Openreach’s new fibre network, so Scottish homes and businesses can connect to ultrafast, reliable broadband, has now reached half of the country.

The telecoms infrastructure company has spent more than £435 million on full fibre links for Scotland so far—with nearly 1.5 million properties able to upgrade and take-up at 38%, which is ahead of the UK average as a whole.

Openreach noted that around 30% of the new fibre footprint is in rural areas, with around 100,000 of the hardest-to-reach properties upgraded through Openreach work with the Scottish Government and other public sector partners.

Islanders in the Scottish islands of Tiree, Iona, and Mull are among the latest to be connected through the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% rollout, the programme helping to provide broadband access across the country.

Work is continuing in numerous cities, towns, and villages including Inverness, Perth, Helensborough, and Castle Douglas, with Openreach’s commercial builds set to start in the island capitals of Lerwick, Kirkwall, and Stornoway this year.

New research from the Centre for Economics and Business Research shows the fibre rollout could deliver a £4.38 billion boost to the Scottish economy by 2029, and attract around 27,000 new residents to Scotland, mostly in lower-density regions.

Speaking on the milestone, Scottish Government minister for business, Richard Lochhead, said: “This is a significant milestone in the mission to deliver faster, more reliable broadband to homes and businesses across Scotland.

“In today’s world, fast, reliable broadband isn’t just a convenience – it’s a necessity for many individuals and businesses. That’s why we’re committed to extending coverage through public sector investment while continuing to encourage commercial build.

“We will continue to work with Openreach to deliver access to faster broadband where it is needed most – in rural and island communities – through the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% programme, which has benefitted from more than £600 million of Scottish Government investment.”

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Kate Milligan, Openreach’s chief commercial officer and chair of its Scotland Board, also commented: “Fast, reliable connectivity is a game-changer in every part of Scotland. It fuels economic growth and can support the redistribution of economic activity to less populated areas.

“This is quite simply one of the most significant infrastructure upgrades Scotland will see this century. We’re paving the way to future job creation, remote work, digital learning, and innovative healthcare access.

“We’re proud of the progress our engineers have made – and there’s lots more still to come.”