Broadband provider hits major milestone with 100,000 rural premises connected – Scottish Business News

FOLLOWING significant growth over the past 18 months, Scottish independent broadband provider, GoFibre, has reached a major milestone in its mission to deliver amazing broadband connections and choice in local communities across Scotland and the north of England, with over 100,000 homes and businesses now being able to connect to GoFibre’s ultra-fast and reliable broadband network.

Driven by its commitment to deliver world-class digital connectivity to rural and harder-to-reach locations, GoFibre is dedicated to closing the digital divide in Scotland.  Recent research underscores this need, revealing that full-fibre broadband is only available to 35% of homes in rural parts of Scotland.

Throughout the network expansion, GoFibre has placed great importance on supporting rural economic development. Committed to recruiting local talent who live and work in the communities they are connecting, GoFibre works to develop a deep-rooted understanding of each area’s unique needs, ensuring that customers remain at the heart of its business.

GoFibre’s remarkable growth has significantly increased its construction efforts, extending its network reach in specific local areas. This expansion has led to premises across thirty towns and villages being ready for service, with local people already experiencing the benefits, from improved business productivity to an enhanced digital life at home.

As of June 2024, GoFibre’s full fibre network is ready for service to more than 100,000 premises, spanning key regions including:

• Aberdeenshire: 9,600 premises
• Angus: 12,200 premises
• Fife: 23,500 premises
• East Lothian and Midlothian: 21,500 premises
• Scottish Borders: 23,900 premises
• North Northumberland: 11,200 premises
• Durham-Teesdale: 3,700 premises

Once the connection is in place, choosing GoFibre means residents and businesses can access up to 1 Gbps speeds, significantly enhancing their ability to utilise multiple devices without lag and quickly download large files in seconds. While the median average internet speed in the UK is 73.21Mbps, as of 2023, GoFibre’s full fibre connection provides speeds of more than double this speed on its entry-level package.

Neil Conaghan, Chief Executive Officer, GoFibre said: “We are proud to have reached this significant milestone in such a short length of time, because that means we’ve been able to make a positive impact on even more lives and businesses quicker. In today’s digital world, where online activity is ever-increasing, a reliable high-speed broadband connection is essential and not having it in place can really hold people and businesses back from reaching their full potential.

“Our unwavering local focus and dedication to customers and local communities sets us apart. Scottish engineering and ingenuity has driven us to achieve this milestone, and has ensured that we can provide responsive, high-quality customer service from experts with local knowledge.

“This accomplishment firmly places us on the map as a major broadband provider in our regions, and we can’t wait to continue expanding our services, bringing high-quality connectivity to even more communities and customers. Our commitment to innovation and customer satisfaction will drive us forward as we build on this success.”

In early 2022, GoFibre’ secured a commitment of £164 million funding from Gresham House’s Sustainable Infrastructure strategy (BSIF), to accelerate its rollout of full fibre broadband throughout Scotland and the north of England.

GoFibre is committed to leaving a lasting legacy in the communities it serves and has a strong focus on social impact. In July 2023, the company launched the GoFurther Fund to support charitable and community projects within the regions where it operates. Six months on from the initial funding to five local charities and organisation in East Lothian, Fife, and the Borders, the first share from the £50,000 fund has helped to support a host of projects. These include education and employability services, social sessions that tackle loneliness and isolation, and after-school support and activities designed to empower young people from all backgrounds.

Residents and businesses can buy now or register for updates in their area by visiting gofibre.co.uk/register.