Openreach has unveiled the 20 locations in Scotland with the highest ultrafast broadband coverage, and a small village in Fife has clinched the top spot. With over a million homes and businesses now having access to ultrafast, full fibre broadband on Openreach’s digital network in Scotland, it’s apparent that high-speed connectivity is on the rise.
Contrary to the common perception that cities lead in broadband coverage, it’s the small towns that have dominated Openreach’s list of hotspots boasting the highest levels of fibre coverage. Lundin Links in Fife takes the lead, with over 90% of its properties eligible for an upgrade to ultrafast broadband. Tranent, located on the opposite side of the Forth, closely follows, while the West Lothian village of Fauldhouse secures third place.
Other locales that made it to the top 20 include Ardrossan on the North Ayrshire coast, Aviemore in Highland, and Findhorn in Moray. Meanwhile, in Glasgow, the ultrafast broadband rollout has extended to more than 125,000 properties. In Aberdeen, engineers have repurposed the city’s old cable TV network from the 1980s to expedite the rollout.
Openreach’s investment in Scotland’s new network has exceeded £300 million, with approximately 360,000 households and businesses having upgraded to the faster and more reliable services out of a possible million.
Katie Milligan, Chair of the Openreach Scotland Board, highlighted the importance of this digital upgrade: “Using tiny glass threads thinner than human hairs, it will meet data demands decades into the future. Transformative connectivity helps make communities sustainable.”
Work is ongoing in various locations, from Annan, Fraserburgh, Kirkcaldy, and Greenock to Edinburgh, Glasgow, and numerous other cities, towns, and villages.
People interested in the availability of these services can visit openreach.co.uk/ultrafastfullfibre to register for updates and check the availability of services from their chosen provider by entering their postcode.
Openreach is also collaborating with the Scottish and UK governments through initiatives like the Reaching 100% (R100) program and voucher schemes to extend fibre connectivity to Scotland’s most remote areas and hard-to-reach properties.
Upgrades are underway from the shores of Loch Leven to island communities like Lismore and Jura, with R100 builds set to commence in locations such as Pitcaple in Aberdeenshire, Hillside in Angus, Ballachulish and Cromarty in Highland, and Birsay in Orkney in the near future.
Scottish Government Innovation Minister Richard Lochhead underlined the significance of this milestone in enhancing connectivity and supporting economic growth in rural towns and villages across Scotland.
