Broadband Western Isles: Full Fibre Work Begins in Stornoway

New fibre network to transform connectivity across the Western Isles

Openreach has begun work on a major broadband upgrade for the Western Isles, starting in Stornoway. Engineers are building a Full Fibre network that will deliver gigabit-capable speeds and future-proof connections for thousands of homes and businesses.

This once-in-a-generation investment is being rolled out as part of Openreach’s commercial build and in collaboration with the Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) programme.

Fibre spine build begins in Stornoway

The project includes construction of a main fibre spine in and around Stornoway. This infrastructure will power the full fibre rollout throughout Na h-Eileanan an Iar and support:

• Hard-to-reach properties via the R100 programme
• Commercial upgrades to central and remote premises
• Future expansion to cover the wider Western Isles

According to the latest figures, 80% of Western Isles properties already have access to broadband of 30Mbps or more, but just 7% are on full fibre.

Supporting digital inclusion with fibre-backed reliability

Robert Thorburn, Openreach’s Scotland Partnership Director, said:

“This build is a big step forward for digital inclusion in the Western Isles. Residents can expect more engineers and vans in the area as we work to expand the network. We’ll use existing ducts and poles wherever possible to minimise disruption.”

Openreach’s fibre technology is:

• More reliable and resilient than copper
• Offers consistent speeds across multiple devices
• Built to meet rising data needs for decades to come

Learn more about the benefits of Full Fibre broadband.

Part of a wider Full Fibre build across Scotland

Openreach’s ultrafast Full Fibre network in Scotland now passes 1.4 million properties. The company aims to reach:

• 25 million UK homes and businesses by 2026
• 30 million by the end of the decade

Openreach build partner Circet is supporting the engineering delivery across the Western Isles.

Residents can register for updates to track progress and be notified when service becomes available in their area.

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