Inverness has leapt into the digital age with free wifi being rolled out throughout the city following a £500,000 investment.
Ness WiFi has been expanded across every inch of the Highland capital and will now include the High Street, Inverness Castle and Eden Court, as well as vital transport links in the form of the city’s central bus and rail stations.
Plans are already underway to introduce the service into 14 other towns across the region.
The development was originally launched as a pilot in areas such as the Victorian Market, Falcon Square and surrounding streets, with more than 800 people per week signing up.
Inverness Provost Helen Carmichael said: “Ness Wifi has been extremely popular and I am delighted that it can now be accessed all over the city centre. It will be of enormous benefit to shoppers, tourists and businesses.
“So much of what we do depends on the internet, whether you are looking for directions, checking emails, searching for accommodation, booking a restaurant or show, or chatting with friends or colleagues.”
Led by Highland Council and Rapier Systems, the scheme is part of the Highland City-Region Deal, which is a joint initiative supported by up to £315 million investment from the UK and Scottish governments, the local authority, HIE and University of the Highland and Islands.
Mrs Carmichael added: “The vision behind the City-Region Deal is to position the city and the Highlands as a region of digital opportunity. Inverness will be one of the first digital cities across the UK and we have plans underway to put free wifi into another 14 towns across the Highlands over the coming months.”
Town centres for the free Wi-Fi programme are Alness, Aviemore, Dingwall, Dornoch, Drumnadrochit, Fort Augustus, Fort William, Invergordon, Nairn, Portree, Tain, Thurso, Ullapool and Wick.
Mark Whitelocks, managing director for Stagecoach North Scotland, said the service will make life easier for passengers eager to stay connected.
He added: “It is fantastic that our customers will soon be able to take advantage of free wifi in the bus station. Customers can already track their bus live using our mobile app and the wifi at the bus station will make this even easier.”