Scots in slow lane of broadband superhighway

Published on Wednesday 3 August 2011 17:58

SCOTLAND'S digital divide is getting wider as the number of households using broadband has stalled amid growth in high-speed internet access elsewhere.

Figures published today by regulator Ofcom show that just 61 per cent of Scottish homes have a broadband connection, the same as last year and only one percentage point higher than in 2009.

Whereas Scottish broadband uptake was second only to that of England in 2005, it now ranks last behind England, Northern Ireland and Wales.

"The theme we saw last year about being the least-connected nation still applies this year," said Vicki Nash, director of Ofcom in Scotland.

The figures throw into doubt targets set in the Scottish Government's Digital Ambition strategy, which calls for broadband usage to match that of the UK average by 2013, and to rank top of all the UK nations by 2015. Building a strong digital base is one of the key elements in the Economic Recovery Plan published by the Scottish Government in February.

A Scottish Government spokesman said ensuring digital inclusion remained a key priority. "That is why we are working with key partners to develop a strategic national blueprint for broadband that will deliver a world-class broadband infrastructure, improving access across the country," he said.