Pilot will speed up broadband in capital

THOUSANDS of people will have access to broadband speeds more than 10 times the UK average as a pilot for an ultrafast network begins.

Around 16,900 households and businesses in parts of Sighthill, Gorgie, Corstorphine, Murrayfield, Fountainbridge, Craiglockhart, the Meadows and Morningside in Edinburgh will benefit.

Linn and Rutherglen in Glasgow will also have access to the new service, known as G.fast, which provides download speeds of up to 330Mbps, more than 10 times the UK average.

The faster speeds mean a two-hour HD film can be downloaded in 90 seconds, a 45-minute HD television show in 16 seconds and a nine-hour audio book in three seconds.

People living in the pilot areas who want to try the new service should contact their internet provider to see if they qualify.

Andrew Hepburn, Openreach fibre programme director for Scotland, said: “A huge amount of effort and substantial investment has already taken place in the development of this exciting new technology. So I’m delighted to announce that we can now start connecting the first people in Scotland to this new technology.

“These pilot schemes are hugely important to us and to the local households and businesses which will be able to benefit from G.fast.

“We know the technology works.. but these pilots will help us test and improve all the factors involved in rolling out G.fast on a national scale.”