Full Fibre broadband coming to more properties in Thankerton and Symington
Work is starting to bring Full Fibre broadband to more homes and businesses in Thankerton and Symington through the Project Gigabit programme, funded by the UK government and managed in Scotland by the Scottish Government.
The work, being carried out by Openreach, will give residents and businesses access to some of the fastest, most reliable broadband anywhere in Europe.
The upgrades are part of Project Gigabit, a government-funded programme to enable communities to access fast , reliable broadband, targeting homes and businesses that – because of their location - might otherwise miss out.
Openreach was awarded a £157 million contract as part of a UK-wide framework to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to around 65,000 premises across Scotland. An additional £18 million funding for Dumfries and Galloway and parts of the Borders boosts the total reach to more than 77,000 premises.
This includes some of the hardest-to-reach communities in the Highlands, Na h-Eileanan an Iar, Argyll and Bute, as well as parts of Central and South of Scotland.
The collaboration between UK and Scottish governments is creating opportunities to drive efficiencies between the Reaching 100% programme – which has already connected more than 90,000 properties – and Project Gigabit, enabling even more access to gigabit-capable broadband for rural communities.
UK telecoms minister Liz Lloyd said: “Whether it's families streaming together, farmers being able to use new technology, or businesses reaching more customers online, this upgrade creates real opportunities for people in Thankerton and Symington.
“In partnership with Openreach, the UK government is delivering infrastructure that will serve this area for decades to come, we’re making sure everyone can benefit from the digital world, no matter where they live.”
Scotland’s Business Minister Richard Lochhead said: “Bringing faster broadband across Scotland is a key priority for the Scottish Government, and it’s encouraging to see Project Gigabit starting to make real progress alongside our £600 million R100 programme.
“Fast, reliable internet is essential for modern life – it supports businesses, enables remote working and attracts new opportunities for our rural economy. We will continue to work closely with partners to maximise the impact of public investment and deliver these benefits to every part of Scotland.”
Fibre technology provides more reliable, resilient and future-proof connectivity, with fewer faults; more predictable, consistent speeds; and enough capacity to easily meet growing data demands.
It boosts every online experience, from seamless streaming and gaming for households to smooth video calls, banking and customer interactions for businesses, with much less buffering or slowdown at busy times.
Robert Thorburn, Partnership Director for Scotland, said: “We’re bringing faster, more reliable broadband to more properties in Thankerton and Symington and letting local people know what to expect.
“This is a major infrastructure upgrade, so there will be more engineering teams, equipment and vans around town, and we're working hard to keep disruption to a minimum.
“Wherever possible, we’ll use our existing network of ducts and poles to avoid roadworks, new street furniture and disturbance. But there may be places where we need to install new poles, underground ducts and fibre cables because it’s the only way to make sure households get included in the upgrade.”
The Scottish Government’s broadband checker offers the latest information on the R100 and Project Gigabit roll-outs in Scotland. Residents can also register with Openreach’s fibre checker for updates on the progress of fibre installation at their address.
