Aberdeen is poised to become Scotland’s first “gigabit” city under plans to upgrade its broadband infrastructure.
A partnership between high-speed fibre specialist CityFibre and Aberdeen firm Internet for Business (IFB) is expected to deliver the “transformational” improvement in connections.
Launching the project yesterday, they said it would mean more than 6,000 businesses as well as schools, universities, libraries, hospitals and government agency buildings having access to internet speeds in excess of 125 megabytes.
While there are currently no plans to extend the new fibre-based network to households, CityFibre and IFB said their project could eventually become the “backbone” of any future roll-out of the technology to Aberdeen residents.
London-based CityFibre said it had worked closely with IFB to pave the way for its multimillion-pound investment in the city.
CityFibre chief executive Greg Mesch added: “We selected Aberdeen as it represents the perfect opportunity for a gigabit city project.
“Its economic power, business make-up and absence of alternative network mean Aberdeen will be in a position to take full advantage of this transformational digital infrastructure.”
The project should “future-proof” Aberdeen for at least the next 100 years, Mr Mesch said.
IFB chief executive Graeme Gordon added: “We know how important connectivity services are to businesses in Aberdeen as there is always an increasing demand for more bandwidth.
“This new fibre network will provide a long-term foundation for firms’ digital requirements, sending a signal to businesses that Aberdeen is a city with room to grow and progress, and providing future investors with confidence in the services that the city can offer.”
Aberdeen City Council leader Jenny Laing said: “We are hugely excited to see CityFibre and IFB bring this project to life, ensuring that Aberdeen city and shire have a next-generation digital infrastructure in place to further economic growth over the coming years.
“CityFibre’s decision to make Aberdeen a gigabit city helps us to realise the ambitions laid out in (broadband scheme) Accelerate Aberdeen of being at the leading edge of the digital revolution.”
Faster internet speeds are widely seen as critical for Aberdeen’s continued prosperity, given the city’s economic clout.
Europe’s energy capital accounts for an estimated 28% of Scotland’s total gross domestic product, and is home to nearly one-in-three of the country’s 100 biggest businesses.
It has the second highest broadband take-up rate in the UK, but lacks any cable infrastructure.
With a new fibre network, it is expected to leapfrog other places to become the best digitally connected city in Scotland.