Broadband speeds

The article entitled “West Dunbartonshire worst area in UK for superfast broadband” (The Scotsman, 19 April), is inaccurate. According to Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband figures, 98.6 per cent of premises in West Dunbartonshire can actually access superfast broadband. This is thanks to DSSB deployment and commercial coverage.

Thearticlecamefromapress release by Broadbandchoices, the price comparison website, which was riddled with factual inaccuracies. The research which the comparison website carried out reached its conclusions by reviewing 391 council plans for broadband (these were said to have been outlined on each council’s website) and then compared those with the actual broadband performance levels as compiled by Ofcom in its Connected Nations 2017 report.

However, the data which Broadbandchoices used is out of kilter both with our own figures and Ofcom’s. Only earlier this month DSSB announced that we had reached 95 per cent fibre broadband coverage across Scotland, with 92.6 per cent able to get superfast speeds.

Currently our take-up of fibre broadband is sitting above predicted levels. In fact, thanks to stronger than expected take-up figures, an additional £15.6 million has been reinvested back into the programme and further deployment is taking place.

SARA BUDGE Programme director, Digital Scotland Superfast

Broadband, Glasgow