News story

Broadband boost

High speed broadband to be rolled out to more Scottish locations.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael has welcomed the announcement of which Scottish towns and villages are next in line to get high speed broadband as part of the Superfast Britain programme.

Homes and businesses throughout Scotland are set to benefit including parts of Aberdeenshire, Dumfries and Galloway, Fife, Argyll and Moray.

Mr Carmichael said:

Broadband is vital for jobs, services and economic growth. That is why the UK Government has allocated over £100m, 20% of its rural broadband budget, to Scotland to help ensure the widest possible coverage for fast, reliable fibre broadband. With today’s announcement we can start to see the difference this will make to communities up and down the country.

It is good to see progress being made by Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Government to deliver on the UK Government’s commitment to achieve a transformation in broadband across the country by 2015.

The Digital Scotland projects for the Highlands and Islands and for the rest of Scotland are great examples of devolution working for the Scottish people; targeted, local projects benefiting from UK Government funding and programme support.

For some of the locations announced today this will be the first time they have had access to a high quality, fibre broadband service and this will make a real difference to communities and businesses across the country.

The latest areas to benefit include:

Aberdeen Bieldside, Aberdeen Lochnagar, Aberdeen Kingswells, Kintore, Monifeith, Dundee Steeple, Amisfield, Castle Douglas, Cumnock, Cupar, Invergowrie, Ceres, Galashiels, Leuchars, Tayport, Ayr, Almondbank, Bannockburn, Dunblane, Methven, Forres, Oban, Melrose, Scone, Selkirk, Bridge of Allan, Gargunnock, Cullen, Findhorn, Fochabers, Ledaig and Taynuilt.

Published 16 January 2014