Highland Broadband brings 'fastest network available in the UK' to Easter Ross as details of ambitious rollout revealed amidst hopes of transformational change for many residents
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WORK to bring ultrafast fibre broadband to a swathe of Easter Ross is just weeks away from being completed.
Highland Broadband is rolling out a new service initially focussing on 5000 premises in Alness before the turn of the year, digitally "transforming" connectivity in the area.
The provider is a trading name of Lothian Broadband Networks Limited (LBNL), who plan to invest £75m to connect 70,000-plus premises in rural areas and small towns over the next four years.
CEO Gavin Rodgers said yesterday: “We are hugely excited to be bringing the fastest network available in the UK to the Highlands. LBNL already provides broadband in the region through our subsidiary Highland Wireless so we know first-hand the positive difference this development will make.”
After the first phase of installation in Alness, the fibre network will expand to the towns of Evanton and Invergordon and northwards to Ardross as well as a number of smaller villages along the way.
The Adtran powered XGS-PON FTTP technology has the capability to support up to 10Gb symmetrical connectivity, touted the fastest and most reliable network in the UK.
Highland Broadband is using local contractors to carry out the work.
In January, the Scottish National Investment Bank committed £20 million to LBNL to help tackle digital inequality in rural communities and small towns.
Backers say a vibrant rural digital economy and increased connectivity can also help reduce car journeys by allowing people to work from home and assist a just transition to net zero by 2045.
Gavin Rodgers hailed support from the Scottish Government and the independent backing from the Scottish National Investment Bank.
He said: “It allows us to continue our commitment to building quality digital infrastructure and ultrafast, reliable and affordable full-fibre broadband across Scotland with this phase now taking us to rural villages and towns in the Highlands.”
The investment supports the UK and Scottish government commitments to high-speed broadband access. The UK Government has a target of at least 85 per cent of the population having access to gigabit (1000 Mbps) broadband by 2025.
Jamie Stone, MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, said: "I am delighted to have supported LBNL's plans to bring gigabit connectivity to Easter Ross. Improving broadband connectivity in the Highlands at pace is absolutely key to our success as a region, and I look forward to the day that every household and business in my constituency can access superfast speeds. This is an excellent start."
The first phase of the network rollout will connect premises within the following communities:
- Achandunie
- Achnagarron
- Alness
- Ardross
- Balnaguisich
- Contullich
- Cuillich
- Dalmore
- Dalnavie
- Evanton
- Millcraig
- Rosskeen
- Stittenham
Need to know more?
Lothian Broadband Network Limited’s network currently comprises both fibre and fixed wireless and passes approximately 10,000 premises. This announcement signals a commitment to be passing 80,000 premises within the next four years.
The company is led by experienced industry executive, Gavin Rodgers who was formerly head of a national fibre delivery organisation at Virgin Media and has a track record of deploying fibre at scale.
LBG deploys XGS-PON technology to deliver fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP) with symmetrical upload and download connection speeds of up to 10 Gigabits per second (Gbps). This compares with BT/Openreach’s fibre-to-the-cabinet (FTTC) product which delivers speeds of typically less than 40Mbps download and 20Mbps upload [source: Think Broadband].
Scottish National Investment Bank
The Scottish National Investment Bank is Scotland’s first development investment bank, wholly owned by the Scottish Ministers on behalf of the people of Scotland.
The Bank is an impact investor, focussed on delivering both commercial returns and mission impacts with its investments. The Bank is a PLC and operationally independent from government.
The Bank invests in business and projects connected to Scotland to deliver long term, patient debt or equity investment where the private market is failing to provide the support businesses and projects require to grow.
The Bank’s missions are:
- Supporting Scotland’s transition to net zero
- Building communities and promoting equality
- Harnessing innovation to enable people to flourish
The Scottish Government has committed to capitalising the Bank with £2bn in its first 10 years. Over time as the Bank’s initial investments are repaid, the Bank will reinvest those funds in businesses and projects creating a perpetual investment fund to support the Scottish economy in the long term. The Bank was established in November 2020.
