SNP plans to boost Scottish fibre broadband coverage

Plans to roll out fibre optic broadband and other forms of next-generation internet connectivity to nine in ten Scottish properties by 2015 have been unveiled by the SNP.

Under its Infrastructure Action Plan, the Scottish government is aiming to deliver the technology to between 85 and 90 per cent of homes and businesses across the country, giving them access to speeds of 40 to 80Mbps.

The project is set to be funded by a combination of public and private money, and the government has already identified £185 million of public cash to support the scheme.

Scotland's Infrastructure and Capital Investment Secretary Alex Neil commented: "This plan is a crucial step towards achieving world-class digital connectivity across Scotland, substantially improving the ability of our businesses to compete in worldwide markets."

The most recent figures from Ofcom show just 41 per cent of Scotland can currently access super-fast broadband connections, while 13 per cent of properties are stuck with speeds of less than 2Mbps.