Rural life gets lockdown lifeline with internet connection for first time

They are the lockdown lifelines for many - Netflix, video calls and the internet.

Lucy, 19, and Abbie, 21, McGillivray from the Braes of Glenlivet in Moray. They live in one of 46 rural communities in Scotland which were identified as 'not spots' for internet coverage - until now. PIC: Contributed.

For one rural community living in Moray however, the pandemic has been slowly passing without them – until now.

The arrival of 4G for the first time in the Braes of Glenlivet and Chapeltown area of Moray means that the 80 or so people who call the glen home are getting online for the first time without the help of expensive satellite systems, which can cost around £120 a month.

Lucy and Abbie McGillivray at home in the Braes of Glenlivet - where they are enjoying a 4G signal - and endless internet - for the first time. PIC: Contributed.

For farmer Gordon McGillivray, 79 , the arrival of the mast means he has been able to Facetime his grandchildren in Glasgow, the first time he has been able to see them in many, many months.

For his granddaughters, Lucy and Abbie, the mast has also brought new hope, not least because they no longer have to walk for 20 minutes to the top of a hill or make a call or go for a drive and park up somewhere so they can have a Zoom party with friends.

Both are studying in Aberdeen but have been at home since before Christmas due to the pandemic.

Lucy, 19, a law student at Robert Gordon University, feared she was going to have to return to the city during lockdown to continue her studies because the connection at home was so bad.

Lucy said: “It’s been really challenging as me and my sister have been home studying, as has my brother for his his Highers and my mum has been working from home too. We have all been sharing the same satellite connection but only one of us could really use it at a time if we had a video turorial or meeting. Dowloading papers has been long and frustrating.

“If we hadn’t got this I would have had to move back to Aberdeen. I wouldn't have been able to do the degree from home. Now I have been able to give my flat up in Aberdeen as I can do work here no problem.”

Things that most of us take for granted, such as being able to watch Netflix, are now within reach for the sisters.

Abbie said: “It wasn't actually too bad as we actually didn’t know what we were missing out on. But now seeing what you can watch, it’s amazing.”

She added: "My dad said getting the mast is like when power came into the Braes.”

The mast was brought by EE in partnership with the Scottish Government to the Chapeltown area, which is one of 46 communities living in a ‘not spot’. All should be covered by masts by summer of 2023.

Residents in Glenlivet, led by Brian Fowler, campaigned for their mast for three years given that poor connectivity was hampering business opportunities, house sales, tourism, education and the work of emergency services, including mountain rescue.

Connectivity Minister Paul Wheelhouse, said: “It’s great that local communities and Scotland’s emergency services will benefit from improved mobile coverage in Chapeltown, Moray, the ninth mast to go live as a result of our direct investment and through partnership working with mobile operators. My thanks go to our partners including EE for their work in making this happen at Chapeltown. "

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