Region gets major broadband upgrade

MORE than 11,600 hard-to-reach homes and businesses in Dumfries and Galloway have been given access to faster, more reliable broadband through the Reaching 100 per cent (R100) contracts, according to new figures.

People in dozens of locations across the region, from Portpatrick to Moffat, are among the latest to benefit from the £600 million Scottish Government R100 contracts being delivered by digital network Openreach.

They’re among around 90,000 properties now reached through the R100 contracts across Scotland.

Business minister Richard Lochhead said: “Access to fast, reliable broadband is vital for Scottish communities and businesses to thrive.

“I am delighted that 20,000 more homes and businesses including in Dumfries and Galloway are now benefiting from the Scottish Government’s £600+ million R100 programme as a result of investment made in 2025 – with more to come.

“Working with Openreach, we’re delivering future-proofed connectivity that will help local businesses increase their productivity and ensure people can stay connected no matter where they live.

“We exceeded our target to bring this vital connectivity to many thousands of premises in 2025/26 and I hope to replicate that performance in the coming months.”

These properties are among the 49,000 across Dumfries and Galloway that have access to Full Fibre broadband through Openreach’s network

Robert Thorburn, Openreach partnership director for Scotland, said: “The rollout of fast, reliable broadband to hard-to-reach homes and businesses in Dumfries and Galloway is building real momentum.

“Our engineers are showing real innovation to upgrade these communities, putting them on a digital par with city centres and bringing a welcome economic boost.”