A question we are often asked is regarding the availability of wifi on the Isle of Mull – and here at Treshnish! We have all become increasingly dependent on the internet – for work, for pleasure, for keeping in touch with family and friends. It is understandable therefore that, for many, it is a consideration when choosing holiday accommodation!
We have Satellite!
Being 8 miles from Dervaig means we are too far from the telephone exchange to receive a broadband signal via the phone cable. So Treshnish relies on satellite broadband which is costly and limited. We consider ourselves lucky to have anything at all. We can remember the painful process of trying to access the internet via dial up and going off to make a cup of tea whilst the internet page loaded! So satellite is a great stop gap, whilst we wait for the Community Broadband Gigaplus Argyll connection to come through. The biggest package we have been able to buy has a download limit. We all have to be careful not to use too much – to avoid our internet access being ‘throttled’.
Internet connection in the cottages at Treshnish
We have plans to put internet into the four cottages at Treshnish – as soon as we can be connected to the Community Broadband project currently being rolled out across the island…hopefully by Easter 2018.
Community Broadband
Gigaplus Argyll is a government funded scheme to connect remote locations with fast broadband. For locations like ours it will make a huge difference as we will be able to purchase several packages. Our plan is to connect the 4 Treshnish Cottages so there is wifi in each cottage. Unfortunately we will not be able to connect Haunn under the current Community Broadband Scheme. There is no funding to pay for the mast to relay the signal a mile further and ’round the corner’ to Haunn. However we will keep a wifi connection in the Phone Room for Haunn guests to use.
The Phone Room
In the meantime we have a satellite Wifi connection in the Phone Room. Our guests are welcome to use this to check emails and weather forecasts. Unfortunately this is not sufficient for downloading/uploading large files or streaming movies.
3G/4G Mobile signal
We do have good Vodafone and EE mobile signal here – thanks to another Scottish government funded scheme which enabled the community on the Isle of Coll to put up a mobile phone mast. Guests from the USA told me the other day that they had easily streamed programmes on their phones in Shian Cottage. I find I can do the same in the farmhouse!
Digital Detox
We go on holiday to the Outer Hebrides every summer. We stay in a simple cottage by the sea which has no mobile reception or internet connection. It is a shock for the first few days (especially for the teenager) but it becomes a wonderful slowing down digital detox once we have adapted. I hope guests coming to stay with us will feel the same – there is internet for the urgent things. But actually it is quite nice to feel the quietness that comes from not being connected all the time. And there is always the beach….
