Latest news with #GoFibre
Scotsman
2 hours ago
- Business
- Scotsman
The rural areas of Scotland to get full-fibre broadband thanks to £125m investment
'We are excited to play a crucial role in bringing the very best full-fibre broadband connectivity to rural areas in Scotland' – Neil Conaghan, GoFibre Sign up to our Scotsman Money newsletter, covering all you need to know to help manage your money. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Thousands of internet users in rural parts of Scotland are set to benefit from speedier connections after the completion of a £125 million funding round. Edinburgh-based broadband company GoFibre said the investment would support its delivery of two 'Project Gigabit' contracts in the south and north east of Scotland, covering the Borders, East Lothian, Angus, Aberdeenshire and the Moray coast. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The funding round has been led by a £45m debt facility from the Scottish National Investment Bank alongside a further £80m from Hamburg Commercial Bank (HCOB). GoFibre was advised by Deloitte on the transaction. (L to R): Andy Hepburn, chief operating officer, GoFibre; Ailsa Young, investment director of innovation, Scottish National Investment Bank; Mike Ferguson, managing director, Forfar Indoor Sports; Neil Conaghan, chief executive, GoFibre. Picture by Michal Wachucik/Abermedia The broadband provider is focused on expanding digital connectivity in underserved rural areas. It contributes to regional economic development by using local supply chains and recruiting talent within the communities it is connecting. Backed by Gresham House's British Sustainable Infrastructure Funds, GoFibre was recently awarded a £105m contract by the Scottish Government for the delivery of the UK government-funded Project Gigabit in the north-east of Scotland. The programme enables harder-to-reach communities to access fast and reliable high-speed broadband. The Scottish Government is playing a key role in delivering project procurements north of the Border, working closely with the UK government to deploy funding. Neil Conaghan, chief executive of GoFibre, said: 'This is a significant step-change in GoFibre's position both as a major independent broadband provider, and as a significant company in Scotland. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Our appointment as the supplier for the biggest Project Gigabit delivery area in Scotland, in the north east, builds on our win earlier this year for the very first Scottish lot to be announced, for the Borders and East Lothian. 'We are excited to play a crucial role in bringing the very best full-fibre broadband connectivity to rural areas in Scotland, as part of our mission to bridge the digital divide,' he added. While connectivity has improved in recent years, Scotland's urban-rural divide remains an issue for many users. Ofcom figures show that 44 per cent of rural communities have full-fibre coverage, compared to 71 per cent of urban communities. Ailsa Young, investment director of innovation at the Scottish National Investment Bank, said: 'GoFibre is a great example of a Scottish scale-up that is targeting growth through delivering tangible local impact. We live in an increasingly digital world where high-speed, reliable internet is essential for accessing services and building and maintaining connections. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'Broadband is a critical service for businesses and communities. This continues to be an important sector for us, so we're delighted to support GoFibre as it delivers important connectivity to the north east of Scotland.' The Forfar Indoor Sports Centre is a GoFibre customer. Managing director Mike Ferguson said: 'As a small business, having reliable and fast connectivity is crucial; everything from our tills to our booking system relies on it.
The Herald Scotland
2 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
High-speed broadband collaboration for Scottish homes and businesses
Emtelle, which is based in Hawick with manufacturing sites in Scotland, Germany, Denmark, Abu Dhabi and the US, said the collaboration will see it supply duct, sub-duct and fibre infrastructure for new full-fibre networks to enable 'fibre to the premises' speeds of up to 10 gigabits per second. The infrastructure is being supplied to GoFibre as part of the Edinburgh-based company's fourth contract under the £5 billion Project Gigabit. This contract is worth £105m, and will see GoFibre deliver high-speed broadband connections and download speeds to around 63,000 residents and businesses, in parts of the city of Aberdeen and elsewhere in Aberdeenshire, as well as in Angus, Dundee, the Highlands, Moray, and Perth and Kinross, Emtelle noted. The first connections are due to be delivered by summer 2026. The Scottish Government has noted it plays "a key role in delivering Project Gigabit procurements in Scotland, working closely with the UK Government to deploy funding committed to connect some of the hardest to reach geographies across the UK". Read more Emtelle, which describes itself as a 'global leader' in the supply of passive network infrastructure for high-speed connectivity, has partnered with GoFibre on its commercial network build, and to deliver previous contracts under Project Gigabit. GoFibre's network now extends to more than 120,000 premises, and covers in excess of 30 'hard-to-reach' areas in Scotland and the north of England. Emtelle and GoFibre, which was founded in the Scottish Borders town of Duns, joined forces to enhance digital connectivity for 8,000 residents and businesses in Hawick. The Hawick-based company noted it had played a key role by manufacturing and supplying the duct, sub-duct, and fibre needed to deliver full-fibre connectivity to the Scottish Borders town, supporting GoFibre's regional rollout. Gavin Faulds, chief commercial officer of Emtelle, said: 'We are delighted to be strengthening our partnership with GoFibre in order to bring full-fibre connectivity to more than 60,000 premises in the north-east of Scotland. 'As a major Scottish employer, we firmly believe Scotland needs a first-class digital network across every town and village in order to reduce the digital divide and boost economic growth. That is why we are committed to improving its networks, especially for those in rural regions who are the hardest to reach.' He added: 'In the long term, we aim to continue our partnership with GoFibre, and build the infrastructure that further transforms connectivity in both Scotland and the UK.' GoFibre chief executive Neil Conaghan said: 'Our strategic partnership with Emtelle is an important enabler for GoFibre to deliver our Project Gigabit contract in the north-east of Scotland. GoFibre and Emtelle are both Borders-born, and for two Scottish businesses to play such a crucial role in delivering gigabit connectivity for the country shows the strength of local supply chain. We're glad to have Emtelle as our strategic infrastructure partner.'
