Highlands and Islands given £3m broadband boost
Extra funding of almost £3 million is to be invested in broadband for the Highlands and Islands after take-up rates across the region’s Digital Scotland fibre network topped 60 per cent.
Hundreds of additional homes in some of Scotland’s most rural areas will be able to access ‘full’ fibre direct to their homes - also known as fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) - through the funding boost.
The roll-out, led by Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), will continue until 2020 and the project will reach 30,000 more premises than the initial contract target. A fibre network now stretches from Shetland to Southend in Kintyre, bringing fibre-based services to around 300 communities across the region.
Openreach is accelerating the return of additional funding under the contract as a result of the high level of take-up by households and businesses.
Minister for Energy, Connectivity
and the Islands Paul Wheelhouse announced the new funding during a visit to Taynuilt to see how the latest fibre technology is being used to reach homes. Mr Wheelhouse said: ‘With our partners, we have invested more than £400 million in the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme, taking fibre broadband to areas where the market would not otherwise go. Connectivity in the Highlands and Islands has been transformed by the Digital Scotland programme.
‘Grimsay and Great Bernera in the Outer Hebrides recently became our first fully ultrafast capable islands. We’re now set to see similar coverage in other areas that have been challenging to reach, including Waternish and Glendale in Skye. I’m delighted that as a result of great take-up of services in the region even more people across the area will benefit from the full fibre network.’
Bruce McClory, Openreach’s service delivery manager for Argyll and Bute, said: ‘It’s fantastic news that six in 10 of the households now passed by the Digital Scotland network have migrated to better broadband – and even more people could benefit. The extra funding, which we’re returning early, will put hundreds more of the region’s hardest-to-reach households at the forefront of the UK’s shift to a full fibre network.
‘Full fibre provides more reliable, resilient and future-proof connectivity.’