96% OF FIFERS NOW CONNECTED TO SUPERFAST BROADBAND

Published date : 23 Sep 2020

SNP GOVERNMENT DELIVERING FOR SCOTLAND

Mid Fife and Glenrothes MSP, Jenny Gilruth, has welcomed new figures showing a huge boost to connectivity in Fife thanks to significant investment from the Scottish Government.

According to the latest coverage statistics from Thinkbroadband, 96.5% properties in Fife are now connected to superfast broadband – a 43.6% rise from 2014 when only 52.9% properties were connected to internet speeds of at least 30Mbps.

A report published earlier this month by Ofcom also found that 172,889 properties across Scotland have been connected to superfast broadband in the last year alone.

Welcoming the latest figures, Jenny Gilruth MSP said:

“These latest figures are clear evidence that Fife has reaped the rewards of SNP broadband investment. Broadband is a reserved issue to Westminster, but successive UK governments have sat on their hands and done next to nothing to connect Scottish homes to superfast internet speeds.

“A big part of my work locally since 2016 has been helping my constituents to access faster broadband, and I was delighted to help secure full fibre broadband connections for homes in the Castlefleurie estate in Leven last year.

“Local campaigns are not enough, however, and it’s been left to the SNP Government at Holyrood to take up the mantle and invest £600 million in the R100 programme to ensure superfast broadband speeds reach every corner of Scotland.

“The Coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of digital connectivity – helping thousands of people in Mid Fife and Glenrothes work from home, keeping us in touch with loved ones and supporting our local health service.”

Despite connectivity and broadband remaining reserved to Westminster, Scotland is the only part of the UK that has guaranteed 100% superfast broadband access. While the SNP is investing £600 million in the R100 programme, the single biggest public sector investment in digital connectivity in the UK, Westminster has contributed less than £21 million to the project – just 3% of the total funding.

ENDS

Notes:

You can access Ofcom’s Connected Nations Summer 2020 update at: www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0017/202571/connected-nations-summer-update-2020.pdf

Local Reporters