the 2014 Commonwealth
Games following Glasgow City Council’s
decision to award the UK’s first Urban
Wireless concession to BT.
More than 30 community centres in
Glasgow, operated by Glasgow Life, will
also offer free wi-fi to their users later
this year after a subsequent agreement
was made between BT and Glasgow
City Council on the back of the wireless
concession award.
BT will deliver the wi-fi infrastructure, with
the first phase of the programme delivered
ahead of the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth
Games. This will see between 50-80 wireless
access points installed around high footfall
areas and transport hubs around the city
centre and parts of the East End.
There will be free, 24-hour access to the
network for the first six months and free
access for 30 minutes per day per handset
thereafter.
The concession will enable BT to deliver
a variety of wireless technologies and
enhance current and future wireless and
mobile coverage within Glasgow including
3G and 4G through small cell technology.
The next phase of Glasgow’s wireless
network will be rolled out towards early
2015, extending coverage more widely
throughout the city.
Glasgow’s City Wireless delivery is based
on a concession model, meaning that access
to the wireless network in the city comes
through the lease of council-owned street
furniture and property, with the council
providing a license to allow a network
operator to build a wireless network.
This model, used by other major UK
cities, means that the council does not
have to make any investment, with
the network being designed, built and
operated by the private sector. Any
subsequent support, maintenance,
upgrading and monitoring will come at no
cost to the council.
Glasgow Life will use the new
infrastructure to create new community wi-fi
hubs to create effective, joined-up support,
advice and learning services across the city. It
will support specific groups including those
who are more likely to be offline.
Councillor Gordon Matheson, Leader of
Glasgow City Council, said: “Delivering a
free wi-fi network is a key priority of the
council and we are delighted to award the
Urban Wireless supplier concession to BT.
Glaswegians and our visitors will soon be
able to access multimedia information on
the city, its events, businesses and services
on their devices. This network will play a key
role in Glasgow’s transition to becoming a
digitally connected, smart city, with all the
economic and social benefits that brings.”
Brendan Dick, BT Scotland director,
commented: “We’re delighted to have won
this public access wi-fi procurement. We’re
greatly looking forward to working with
the council and delivering an outstanding
wi-fi network for Glasgow, her people
and visitors, building on our existing
technological capabilities in Scotland’s
biggest city.”
First superfast broadband connection for rural Scotland project
An historic north-east fishing community is the first location in Scotland to become
superfast broadband enabled as part of a £410m publicly-funded project.
Around 400 premises in Buckie, Moray
can now order fibre services and this figure
will increase to more than 5,300 as BT
engineers complete the local upgrade in
the weeks ahead. Additional locations
across Scotland will follow, with broadband
infrastructure installed and upgraded
across the country.
In delivering the Highlands and Islands
project BT will roll out more than 800km
of new fibre on land, and another 400km
of subsea cables connecting the island
communities. Coverage levels in all seven
local authority areas within the Highlands
and Islands project area will represent
a significant step change for fibre
broadband.
(Continued page 2)
For BT contact telephone numbers please see your local BT Phone Book
Briefing from BT Scotland • Winter/Spring 2014
BT awards £26.9m
subsea cabling contract
to three firms
BT Scotland director Brendan Dick demonstrates his touchscreen skills to an
attentive audience of pupils from Buckie High School
Important milestone for
Digital Scotland Superfast
Broadband partnership
(Continued)
Welcoming the announcement, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:
“Today marks an important milestone for the Digital Scotland Superfast
Broadband partnership and for the people of Buckie who are the first in
Scotland to benefit from this service.
“It’s fantastic news that local households and businesses will now see the
benefits of high quality digital connectivity.
“The scale of the challenge of delivering fibre broadband into rural
Scotland outstrips any other part of the UK.
The Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband project is being delivered in
two parts – one covering the Highlands and Islands and the other covering
the rest of Scotland. Both projects are being delivered on the ground by BT.
