The Scottish Government has exceeded its annual broadband rollout target, connecting a record 27,000 premises to ultrafast broadband in 2024-25 through its flagship Reaching 100% (R100) programme. This achievement surpasses the original commitment to deliver gigabit-capable broadband to 20,000 homes and businesses, marking an over 35% increase on the target.
The R100 programme, delivered in partnership with Openreach, has now enabled more than 80,000 faster broadband connections across Scotland, with 80% of the build focused on rural areas. The rollout has reached locations from the Killantringan Lighthouse in Dumfries and Galloway to Stornoway in the Western Isles and Baltasound on Shetland, addressing some of the most challenging and remote sites in the country.
Business Minister Richard Lochhead highlighted the economic significance of the milestone, stating:
“Fast, reliable broadband is a fundamental building block for economic growth. The Scottish Government’s R100 programme is one of the most ambitious and complex digital infrastructure programmes in Europe, rolling out connections in some of the most challenging locations in the country to help businesses and communities prosper. Despite telecommunications being reserved to the UK Government, our commitment to the R100 programme illustrates this government’s commitment to delivering the digital connectivity people and businesses need to succeed.”
Lochhead also credited the success to “record Scottish Government funding and an ongoing partnership with Openreach maximising the opportunities to deliver fast broadband to even more homes and businesses.”
Openreach’s Partnership Director for Scotland, Robert Thorburn, praised the collaborative effort:
“It’s brilliant to see businesses like the Steamship Sir Walter Scott benefitting from full fibre. We’re committed to making sure that the hardest-to-reach homes and businesses in Scotland are connected to the latest generation of broadband technology, giving them access to the same fast, reliable services available in our cities… Our engineers have the skills and experience to overcome [rural challenges] and deserve an enormous amount of credit for their work. We’re proud of the role we’ve played, working alongside the Scottish Government, in hitting this significant milestone – but we know that our work isn’t done yet, and we’ll continue to connect communities across the country.”
James Fraser, CEO and Lead Trustee of the Steamship Sir Walter Scott Trust at Loch Katrine, described the impact on local businesses:
“The impact of the introduction of fibre cable connections at Loch Katrine has been transformative for many aspects of our core business and our tenants. With an increasing trend to digital bookings for cruises, eco lodges, cycle hire and meals out, having high speed digital connections is critical to the success of our business and other businesses on the lochside… With the higher speeds now available there has been a marked improvement in digital services with increased customer satisfaction levels.”
The R100 programme, originally designed to deliver superfast broadband, now provides gigabit-capable connections – over 30 times faster than the original target – in 99% of cases. While the overall programme deadline has been extended to 2028 due to legal and logistical challenges, the latest figures demonstrate significant progress in closing Scotland’s digital divide.
