PEOPLE living on the west of the Rosneath peninsula are set to be among the first to benefit from a new £25 million Scottish Government scheme to tackle the country’s 4G ‘not-spots’.

The procurement process for the Scottish 4G Infill Programme was announced by the government on Tuesday.

The programme will fund new mobile telephone masts in locations with no existing 4G mobile coverage to improve mobile connectivity for communities and businesses.

An initial 16 ‘notspot’ sites across Scotland have been identified for new masts in the first phase of the scheme – one of them in Blairmore in Cowal, directly opposite the peninsula.

Between 60 and 70 areas will be targeted throughout the project, with most of the programme set to focus on sites completely without coverage in the Highlands and Islands.

Other places earmarked for the first phase of the initiative include Carrick Castle near Lochgoilhead, Crinan in Mid Argyll and Pennan in Moray, where the film Local Hero was shot.

Connectivity Secretary Fergus Ewing announced the launch of the procurement process at the Convention of the Highlands and Islands.

Mr Ewing said: “Improving mobile coverage across Scotland is key to achieving our ambition to become fully digitally connected.

“The Infill programme will target the areas where it can make the most difference, achieving better and cost-effective connectivity in some of our most remote and challenging areas.”

Peter Reekie, chief executive of the Scottish Futures Trust, which has developed the programme on behalf of the Scottish Government, said: “After the successful bidder has been selected, SFT looks forward to working with them and the mobile network operators to identify as many 4G notspots that can be addressed within the programme’s budget.

"The deployment of future proofed mast infrastructure will then act as the catalyst to deliver good quality 4G coverage to those areas for the benefit of the local communities, businesses and tourists.”