Around 11,000 homes and businesses in the Scottish Borders and East Lothian will be the first to benefit from lightning-fast broadband as a joint initiative between the UK and Scottish Governments gets underway. 

Under the newly announced Project Gigabit contract, the Scottish premises will benefit from gigabit-capable internet upgrades. The new networks are capable of handling over a hundred devices at once with no buffering or peak-time delays, and promise to aid remote residents with day-to-day tasks, along with access to health advice, remote hospital consultations, and flexible working.

The UK Government said that the upgrades will benefit some of the most remote areas of Scotland and the UK, including Athelstaneford and Innerwick in East Lothian and St Abbs, Broughton and Ettrickbridge in the Scottish Borders. 

These areas will be among the first in Scotland to benefit from the £26 million contract, which has been awarded to independent Scottish provider GoFibre by the Scottish Government.

The project forms a core part of new plans under Project Gigabit – the UK Government-funded broadband rollout for areas unlikely to receive upgrades through commercial plans – with further contracts planned for other parts of Scotland this year.

“As technological advancements race ahead and revolutionise our day-to-day lives, we cannot afford to leave anyone behind,” said Chris Bryant, UK Government minister for telecoms and data.

“It is fantastic to see this UK Government-funded gigabit investment being delivered in Scotland for the first time, not only bringing thousands of people the fastest broadband networks on the market and levelling the playing field but also helping us realise our mission to boost economic growth and improve living standards across the whole country, under the PM’s Plan for Change.”

With the first multi-million pound contract now signed, the government said that detailed planning and surveying work will immediately begin, with the first connections expected in the Autumn.

Future work will see homes and businesses in Aberdeenshire and the Moray coast, Fife, Perth and Kinross, as well as those in the Orkney and Shetland islands connected to ultrafast broadband.

For remote communities like these, gigabit-capable broadband should deliver both faster speeds and fewer dropouts, essential for those who rely on remote working and online education, as well as providing access to vital services they might otherwise be unable to reach.

“This landmark contract marks a crucial step forward in our mission to end digital inequality across Scotland,” said Scotland Office minister, Kirsty McNeill.

“By bringing the fastest possible broadband to our rural communities, we’re not just laying cables – we’re opening up new opportunities for local businesses, improving access to education and healthcare. 

“The UK Government, through our Plan for Change, is working to ensure Scotland’s rural communities can benefit from the digital economy and economic growth is seen across the country.”    

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In September, Ofcom’s Planned Network Deployments report found that more than 97% of UK homes could have access to gigabit-capable broadband by 2027 if providers deploy their networks as planned, with rural areas standing to gain the most, as network expansions should increase coverage to 88%, compared to the 49% Ofcom’s study reported.

Under Project Gigabit, the UK Government announced £800 million in investments via contracts to Openreach last summer, adding to work already underway with the telecoms provider, worth £288 million, which had already seen some of Scotland’s more remote towns and villages connected.

However, last year, the Scottish Government faced backlash following an update on the progress of its Reaching 100% (R100) programme, with parliamentary question brought by the Scottish Liberal Democrats highlighting that the Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme had only helped to connect 3.6% of properties in eligible hard-to-reach areas, with just 3,047 vouchers issued out of the 83,855 homes and businesses found to be eligible for support in 2022.