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) is leading on the £146m project for
its region.
Alex Paterson, HIE’s Chief Executive, commented: “The introduction
of high-speed broadband in Buckie marks the start of a roll-out process
which will ensure the Highlands and Islands fulfils its ambition to be a digital
region.
“Without public investment a fibre network on this scale simply would
not have happened commercially and we are committed to ensuring as
many people as possible benefit across the region.”
Brendan Dick, director, BT Scotland, said: “The importance of this rather
insignificant looking roadside cabinet cannot be understated. It’s the
milestone that marks the first time access to fast fibre broadband has been
provided to anyone in Scotland as part of this exciting programme.
“Taking fibre broadband to the Highlands and Islands is the most
challenging engineering project BT is tackling in the UK. It’s a massive
operation which includes the complexities of laying 20 subsea fibre cables
in a six-month weather window kicking off in May so it’s great to see our
extensive planning and logistics paying off with a live cabinet here in Buckie.”
BT has awarded three firms a £26.9 million
contract for an ambitious subsea cabling project
which will help deliver fast, fibre broadband to the
Highlands and Islands.
Specialist vessels will lay 20 fibre optic
submarine cables in a precise operation during
May to October this year, providing a fibre
broadband backbone which will eventually link
communities from Kintyre to Orkney
The massive engineering effort is part of the
£146 million investment project launched with
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) in March to
bring high-speed fibre broadband to communities
across the north of Scotland.
Chelmsford-based Global Marine Systems will
conduct detailed marine route surveys and supply
the cables; Orange Marine, which is based in
France but works globally, has been contracted to
lay around 400 kilometres of subsea cables, while
Hampshire-based A-2-Sea Solutions has been
chosen to work onshore connecting the cables to
BT’s terrestrial network.
BT has a successful track record of working
with all three companies, who were chosen from
a competitive tendering process which featured
several rival bids.
The longest cable will run for nearly 79km under
the Minch from Ullapool to Stornoway, with the
Western Isles also benefitting from a second link
stretching more than 57km between Carnan on
South Uist, and Dunvegan on Skye. (Locations
of all 20 cables are listed at the bottom of this
release).
Brendan Dick, director, BT Scotland, said: “Quite
simply, it’s the biggest subsea engineering project
BT has undertaken in UK territorial waters and is
the first ever with so many seabed crossings.
“The size of the task presents a massive
challenge, not only because of the number of cables
involved but also the fact that the work has to be
completed within a single, six-month weather
window. The pressure is on but we’re confident that
this huge task will be completed on time and the
Highlands and Islands will be set to benefit from its
own network of underwater, fibre optic cables.”
HIE’s Stuart Robertson, Director of Digital
Highlands and Islands, said: “From the outset
HIE was determined that this project would
reach across our region. The subsea cables are an
essential part of bringing high speed broadband
to our west coast communities. Their installation
is essential in order to reach the 84 per cent
coverage target for the region. The fibre network
will bring services closer to everyone and will make
it easier to provide better broadband to even our
hardest to reach areas.”
2
Briefing from BT Scotland • Winter/Spring 2014
BT creating 60 new apprentice and graduate jobs
BT is expecting to create more than 60 new apprenticeship and graduate jobs in Scotland as part of a major nationwide
recruitment drive. Locations where the new recruits are expected to be based include Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen.
BT has also created a new digital media
technology apprenticeship that will provide
new recruits with experience and skills in
web development, digital networks, digital
TV and digital media distribution.
Gavin Patterson, Chief Executive of
BT, said: “This is a tough time in the job
market, with almost a million young
people across the UK struggling to find
work. Every company needs to play its
part in ensuring that Britain’s future
workforce isn’t impaired by long-term
unemployment.
