Rural businesses deserve fast, reliable connectivity

That challenge is becoming more pressing. With the UK’s analogue network (PSTN) being phased out, businesses relying on legacy infrastructure are not only limited by speed but increasingly exposed to operational risk.

In many areas, rural businesses are the backbone of the local economy, creating jobs, attracting visitors and sustaining communities, yet often without the same level of digital infrastructure.

That was the situation in Garlogie, a small village just ten miles west of Aberdeen. While not one of Scotland’s most remote locations, it has historically been one of the poorest served for connectivity.

It is home to local businesses including the Garlogie Inn and Flora’s by Sally, both popular with locals and visitors.

The Inn plays a central role in the local economy, employing around 40 staff and serving close to 1,000 meals each week.

Behind the scenes, however, the business relied on ageing analogue lines, delivering only a few Mbps of bandwidth. The connection was unreliable, frequently disrupted and easily overwhelmed.

“It created constant friction,” explains Nick Quinn, owner of the Garlogie Inn. “Simple things like taking card payments or managing bookings became more difficult than they should have been. Now, we don’t think about the internet any more and that’s exactly how it should be.”

Reliable, high-speed connectivity wasn’t just desirable, it was essential.

While larger national providers have typically prioritised rollout in more densely populated areas, gaps remain in countryside communities. Locally-based providers are helping to bridge that divide.

In many rural areas, it’s not a lack of demand, it’s the economics of traditional infrastructure rollout. That’s where a different approach is needed. By focusing on rural locations, Converged Rural Broadband can deliver reliable, high-performance connectivity through technologies such as fixed wireless.

Rather than waiting for fibre rollout, the Garlogie Inn partnered with Converged Rural Broadband to deploy a high-speed wireless network, delivering speeds of up to 250Mbps with significantly improved reliability.

By acting as a local connectivity point, the Inn now enables high-speed broadband, around 150Mbps, to be delivered across the wider Garlogie area, supporting businesses and nearby homes.

That includes neighbouring businesses such as Flora’s by Sally, now benefiting from faster, more reliable connections.

“It’s not just changed things for us,” adds Nick. “It’s made a real difference to the area as a whole.”

Improved connectivity has removed barriers and opened new opportunities.

Customers can stay connected throughout their visit with the network supporting large capacity use including video calls and streaming, without interruption.

The business has also introduced electric vehicle charging, creating another reason for people to stop, stay longer and return, strengthening its position as a destination rather than just a stop-off.

While full fibre rollout continues, it is not yet reaching every rural community at the pace required. But high-performance connectivity is no longer out of reach.

Wireless networks are already providing fast, resilient alternatives, helping rural businesses move from coping with poor infrastructure to actively growing and investing in their future.

For communities like Garlogie, that means stronger local businesses, more sustainable employment, and better-connected communities both at work and at home.

Connor Milligan, network engineer, Converged Rural Broadband