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Island Lismore to soon get among fastest broadband in UK

A full fibre broadband upgrade will allow islanders to connect multiple devices to the internet at ultrafast speeds.

Subsea cable being laid in the waters around Lismore.
Machinery lifts the subsea cable into place. Image: Openreach,

Some of the fastest and most reliable broadband anywhere in the UK is heading to the island of Lismore.

As work starts on a major digital upgrade through the Scottish Government’s £600million Reaching 100% (R100) programme, islanders are being asked who would like it first.

Described as a once-in-a-generation upgrade, full fibre broadband will let local people connect multiple devices to the internet at ultrafast speeds and help businesses to take advantage of online services and markets.

At the moment the service on the island can be hit or miss.

In a change from its usual process, R100 delivery partner Openreach is asking local people to highlight their demand as early as possible  – to help with delivering the island’s full fibre network.

Residents can register their details by checking their postcode, and signing up for updates.

Reps from the Scottish Government?s R100 team, Openreach and build partners met with islanders at Lismore Public Hall to outline the plans for the full fibre upgrade. Image: Openreach.

Lismore broadband upgrade will future proof island

Robert Thorburn, partnership director for Openreach Scotland, said: “We’re really excited to be working on Lismore.

“Ultrafast broadband makes it much easier to do everything you want online and will be life-changing for islanders.

“Island builds are a big logistical challenge.

“We need to ship over all the right people and equipment for several months to deliver the network, and that’s why we’re keen to get local input into the build plan.

“If we know someone wants to upgrade to a full fibre service, it makes sense to provide their connection at an early stage, during the build, when we have fibre engineers available on the island.

The subsea cable laying which was needed to enable the upgrade. Image: Openreach.

“Providing your details doesn’t commit you to placing an order or taking a service, but it will help us deliver connections quickly to those who want to upgrade.

Minimum disruption

“We’re testing this new approach on Lismore, with fantastic support from Lismore Community Council, and we expect to replicate it for other island communities in the R100 programme, like Colonsay and Mull.”

The R100 build on Lismore is an ongoing major infrastructure upgrade, so local people will be seeing more engineering teams, equipment and vans on the ground.

Wherever possible, Openreach is using its existing network of ducts and poles to avoid roadworks, new street furniture and disturbance.

The first properties on the island are due to be able to connect to the new full fibre network later this year, when they’ll be able to order services through any of the service providers – such as Sky, BT, Vodafone, Zen and TalkTalk – who use the Openreach network.

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