A bungee jumping company in Perth and Kinross has seen its profile soar on social media after upgrading to faster broadband through the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) programme.
Highland Fling, based at Killiecrankie, was finally connected to full fibre last year, giving staff access to reliable high-speed internet both in the office and on the bridge where jumps take place.
The difference has been immediate. With a stronger connection, jumpers can listen to music during their leap, office staff can process card transactions without delays, and videos can be uploaded in minutes instead of hours. That’s vital for the company’s growing online audience – more than 860,000 people now follow Highland Fling on TikTok, where some videos attract millions of views.
The faster speeds have also opened up new opportunities. The business has begun experimenting with live streams of jumps, something that previously failed due to poor connectivity. Staff who once spent hours at the end of the day sending visitors their photos and videos can now deliver them within minutes.
“It was so restricting before,” said Joely Stevenson, Marketing Manager at Highland Fling. “Now we can send pictures in five minutes rather than hours. It makes customers happier and frees us up to focus on other things.”
The company is also exploring the use of artificial intelligence to automatically produce and send videos before jumpers even return to the office.
Highland Fling’s story is being used by ministers as an example of how rural businesses can benefit from improved digital infrastructure. Business Minister, Richard Lochhead said:
“This shows how better connectivity can help a rural business reach global audiences, embrace innovation and grow sustainably. That’s exactly why we’ve committed more than £600 million through the R100 programme.”
More than 1,000 businesses in Perth and Kinross now have access to faster, more reliable broadband, with further rollouts planned over the coming months.
