You might be surprised to learn that Scotland currently holds the title for both the fastest and slowest average broadband connection speeds in the UK. Lochwinnoch, in Renfrewshire, was found to have the fastest broadband in the UK (a whopping 409Mb average connection), whereas Halkirk, in Caithness, was found to have the slowest (just 2.8Mb). But in 2024, your internet doesn’t have to be a postcode lottery of copper versus fibre, as lightning fast broadband can now be delivered without any wires whatsoever.

Business is about people, and business success relies on staying ahead of the competition. New technology like 5G gives businesses the opportunity to seek new possibilities, however it requires the effort and collaboration of people, organisations and industries to make it happen.

On a recent car journey, I heard a news item about farmers choosing not to sow seeds as they can’t guarantee workers will be available to harvest crops. You reap what you sow and the consequences of this possible inaction in Scotland, when over 70% of its land area is under agricultural management, is a concern.

Scotland is particularly proud of its food and drinks industry - it has a larder full of speciality products and global brands. Accounting for one in five manufacturing jobs and contributing to over 13% of exports, the industry is also a major contributor to Scotland’s economy and a key growth sector.

Some asks are big, unrealistic - a moonshot. Some are achievable with a fair wind behind them. My ask for Social Care is that we are unbridled of obstruction, allowed the conditions in which to flourish, in short, that we can function without friction.

The Shared Rural Network sees the four UK mobile network operators - with considerable financial support from the UK Government and backed by the regulatory heft of Ofcom - come together to make 4G mobile broadband available to 95% of the UK – by 2026.