First contract awarded for Project Gigabit in Scotland

The Scottish Government is working in partnership with the UK Government to deliver its Project Gigabit programme to bring faster broadband connections to hard-to-reach parts of Scotland.

Around 11,000 homes and businesses in the Borders and East Lothian will be the first to benefit, with further contracts planned for other parts of the country this year.

This latest investment from the UK Government is in addition to the Scottish Government’s over £600 million Reaching 100% programme, which is bringing broadband upgrades to homes and businesses across the country and includes £52 million UK Government funding.

Project Gigabit will benefit some of the most rural 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 to benefit from a £26 million contract awarded to GoFibre by the Scottish Government.

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.

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 this, we will deliver Project Gigabit in Scotland to provide resilient connections that meet the needs of people and businesses now and into the future.”

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.”

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.”