THE answer to providing broadband access to more remote parts of the county could be found in the clouds.

A company called SkyLinc (www.skylinc.co.uk) has developed helium filled balloons that will form base stations which provide double the speed of regular broadband access.

The balloons will be tethered about 1.5km in the air and be fed signals via a fibre optic pole.

And with just 18 base stations the whole of the UK could be covered, from a town centre firm to country cottage in the deep glens of Scotland.

The technology behind the idea has been around for years, with the US operating several such aerostats on its borders and the US military employing similar technology for about 50 years.

Initially the system is seen as most suitable for small businesses, and promises to be a tenth of the cost of leased lines. But in the future, the technology is likely to come down in price and be available to consumers as well.