Major broadband upgrade for rural Scottish homes

Openreach engineers at work (9)

Faster, more reliable broadband has been made available to more than 90,000 rural and island homes and businesses across Scotland through the Reaching 100% (R100) contracts, according to new figures.

Work through the Scottish Government scheme, carried out by Openreach, has seen hundreds of locations get Full Fibre broadband upgrades in the last six months – with 20,000 connections made in 2025 up to November

The £600+ million broadband rollout extended from Yell and Unst in Shetland to west coast communities like Fionnphort and Balvicar, and the small villages of Port William and Dunragit in Dumfries and Galloway.

The next places set for upgrade include Hoy in Orkney, Kilmartin in Argyll and Bute, and Inchture in Perth and Kinross.

Business Minister Richard Lochhead said: “Access to fast, reliable broadband is vital for Scottish communities and businesses to thrive. I am delighted that 20,000 more homes and businesses are now benefiting from the Scottish Government’s £600+ million R100 programme as a result of investment made in 2025 - with more to come.

“Working with Openreach, we’re delivering future-proofed connectivity that will help local businesses increase their productivity and ensure people can stay connected no matter where they live. We exceeded our target to bring this vital connectivity to many thousands of premises in 2025/26 and I hope to replicate that performance in the coming months.”

Robert Thorburn, Partnership Director for Scotland, said: “We’re proud to be extending full fibre to some of Scotland’s hardest-to-reach locations.

“Our teams are finding creative, sustainable ways to bring rural communities into the digital age, giving them the same connectivity as urban areas without compromising their unique surroundings.

“With more than 40% of homes and businesses having already switched to full fibre broadband, we’d urge people to check what’s available right now and take advantage of the benefits of a faster, more reliable service.”

Full fibre technology offers a faster, more reliable broadband connection. The once-in-a-generation technology enables locals to connect multiple devices at gigabit-capable speeds and will help businesses trade online and compete for decades to come.

People living in Scotland can see if they can upgrade to full fibre by visiting Openreach’s full fibre checker.