Scot-Tel-Gould joins chamber to strengthen north-east connections

North-east connectivity provider Scot-Tel-Gould (STG) has joined Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce for the first time as the company increases its engagement with businesses and communities across the region.

STG has operated for more than two decades, building an extensive fixed wireless network originally developed to connect schools and public buildings across Aberdeenshire.

Widening access to North-east homes and businesses

That public sector work remains a core part of the business, while STG is increasingly opening up access to its existing network so more homes and businesses - particularly those in rural areas with limited connectivity - can benefit from the infrastructure already in place.

With the reach of fibre increasing and satellite services such as Starlink becoming more widely available, the company is also investing more in marketing, communications and engagement to raise awareness of STG and the technology it provides.

Georgi Hristov, Technical Director of Scot-Tel-Gould, said: “Our network was originally built to solve a public sector connectivity challenge, and that remains an extremely important part of our business. But the infrastructure we have created also gives us the opportunity to bring high-quality connectivity to many more homes and businesses across the North-east.

“For many years, our focus has been on delivering the network and letting our reputation do the talking. Our customers regularly tell us how much they value dealing with a local team who understand their connection and the area, and we now need to do more to get that story out there.

High-capacity connection without waiting for fibre

“There’s still a perception that better broadband automatically means fibre, but that isn’t the case. In many locations, our network is already there and live, meaning we can provide a high-capacity connection without waiting for fibre infrastructure to arrive or the associated groundworks.”

STG was recently awarded funding through the Aberdeen City Region Deal’s Digital Challenge Fund to deliver the Aberdeenshire Ultrafast Broadband Project, which could enable around 10,000 rural homes and businesses to benefit from funded installation of ultrafast broadband.

The project is one of several successful initiatives supported by the Digital Challenge Fund. Grant funding agreements totalling £3.1 million have been signed through the fund, comprising £2 million from the Scottish Government funding committed under the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and £1.2 million from Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council.

The company has also moved to the next stage of its work with next-generation fixed wireless technology provider Tarana, part of its ongoing investment in technology and partnerships to extend high-capacity connectivity.

Joining the chamber is a natural fit

Georgi added: “Partnerships have always been important to STG, so joining the Chamber feels like a natural fit. People buy from people, and being at events and meeting businesses face-to-face allows us to retain the local connection that has always been central to how we work.

“We’ve heard consistently positive feedback about AGCC and, as the current UK Chamber of the Year, it is clearly doing a lot right. Its Morning Bulletin is already part of how many people start their working day and keep up with what is happening across the region.

“The North-east has plenty of challenges to deal with at the moment. Connectivity shouldn’t be one of them. We’re looking forward to contributing our experience, building relationships and playing an active part in the Chamber community.”

Bronwen Mullinor, Relationship Manager at Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Scot-Tel-Gould to the Chamber. STG has deep roots in the North-east and considerable experience in delivering connectivity, particularly in rural and hard-to-reach locations.

“We look forward to connecting the team with our membership and seeing them play an active role in the Chamber community.”