Friday 1 August 2014

Good news ahead for superfast broadband coverage for part of the West End

I have welcomed news that superfast fibre broadband coverage should finally reach the most westerly part of the West End Ward which is served – for both telephone and broadband - by the Invergowrie Exchange, which also serves Invergowrie itself and parts of the Carse of Gowrie.

Last year, constituents in the areas around Clovis Duveau Drive, Millbay Gardens, Millbay Terrace and Clayhills Grove contacted me to complain that this exchange was not yet providing superfast fibre broadband and I therefore contacted the government’s Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband rollout team about this.    

I was advised that the Invergowrie area was eligible for a state aid intervention as part of the superfast broadband programme.  However, at that time no announcement had been made regarding what areas would benefit and when.

I recently asked for an update from Digital Scotland as to when the Invergowrie exchange would be upgraded to superfast fibre broadband and have been advised by their Senior Stakeholder Manager :

“Work is still on-going from the Invergowrie exchange, but I would expect fibre deployment to be available by October 2014.”

I am pleased to learn that this part of the West End will enjoy superfast fibre broadband from later this year as many constituents in the area report variable broadband quality at times and the superfast version will be hugely better.

I am on Wave 102 News about this update this morning and you can listen to this by clicking 'play' below: