More than 53,000 homes across the north have yet to be connected to superfast broadband through the SNP’s upgrade programme.
The Reaching (R100) project, announced in 2017, was supposed to bring faster internet to around 60,000 homes and businesses across northern Scotland by the end of 2021.
But the scheme is not expected to be completed until 2028 for those in the north lot, seven years behind the original deadline.
Most of rural Scotland makes up the north lot, including areas such as the Highlands and Islands, Aberdeenshire, Moray, Aberdeen, Dundee and parts of Perthshire.
A freedom of information response shows that as of May, a total of 53,867 premises are still to be connected as part of the programme in the north.
The Tories said residents living in communities will be “appalled” by the “shocking figures” which lay bear the extent of the properties still to be completed.
More than a thousand homes and businesses have been connected across Aberdeenshire and more than 2,500 across the Highlands and Islands.
But there are still thousands of homes across the north waiting to be hooked up.
What is the R100 programme?
The Scottish Government promised access to superfast broadband – speeds of at least 30 megabits per second – to every home and business in Scotland.
Around 114,000 premises are now expected to be connected through three R100 contracts: north, south and central lots.
There was a legal challenge to the north lot contract. This was resolved but meant the contract was not awarded until December 2020.
Those not covered by the R100 scheme can apply for a one-off voucher of £5,000 to help them set up a permanent superfast connections themselves.
Premises in the north lot receive lower average speeds than elsewhere in the country. This is because of the geography and distance between premises.
‘Shocking figures’
Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid said: “Residents living in communities within the north lot will rightly be appalled by these shocking figures which illustrate the woeful rollout of the R100 scheme.
“Superfast broadband connectivity is absolutely crucial for our rural economy but this snail’s pace level of progress means our communities are in real danger of being left behind.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “The Scottish Government’s Reaching 100% (R100) and Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programmes have already connected around one million properties across Scotland to faster broadband – despite telecommunications across the UK being entirely reserved to the UK Government.
“We are investing more than £600 million through the R100 contracts, extending full fibre broadband to some of the hardest to reach rural communities, and our demand-led R100 Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme is ensuring those not within build plans through the contracts or commercial coverage can still secure a superfast broadband connection.
“The Scottish Government continues to urge the UK Government to extend gigabit networks to Scotland’s rural communities, given telecoms is their responsibility.”