East Ayrshire set to benefit from major fibre broadband rollout

East Ayrshire is set to become one of the best-connected parts of the UK thanks to a major investment in fibre optic broadband announced this week by the Scottish government.

The £264 million partnership between BT and the government is set to see high-speed broadband rolled out to hundreds of thousands of homes and businesses across the country.

East Ayrshire has been named as one of the beneficiaries, with the local council agreeing to contribute £1.2 million towards the initiative so that emphasis can be placed on delivering fibre broadband to rural communities like Bellsbank, Catrine and Dalmellington.

As a result of this investment, fibre optic network coverage in East Ayrshire is expected to rise from 61 per cent to more than 98 per cent by the end of the project.

Jim Buchanan, spokesperson for Delivering Community Regeneration at East Ayrshire Council, said: "By investing in the development of digital capability in East Ayrshire, we are helping to make our rural businesses more accessible and more competitive."