Hyslop has welcomed new figures that show a huge boost to connectivity in West Lothian, thanks to significant investment from the SNP Government.
According to the latest coverage statistics from Thinkbroadband, 97.9% properties in West Lothian are now connected to superfast broadband – a 34.9% increase from 2014 when only 63.0% properties were connected to internet speeds of at least 30Mbps.
A report published this week from Ofcom also found that 172,889 properties across Scotland have been connected to superfast broadband in the last year alone.
Despite connectivity and broadband remaining reserved to Westminster, Scotland is the only part of the UK that has guaranteed 100% superfast broadband access.
While the SNP is investing £600 million in the R100 programme, the single biggest public sector investment in digital connectivity in the UK, Westminster has contributed less than £21 million to the project – just 3% of the total funding.
Fiona commented:
“These latest figures show that nearly 98% of properties in West Lothian are now connected to superfast broadband’
‘The Coronavirus pandemic has highlighted the importance of digital connectivity – increased access to superfast broadband has helped people in West Lothian stay in touch with loved ones, supported those who are home working and helped our local health service’
‘Broadband is a reserved issue to Westminster, and successive UK governments have not done enough to ensure superfast broadband speeds reach every corner of Scotland’
‘It has been left to the SNP government at Holyrood to take up the mantle and invest £600 million in the R100 programme to ensure superfast broadband speeds are available to the Scottish population’
‘While the Tories might be happy to sit in the slow lane, this SNP Government won’t stop until 100% of Scottish homes are connected to superfast broadband by the end of 2021.’
ENDS
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