Keynote Scottish Government broadband scheme fails to connect almost 94 per cent of Highland properties
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
The Scottish Government’s keynote superfast broadband programme has failed to connect almost 94 per cent of properties in the Highland Council area, 600 days after it was due to be completed.
New figures obtained from a Freedom of Information request by Conservative MSP Edward Mountain also reveal that the new completion date is March 2028, which means it will be seven years late.
The R100 programme aims to “reach 100 per cent” of properties with fibre to the premises (FTTP) internet which is equipment that is designed and optimised to deliver superfast broadband.
The programme was a UK government plan but it was adopted by the Scottish Government who felt it was going too slowly and it became a manifesto pledge to finish it by the 2021 Holyrood elections.
Earlier, Nicola Sturgeon told Highland News and Media that she was “proud to take the R100 progress to people on doorsteps across the country".
Now Mr Mountain says that the R100 programme has left the Highlands languishing in the “digital slow lane as 12,000 properties qualifying for R100 scheme are still waiting for a reliable internet connection”.
In fact, the new data reveals that it is going so slowly that the threshold of the first 10 per cent of properties will not be connected in the first quarter of 2023 despite more than £17 million being spent on it.
The figures – accurate as of August 31, 2022 – also show that just 814 premises have been hooked up to broadband whereas 12,112 properties in the Highland Council area are awaiting a connection.
There was some good news because when the North Lot Contract that covers the Highlands is completed it will see a further 2637 properties get broadband after the Scottish and UK governments announced an extra £36 million expansion.
Highlands and Islands MSP Mr Mountain said: “These fresh figures show how much of the Highlands is being left in the digital slow lane. The rollout appears to be happening at a snail’s pace.
“There was a time when the Scottish Government predicted that its flagship R100 programme would be completed by 2021.
“Indeed, Fergus Ewing was so high in confidence that he promised to resign as a Cabinet Secretary if the scheme was not finished by that date.
“Instead we now find that the R100 scheme won’t be finished until at least the spring of 2028 – seven years later than promised.
“The only silver lining is that additional funding from both the Scottish and UK governments will connect a further 2637 properties across Scotland.
“Too many rural families and businesses are struggling along without a reliable internet connection – this is holding back our Highland economy.
“There can be no more delivery delays, it’s now time for the Scottish Government to accelerate the rollout of R100 across our region.”
A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring more rural homes and businesses can access faster broadband.
“Despite telecoms legislation being reserved to the UK Government, over £600 million is being invested in the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100 per cent (R100) contracts, providing access to faster and more reliable broadband to over 114,000 homes and businesses throughout Scotland, including 12,773 in the Highland Council area.
“Delivery of the R100 programme has been proceeding at pace since this FOI response was issued with latest figures showing that 1307 premises in the Highlands are already able to access a gigabit capable connection through the R100 contracts and a further 361 premises connected through the R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme.”
