In a significant milestone for Argyll and Bute, approximately 3,000 households and businesses are now equipped to embrace enhanced broadband speeds, thanks to the Scottish Government’s visionary £600 million Reaching 100% programme. The R100 Build 01 initiative, spearheaded by Openreach, has brought full fibre technology to 40,000 of Scotland’s most challenging-to-connect properties, encompassing locales such as Arden, Barbreck, Cardross, Connel, Kilmelford, Ledaig, and Oban.
Breaking new ground, Lismore emerges as one of the initial Scottish islands to benefit from the extensive R100 programme, witnessing the establishment of new subsea links to offshore communities. As a result, around 90 percent of island households can now seamlessly upgrade to ultrafast broadband, with the first connections already live. A concerted effort to expand coverage in Lismore is underway, scheduled for the next month, while major planning is in progress for build commencement in Mull in 2024.
Full fibre broadband, surpassing 30 times the speed commitment of the Scottish Government’s superfast services, marks a transformative leap for homes and businesses alike. Residents can verify the rollout status for their addresses and register for updates at www.openreach.co.uk/ultrafastfullfibre. R100 registrations play a crucial role in facilitating Openreach’s strategic planning, ensuring a tailored approach to meet the demand levels in each community. Once full fibre becomes available, residents can seamlessly arrange service upgrades through their chosen providers.
Scottish Government Innovation Minister Richard Lochhead underscored the monumental significance of full fibre upgrades in areas like Kilchrenan and Lismore. R100 contracts, he highlighted, are instrumental in delivering future-proofed digital infrastructure, poised to fuel economic growth and fortify the economic prospects of communities across Scotland for decades to come.
The digital connectivity transformation is reshaping lives, fostering new connections, enhancing public services, and empowering businesses to innovate and reduce costs. Beyond speed, full fibre broadband promises reliability, resilience, and future-proof connections, catering to the evolving data demands of multiple devices.
Robert Thorburn, Openreach Partnership Director for Scotland, emphasized the commitment of the R100 programme in delivering fast, reliable broadband to the most challenging terrains in Scotland. Collaborative efforts with Argyll and Bute Council and build partners are underway to ensure the smooth execution of this substantial undertaking, minimizing disruption to residents as the program surges ahead in the coming weeks and months.
