South Queensferry, UK – In a significant development, over 85 percent of properties in South Queensferry and its vicinity can now access high-speed and dependable broadband services, thanks to Openreach’s ultrafast full fibre network.
The project to bring full fibre connectivity to South Queensferry posed unique challenges. It involved a 3km stretch of glass fibre being blown across the iconic Forth Road Bridge to connect residents and businesses in the town to the network hub located in Inverkeithing, Fife.
Planning for this endeavor spanned six months, followed by weeks of preparation. Engineers worked in steel tunnels beneath the bridge’s walking platforms to lay the groundwork for the fibre cables.
The advantages of this new technology are substantial. It offers speeds up to ten times faster than the average UK broadband connection and is about five times more reliable than the outdated copper-based networks it’s replacing.
Residents and business owners have been quick to embrace the new network, with 45 percent of properties already signing up for full fibre services. This adoption rate is 50 percent higher than the Scottish average, and it continues to grow.
The next phase of the project will see engineers working on the ground later this year. They will focus on establishing connections to properties that are hardest to reach, as part of Openreach’s “Reaching 100%” contract with the Scottish Government.
Robert Thorburn, Openreach’s Partnership Director for Scotland, described the effort to link South Queensferry to the full fibre network as a once-in-a-generation engineering feat.
