Frustrated households across the Highlands and islands are being left “even further behind” after the SNP Government failed to meet a target to connect thousands to superfast broadband.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had promised 4,000 new connections would be made to superfast broadband in the north of Scotland by the end of June.
New figures show just 2,500 connections were made as of July 31 – 1,500 short of the target.
Pledge to connect thousands
The Reaching 100% (R100) programme was first announced in 2017.
It was supposed to bring faster internet to 60,000 properties across northern Scotland by the end of 2021.
The programme – which covers Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire, Moray, the Highlands and islands, and parts of Perthshire and Angus – has since been pushed back by six years to 2027.
But at First Minister’s Questions in January Ms Sturgeon pledged to make 4,000 connections within the first six months of 2022.
Data obtained by the Scottish Lib Dems, and seen by The Press and Journal, shows that as of July 31, only 2,545 connections were actually made.
This includes 760 in Aberdeenshire, 647 in the Highlands, 635 in Argyll and Bute, 224 in Shetland, 56 in Moray, 38 in Orkney and 34 in Aberdeen.
No connections through the R100 programme’s north lot were made in Aberdeen in January, February or April, and only one was made in the city in March.
Similarly no connections were made in Shetland in the first four months of this year, and Orkney didn’t see its first connection of 2022 until March.
‘Highlands are being left behind’
Jamie Stone, Lib Dem MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, said it is “concerning” the rollout of superfast broadband in the Highlands and islands is only at around 50% of what was promised.
He said: “Despite Nicola Sturgeon promising 4,000 new superfast connections for the north of Scotland in the first six months of 2022, only half of those have materialised, with no explanation as to why the Scottish Government has failed to make good on their commitment.
“As the months and years tick by, people in the Highlands and islands are being left ever further behind when it comes to digital connectivity.”
He added: “They deserve an explanation – and urgent government action.”
A spokesman for the Scottish Government says they want to ensure everyone in rural areas has access to high speed broadband.
They added the government is investing in infrastructure to extend broadband infrastructure in Scotland, and said: “The £636 million R100 contracts will deliver connections to more than 114,000 properties across Scotland, including an additional 1,488 across the North lot following the recent extra investment of £36 million.
“Work to deliver faster broadband to the North lot contract area is progressing at pace.”