Superslow broadband!

Fears SNP may miss 100% connectivity target for rural homes and businesses

A ROLL-out of superfast broadband to some of Scotland’s most remote communities won’t begin until 2019 – raising fears the SNP won’t achieve a key election promise.

The SNP manifesto for the 2016 Holyrood elections pledged to deliver ‘100 per cent superfast broadband coverage for Scotland’ by 2021.

But ministers have now revealed that work won’t start in some of the hardest to reach areas for up to two years, with SNP ministers last night being accused of ‘staggering neglect of rural Scotland’.

A new report by the Scottish Government on its broadband plans reveals that there are still 282,801 properties which have either no broadband or extremely slow speeds. The report states that the suitable infrastructure is not likely to be developed ‘within three years’.

It has now launched a consultation on plans to spend up to £600million of public money appointing contractors to develop broadband in these areas.

However, it has only committed to confirming a deal at some point during 2018.

The Government report states: ‘The related extended deployment plans for broadband infrastructure should begin by 2019.’

Scottish Conservative digital economy spokesman Finlay Carson said: ‘The UK Government handed the Scottish Government millions of pounds to roll out superfast broadband, but progress so far has been slow.

‘It’s yet another example of the SNP’s staggering neglect of rural Scotland and their inability to help rural business.’

Nicola Sturgeon made the expansion of superfast broadband to every home and business in the country one of her key commitments for this term of parliament.

A report published by Audit Scotland last year said there is ‘still much work to be done’ and revealed that more than half of homes in some parts of rural Scotland are still battling with slow internet speeds. It also warned that the expansion into some Highland and Island areas is likely to be complicated and costly.

Currently, 282,801 Scottish homes have no access to broadband, or speeds of less than 30 megabytes per second (mbps). Another survey found that a further 1.24 million rural users have only one broadband operator to choose from, while 514,552 homes have access to only two operators.

Fergus Ewing, the Cabinet Secretary for Connectivity, said: ‘We are committed to giving every home and business in Scotland access by 2021 and are on schedule to do so

‘It is absolutely not the case that the premises identified in the consultation currently have no access to broadband. The premises are those which currently have access to less than 30mbps and will be the focus of our ambitious target of reaching 100 per cent.

‘Thanks to the Digital Scotland programme, over 600,000 premises already have access to speeds of over 24mbps and even more premises connected through commercial roll-out.’