Broadband boost for rural areas

MORE than 800,000 premises in Scotland can now benefit from fibre broadband, following 34,000 connections in the past six months, according to the Scottish Government.

The £428m Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband (DSSB) scheme is on track to meet its target of 95 per cent by the end of this year, said an official.

Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said: ‘Fast internet connection is vital to the economic and social wellbeing of our rural communities, supporting businesses and improving lives of local people.

‘Last year we made faster progress than any other part of the UK and we are on-track to meet our programme for government commitment of 95 per cent coverage by the end of this year.

‘However, these upgrades are not automatic. I would encourage more people to check whether they are eligible on the DSSB website and contact a service provider of their choice to start receiving faster broadband.

‘I am not complacent - I am aware that those who do not have access are at a disadvantage and our job is not done until everyone is connected. We are now focusing on the next steps to achieve 100 per cenrt coverage by 2021.’

Robert Thorburn, Openreach digital partnership director for Scotland, said: ‘We’re working flat out to bring high-speed fibre broadband to as many Scottish communities and households as possible and we’re continuing to make good progress.

‘It’s fantastic to be reaching smaller communities and it means many people in these places can now order their fastest-ever broadband speeds from a range of providers. With around a third of homes and businesses upgraded to fibre, there’s plenty of scope for more Scots to benefit.’