Faster Broadband cover increases
Work on the network is helping businesses
More West Lothian homes and businesses can now get fibre broadband through the £428 million Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband rollout.
The programme means over 870,000 premises are able to connect to the new network, which has reached places like Winchburgh, West Calder and Houston and Brucefield Industrial Estates.
Delivered through the Scottish Government, funding partners include the UK Government through Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), BT Group, local authorities and the EU via the European Regional Development Fund.
With more than 870,000 premises now having access to fibre broadband, the Digital Scotland programme expects to confirm shortly, that its 95 per cent fibre coverage target was met at the end of 2017.
And thanks to additional investment, the programme will deliver new DSSB in every local authority area during 2018 and beyond.
West Lothian Council’s executive councillor for development and transport Cathy Muldoon, said she is pleased the roll out is progressing well and said it will boost business and communities.
She said: “We welcome the expansion of fibre broadband across West Lothian, with more homes and businesses than ever now able to connect than before.
“Faster broadband has huge benefits for residents and business, with West Lothian Council investing £2.5 million to make sure we have a world class digital infrastructure, with one of the best levels of coverage in Scotland and the UK.”
Rural Economy Secretary, Fergus Ewing, said: “Once again it is very positive news knowing that more premises than ever before now have fibre broadband available to them.
“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 cent coverage by 2021.”
Robert Thorburn, Openreach digital partnership director for Scotland, said: “The Digital Scotland rollout to every part of our nation is a huge success story, especially given the significant extra work and unique challenges posed by our vast geography.
“At the start of the Digital Scotland project we said we’d reach an additional 750,000 premises on top of our commercial investments, and we’ve gone well beyond this.
“More than 2.5 million Scottish households and businesses now have access to high speed broadband over the Openreach digital network.
“Of course there’s more to do and our engineers are keeping up the pace to reach even more remote and rural communities during 2018.”