Superfast Web For 13,500 In Fife

More people in Fife will have access to superfast broadband by the end of this year.

The £410m Digital Scotland scheme is being rolled out to a further 13,500 homes and businesses across the Kingdom. Government targets are for 95% of the country to have access to high speed internet by the end of 2017.

Seven towns – including Ballingry, Dysart, Lundin Links and Kinghorn – will benefit from the Digital Scotland project for the first time, while the existing fibre network will be extended in many other places including Inverkeithing, Kirkcaldy, Lochgelly and Burntisland.

Brendan Dick, director of BT Scotland, said: "We’re making good headway with the Digital Scotland rollout, passing 7,000 more premises a week.

"Across the UK, 23 million premises are now covered by BT’s open access network, with three million of those enabled under the BDUK programme. Our Openreach engineers have worked tirelessly to connect some of the most remote parts of Scotland, from Shetland and the Hebrides to Rothesay in Argyll and Bute, and now more places in Fife will follow.

"On the back of strong take-up of fibre services in partnership areas, BT is releasing additional funds which will enable us to go even further at no extra cost to the taxpayer much earlier than originally expected. Around £17.8 million is available for Scotland to help us reach even more communities like the ones we’re announcing today."

'Level the field'

Fife MSP Murdo Fraser said: Murdo Fraser MSP said; “This investment is good news for the residents and businesses affected in these 18 fortunate Fife, Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire towns. 
 
“Despite this welcome progress far too many people in Mid-Scotland and Fife remain without decent broadband connection. The urban-rural divide is most keenly felt on key services such as broadband and it stands to reason that if you pay the same bills as everyone else you should receive the same service.
 
“The growth of the rural economy will be dependent on the availability of key infrastructure, like internet connectivity, and I would encourage the Scottish Government to redouble their efforts to level the broadband playing field.”