Government kickstarts work with Scottish Government to boost broadband in rural Scotland

Around 11,000 Scottish homes and businesses will gain access to lightning-fast broadband, as joint efforts by the UK and Scottish governments to supercharge internet access in rural areas across the nation get underway and power the UK Government's Plan for Change.  

Rural areas in the Scottish Borders and East Lothian will benefit from gigabit-capable internet upgrades, allowing residents to fulfil day-to-day tasks, from rapid access to health advice through remote hospital consultations to interviewing for jobs and working more flexibly.    

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 a £26 million contract awarded under Project Gigabit – the UK Government-funded rollout to areas unlikely to receive upgrades through commercial plans due to their challenging location. The contract was awarded to independent Scottish provider GoFibre by the Scottish Government.  

UK Government Minister for Telecoms and Data Chris Bryant said:

As technological advancements race ahead and revolutionise our day-to-day lives, we cannot afford to leave anyone behind.

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.

Scottish Government Business Minister Richard Lochhead said:

Reliable internet connectivity is a vital part of everyday life - allowing people to work flexibly, engage in education and stay connected with loved ones.

The Scottish Government has successfully implemented digital infrastructure programmes across Scotland to increase broadband speeds and help grow the economy.

Expanding upon the achievements of the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband and Reaching 100% programmes, we will deliver Project Gigabit in Scotland to provide resilient connections that meet the needs of people and businesses now and into the future.

One of Scotland's leading amateur rugby clubs, Melrose Rugby Club, based in the Scottish Borders, has previously been connected to full fibre network by provider GoFibre.  

Having reliable and fast connection meant the club could stream across the world their annual tournament, the Melrose Sevens. The event, which is held every April in Melrose, is the oldest rugby sevens competition in the world and is watched by tens of thousands of fans across the globe, with teams coming from as far afield as Japan, Hong Kong, Uruguay and South Africa. 

Malcolm Changleng, Melrose Rugby Club Director, said:

Getting full fibre connection has been a game changer for our club.

As well as the 10,000 fans attending the event on the day of the tournament, we got about 60,000 people watching games on YouTube and other online platforms, which is why it's so important to have good WiFi.

It's not just rugby fans watching, but people that have left the Borders to go all over the world. Lots of families from the Borders connect back to the area through the Melrose Rugby Sevens, and we're proud that we allow people to get a little taste of the Borders on an annual basis.

This weekend, rugby fans in Melrose will be able to support their national team in the Six Nations, with the club streaming Scotland taking on England at Twickenham on Saturday.  

Local restaurant, The Hoebridge, is set to grow as a business thanks to the programme – contributing to plans to kickstart economic growth. 

Kyle Tidd, Co-Owner of The Hoebridge said: 

This investment in faster broadband would improve our operations. It would enable us to streamline our ordering, payment and online booking systems, enhancing efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Now the £26 million contract is signed, detailed planning and surveying work will begin immediately with the first connections expected in the Autumn.  

Further contracts to be signed this year will see faster broadband delivered to tens of thousands more premises across Scotland, including Aberdeenshire and the Morayshire Coast, Fife, Perth and Kinross, Orkney and Shetland.    

For households, gigabit-capable broadband delivers faster speeds and fewer dropouts, providing a gateway to remote working and online education. Unlike traditional copper-based networks, gigabit connections won't slow down at peak times, meaning no more battling for bandwidth with neighbours. Gigabit networks can easily handle over a hundred devices all at once with no buffering, meaning the whole family can seamlessly surf, stream and download at the same time.       

Project Gigabit will support the UK Government's plans to kickstart economic growth, creating and supporting thousands of high-paid, high-skilled jobs, empowering industries of all kinds to innovate and increasing productivity by taking up digital technology.    

It will also ensure people can access vital services they need now and, in the future, from giving patients improved access to healthcare through virtual appointments and remote health monitoring to helping pensioners combat loneliness by catching up with loved ones over higher quality video calls.    

Scotland Office Minister, Kirsty McNeill, said: 

This landmark contract marks a crucial step forward in our mission to end digital inequality across Scotland. 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.

Neil Conaghan, CEO of GoFibre, said:

As a Scottish company, born in the Borders, GoFibre is proud to be named as the delivery partner for the first Project Gigabit contract in Scotland, bringing transformative full fibre connectivity to thousands more homes and businesses across the region. This contract award marks a step-change in our ambition and footprint as a major Scottish telecommunications company.

We have a sterling track record of connecting communities across Scotland to our ultra-fast broadband network. Delivering this project will build on our successful delivery of Project Gigabit contracts in North Northumberland and Teesdale where we are delivering much-needed broadband in rural areas, ahead of schedule. We will bring all that expertise and GoFibre experience to this essential project for people in the Borders and East Lothian.