The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
SNP is ‘failing remote communities’ over its broadband promises
No homes in the Highlands, including large parts of Highland Perthshire, have been connected to superfast broadband through the SNP’S flagship R100 programme – with tens of thousands still waiting for a vital connection.
The Reaching 100 (R100) programme was initially announced by the Scottish Government in 2017 and was supposed to bring faster internet to 60,000 properties across northern Scotland by the end of 2021.
So far, only 109 properties have been connected through the R100 programme, with none in the Highlands receiving a superfast connection.
The completion date for this programme has now been pushed back six years to 2027, with the Scottish Conservatives saying it shows the government is “failing miserably” on its promises to those in remote and rural communities.
New statistics from the Scottish Government show 59,276 homes and businesses are waiting to be hooked up to superfast broadband through R100, including all 12,773 properties identified in the Highland Council area.
Excluded areas in Highland Perthshire appear to include Glenylon, out-of-town properties along the Tay valley, those around Loch Rannoch, along the A9 between Kindallachan and Pitlochry, a considerable number of premises around the town of Pitlochry itself and many of the small hamlets and dwellings scattered throughout Highland Perthshire.
The government says despite the delay, Openreach – tasked with delivering this project – has carried out “substantial survey work” and says “many miles of cabling” need to be laid before properties can be connected up to the core network.
This work also involves laying 16 new subsea cables to provide connections to the islands.
However, the government added that the evolving technology means the programme, which covers the Highlands, Moray, Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, the islands and some parts of Perthshire, will now deliver internet speeds 30 times faster than what was initially promised.
This programme also includes a voucher scheme to help people hook up to superfast broadband in northern Scotland.
Those not covered by the R100 scheme can apply for a one-off voucher of £5,000 to help them set up a permanent superfast connection themselves, and homes and businesses with internet speeds of less than 30 megabits per second can apply for a £400 voucher to set up a temporary connection while the R100 programme is rolled out.
The data, obtained by the Scottish Conservatives through a Freedom of Information request, also showed only a handful of those eligible for these vouchers have actually applied for the money.
A total of 36,903 properties are eligible for the £5,000 voucher, but so far only 1,525 have applied, with the government paying out £673,120.67.
More than 68,500 properties were eligible for the £400 voucher, but only 290 applications have been made with the government shelling out just £18,699.62.
Only 4% of those eligible for the £5,000 voucher and 0.4% of those eligible for the £400 voucher have actually taken up the offer.
Edward Mountain, Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said: “These figures show there is a stark difference between what the SNP promised the Highlands in 2016 and what is actually being delivered.
“For the last five years we have seen the SNP overpromise and under-deliver when it comes to rural broadband.
“This new information is yet another blow for our remote rural communities.”
A spokesperson for the Scottish Government said: “Despite telecoms legislation being reserved to the UK Parliament, the Scottish Government has made a substantial investment in the Reaching 100% programme.
“A key part of our 100% commitment is the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme (SBVS).
“The scheme is demandled and it is ultimately a decision for property owners.”