Digital Scotland partners have today announced the next areas where fibre broadband will be rolled out across Scotland.

Stuart Robertson, Director of Digital at HIE, said: “Roll-out continues across the Highlands and Islands, and it’s great that we are seeing growing numbers of rural towns and villages with better access to fibre broadband than ever before. When we started this project fibre services were only available to four per cent of the region’s homes and businesses. Coverage has come a long way, and the new core infrastructure we’ve rolled out gives us a much better base to build on into the future.”

HIE is quoting latest independent figures from Think Broadband that confirm 75 per cent coverage across the Highlands and Islands region. They indicate that 61 per cent of Highland and Island premises have access to more than 30Mbps and that 70 per cent of premises have access to more than 10Mbps.

Customers are reminded that fibre services are an entirely different product than existing broadband. You have to #CheckandOrder if available. See the phone number/postcode checker here www.hie.co.uk/whereandwhen

Below are details for the next phase of roll-out for the Outer Hebrides:

• New areas where work will be starting in the next six months – Balallan, Carnan, Gravir, Grogarry, Locheport, Sollas
• Current number of premises where fibre based broadband is now available – more than 6,500
• Number of new fibre broadband cabinets built and taking orders – 46
• Towns and villages with services available – Back, Barvas, Callanish, Carloway, Crossbost, Garrabost, Leverburgh, North Tolsta, Shawbost, Stornoway.