The Scottish Government's R100 programme has now delivered faster broadband to over 100,000 homes and businesses. Progress worth noting — and an estimated 9% of Scottish households still without any internet connection worth noting more.
The R100 Reaching 100% programme has passed a milestone: more than 100,000 homes and businesses in Scotland now have faster broadband connections as a result of the £697 million programme. An independent evaluation found that 76% of connected businesses reported increased productivity, and around two-thirds of residents said they felt more connected as a result.
This is real progress, and it should be acknowledged. R100 is doing something that commercial providers were not willing to do.
But the same period tells a more uncomfortable story: an estimated 9% of Scottish households — around 490,000 people — still have no internet connection at all. The programme aims to reach another 113,000 premises by March 2028. That still leaves a substantial portion of Scotland behind.
And connectivity is not only about whether a wire reaches a building. Even where R100 delivers infrastructure, the questions of affordability, device access, digital skills, and language barriers remain unanswered by any current programme. Coverage is necessary. It is not sufficient.
The UK Government has separately announced a £157 million Project Gigabit contract for remote Scottish communities in the Highlands, Outer Hebrides, and islands including Skye, Islay, and Tiree. Again, investment worth welcoming — and investment that should be accompanied by clear, public reporting on who benefits and when.
The Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme, worth up to £5,000 towards a faster connection, closes to new applications on 20 November 2026. In Aberdeenshire alone, 2,089 premises are still eligible and have not used it.
WIRES has sent its submission to the Competition and Markets Authority's inquiry into BT's purchase of TalkTalk, asking that any approval protects prices, guarantees access to a social tariff and recognises the greater effect in rural Scotland. The full text is here. Comments closed on 9 October; the CMA reports by 19 October.
We read the published digital strategies of Scotland's 32 councils. Of the 24 we could verify, only Glasgow has a standalone strategy on digital exclusion. In 22, it is a theme inside a plan about the council's own services. Eight we couldn't confirm.
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