Minister for Youth Employment Angela
Constance said: “Since taking office as the
UK’s first Minister for Youth Employment,
I have been focused on asking employers
BT to move into
new tech facility in
Glasgow’s East End
BT will establish a new technical
facility for its engineering and
training division at Clyde Gateway
East.
The new purpose built 12,862
sqft building will be occupied by
around 50 staff, as part of a £2
million development by UK property
company MEPC.
Clyde Gateway East is a 36 acre
business park being developed in
partnership with Glasgow-based
SCOT Sheridan and Clyde Gateway
urban regeneration company.
Building works will start in May and
are expected to be completed by the
end of 2014.
James McClafferty, BT Scotland
partnerships director, said: “This is
the ideal location for us, providing
a technical base for engineering
operations close to our customers
and with significant external
space that we can use for practical
purposes. As a major employer in
Glasgow, with some 2,000 employees
in the city, we’re looking forward
to moving into this additional
accommodation and supporting the
important, ongoing regeneration of
the Clyde Gateway area.”
3
in Scotland’s digital sector to make young
people their business and many hundreds
have answered the call, fully aware that
offering a young person the chance to
help build their business is the smart thing
to do.
“I am very pleased to see that BT shares
the Scottish Government’s commitment
in this area and that a number of these
posts will be based in Scotland. I look
forward to meeting BT’s young trainees
and finding out how talented young Scots
will benefit from this development, a key
sector for Scottish economic growth.”
Technology graduates and technical
apprentices will be able to work on a
range of cutting edge projects, including
Minister for Youth Employment, Angela
Constance MSP meeting some BT apprentices
the future of broadcasting and wireless
technology, Big Data and the Internet
of Things, as well as helping pioneer
new developments in high speed fibre
communication networks.
BT’s £942 million boost for Scottish economy
BT generated a massive £942 million for the Scottish economy in the past year, according
to an independent report.
The report, by Regeneris Consulting, also shows that the communications company
supports nearly 12,000 jobs in Scotland through direct employment, its spending with
contractors and suppliers and the spending of employees.
In employment terms, BT’s impact in 2012/13 was larger than the nation’s petroleum
and natural gas extraction sector. More than £124 million was spent with suppliers based
in Scotland.
The overall beneficial financial impact of BT activities is expressed as a “Gross Value
Added” (GVA)* contribution. For Scotland, the BT GVA totalled £942 million – equivalent
to £1 in every £110 of the nation’s total GVA.
Brendan Dick, director, BT Scotland, said: “BT and its employees make a major
contribution to the Scottish economy. They are a key part of its prosperity and economic
well-being. BT is at the centre of every community and our day-to-day work benefits
every local authority area right across the UK.
“I’m also well aware that BT people throughout Scotland really want to contribute in
a positive way to the communities in which they live and work. Every day BT employees
help millions of people to communicate, do business, be entertained and stay informed.
Volunteering is also a core element of BT’s strategy to be a responsible and sustainable
business leader. Every BT employee is entitled to three fully paid days each year to
volunteer for their chosen
cause. In 2012/13 BT people
The report highlights that BT in Scotland –
volunteering in the community • Is responsible for the employment of 7,000 people
provided more than £13m of
– 6,240 direct employees and 760 contractors –
in-kind support and assistance,
with a total employment income of £233 million
some 43,600 days. In Scotland, • Provides work for a further 4,800 people through
employees contributed 2,340
BT’s spending with businesses that supply its
days, some 16,848 hours
equipment and services, and the spending of
during the year.
employees
The full report is available
• Committed more than £2.27 million to community,
at – http://www.btplc.com/
charity and voluntary programmes, spread around
Thegroup/BTUKandWorldwide/
every Scottish community in 2012/13
BTRegions/England/
• Has enabled more than 75 per cent of its
Factsandfigures/
employees to work flexibly, with 411 homeworkers
Factsandfigures.htm
– 6 per cent of the direct workforce.
Briefing from BT Scotland • Winter/Spring 2014
Holyrood hears
more on tackling
diversity and
digital inclusion
In December, Cabinet Secretary
for Culture and External Affairs,
Fiona Hyslop, addressed a BT
parliamentary reception on tackling
diversity and digital inclusion.
Davina kicks off seven
days of hell for Sport
Relief in Edinburgh
Cabinet Secretary, Fiona Hyslop MSP,
speaking to exhibitors at BT’s event on
digital inclusion at the Scottish Parliament
The interactive evening at Holyrood allowed Members of the Scottish Parliament and
invited guests to visit stands which demonstrated the work of BT Scotland and its partner
organisations in supporting those who find digital communication more challenging.
The Cabinet Secretary, who has responsibility for digital participation, addressed guests
who learned more about work to improve services for customers with additional needs, as
well as projects to improve digital skills to enhance inclusivity and employability.
Glasgow Housing Association (GHA) and Citizens Online were amongst BT’s partner
organisations that provided an insight into their work to give support, skills and
confidence to help people get online.
Citizens Online’s Get IT Together programme works to enhance and improve people’s
ability to access services and opportunities through the internet, providing training and
skills at a local level, developing inclusive and digitally aware communities. The project
continues to make great progress across the Highlands.
GHA has been working in partnership with BT to bring affordable connectivity and
hardware to tenants in three tower blocks across Glasgow. With 37 per cent of those
people living in social housing being online, support through housing providers is
hugely important. By working together, all partners have benefited from the scheme.
GHA has seen reduced costs through online rent payments, fault reporting and better
communications with tenants, while residents are now able to take advantage of the
financial and social benefits that the internet can offer.
Brendan Dick, BT Scotland director said: “BT has long recognised that our impact in
society is greatly strengthened by working in partnership with charity and community
groups. As well as seeing BT’s own diversity and inclusion policies and practices, I am
delighted that a number of our partners were there to demonstrate some of the projects
they run which make a genuine difference to people’s lives each day.”
TV personality Davina McCall pushed
herself to the limit to cycle, swim and
run more than 500 punishing miles
from Edinburgh to London in just
seven days. During the week, Davina
ran almost two marathons, swam
across Lake Windermere and cycled
more than 450 miles, negotiated the
Lake District, including Scafell Pike,
and the Peak District.
Below: Davina pictured with
pupils from Eddleston Primary and
Kingsland Primary, Peebles who
helped out with a collection at BTHQ
in Edinburgh.
Edinburgh hits 100,000 fibre broadband roll-out milestone
High-speed fibre broadband is now available to more than 100,000 homes and businesses in Edinburgh.
The milestone was passed as the Fairmilehead and Granton areas became the latest communities to go live to offer the technology.
It means that fibre broadband is now available to some extent in all the city areas included in BT’s £2.5 billion commercial fibre
roll-out programme to date, with South Queensferry due to follow this Spring.
Brendan Dick, BT Scotland director, said: “Passing the 100,000 mark is a major milestone in Edinburgh’s development as one of
the UK’s leading cities for high-speed communications.
“Our investment in Edinburgh’s fibre infrastructure continues to build momentum and by the end of this Spring we expect some
175,000 city premises to be able to connect to our new, wholesale network, should they choose to take advantage.
Cllr Frank Ross, convener of the Economy Committee at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “The fibre broadband milestone being
passed marks a significant step for this city. High-speed digital connectivity is an important factor in Edinburgh’s long-term success
and BT’s fibre roll-out across the city offers great potential to local firms and households.”
BT’s commercial fibre footprint currently passes more than 18 million UK homes and businesses. It’s due to pass two-thirds of UK
premises by the end of Spring 2014, at least 18 months ahead of the original timetable.
© British Telecommunications plc. Registered office: 81 Newgate Street, London, EC1A 7AJ. Registered in England no. 4190816.
Produced by BT Scotland Communications and designed by www.lbd.uk.net in Scotland.
4