Superfast broadband roll-out in Highlands delayed until at least 2026
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The Scottish Government today announced that they are now unable to give a date for the delivery of its flagship superfast broadband programme, known as R100, to premises in the north of Scotland because of a legal dispute.
Initially, the Scottish Government had made a promise to deliver R100 to all homes and businesses by 2021.
But they also stated today that connectivity to south and central Scotland would not be until 2023.
The Minister for Energy, Connectivity and the Islands, Paul Wheelhouse, was unable to give any date at all for connecting to the Highlands.
He said homes and offices not connected under R100 by 2021 will be eligible for a voucher scheme to help them access commercial broadband services.
Edward Mountain, MSP for the Highlands and Islands, said this afternoon: “Sadly, another contract that is going to be delivered late and another broken promise.
"Fergus Ewing offered to resign if R100 wasn’t delivered by 2021 and it appears it won’t be delivered in the Highlands before 2026/2027. Mr Ewing if you are having trouble drafting (your resignation) I will give you a hand."
And he asked: “Will the vouchers issued in the Highlands for superfast broadband ensure that no one there pays more than those in the Central Belt for the equivalent broadband connection?”
Mr Wheelhouse replied: “I accept entirely that there may be people who are priced out of using broadband services, clearly we don’t have the tools in this Parliament. That’s not me making a constitutional point it’s just a fact – we don’t have the tools in this Parliament to intervene in the telecoms market to make the intervention that we would have to see.
"We would have to see the UK Government take a step forward in that regard. The idea of a social tariff has been floated, that is potentially one way. A social tariff operates in the energy sector for example, so could that approach be applied in the broadband sector as well to help customers who are faced with high costs of connecting?”
Following their exchange, Edward Mountain MSP said: “The people of the Highlands and Islands have every right to be frustrated and disappointed at how this SNP Government has broken its promises on delivering superfast broadband by 2021.
"What is even worse is that SNP Government gave no assurances that those who take up the voucher scheme will not pay more than those in the Central Belt. Highlanders should not have to pay excessive internet prices only because the SNP Government failed to deliver its R100 programme on time.
"It is also deeply concerning that the SNP Government accept that it might take until 2026 or 2027 to deliver the R100 programme to the north of Scotland. Once again our region is being left behind and is losing out on vital infrastructure that it needs now.
"Finally, Fergus Ewing promised he would resign if R100 was not delivered by 2021. He doesn’t intend to resign and is therefore breaking a personal promise to the people of the Highlands and Islands.
"Quite frankly, the SNP Government’s handling of the R100 programme has been a shambles and it is putting the Highland economy at a huge disadvantage.”
