Following a parliamentary question raised by SNP MSP for Stirling Bruce Crawford, the Scottish Government’s Minister for Connectivity, Paul Wheelhouse, has revealed that 16,200 more properties in the Stirling area now benefit from access to fibre broadband, thanks to Scottish Government intervention.
Despite telecommunications being reserved to Westminster, the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband (DSSB) programme was introduced by the Scottish Government in order to take a different approach to the UK Government’s open-market policy in rolling out up to date broadband services.
Prior to the Scottish Government’s intervention, just 59.8% of properties were able to connect to fibre broadband. Now, over 95% of properties in the Stirling area are able to connect to superfast infrastructure.
Commenting, Bruce Crawford said:
“Connecting so many properties to up to date, reliable and fast broadband is a remarkable achievement and one that I am proud that the SNP Government has achieved for my constituency.
“These broadband services are increasingly important in terms of how we conduct our daily lives. It’s not just how we connect with our friends and colleagues, but also how we access vital services with ease, and even do our weekly shopping.
“I am conscious that there are communities – particularly in rural Stirling – who are not yet connected to superfast services. This is a frustration amongst local residents, and I ensured that I raised this matter with the minister in Parliament this week.
“Over the next year, the Scottish Government will award the contract for the R100 programme. This is the most ambitious broadband delivery programme of anywhere in the UK and aims to ensure that every property in Scotland is connected to superfast speeds by 2021.
“With £600 million having already been allocated to this programme, I am pleased that the Scottish Government has put its money where its mouth is and is determined to deliver for communities, like those in my constituency.”
