Broadband voucher scheme to close amid hopes funding will be diverted to ‘more appropriate’ projects

IT IS disappointing that a Scottish Government broadband voucher scheme is coming to an end – but it was “never a particularly good fit for Shetland”.

That is the view of Shetland Telecom’s Marvin Smith, who was commenting after it was revealed that the voucher scheme will close to new applications on 20 November.

The Scottish Government said this comes after a “review of market conditions”.

Only 43 broadband connections have been made through the voucher scheme in Shetland to date, according to government figures.

The Scottish Broadband Voucher Scheme was introduced a number of years ago aimed at improving internet for homes and businesses that could not access affordable superfast broadband through other schemes, which included the government’s R100 programme.

The voucher scheme is worth up to £5,000 and is for technologies like new fibre connections, satellite or mobile internet.

However the government said broadband availability has “improved significantly” since the scheme was introduced.

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“There has been substantial growth in commercial broadband availability, including full fibre, fixed wireless, mobile and satellite services,” it said when confirming the end of the voucher scheme.

“Affordable superfast broadband is now available across Scotland.”

It added that the Scottish Government remains fully committed to improving connectivity across Scotland through the R100 and Project Gigabit contracts.

A contract for the Project Gigabit scheme for Orkney and Shetland has yet to be awarded, however, with delays to previous timelines.

The news of the broadband voucher scheme closing has been criticised by Highland MSP Andrew Baxter.

The Lib Dem politician said the government was now five years past the deadline for connecting homes and businesses to superfast broadband through R100 – claiming it “reeks of disinterest”.

“With this scheme closing, the government need to set out how they plan to meet their original promise so that my constituents can benefit from superfast broadband at last,” the MSP said.

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Smith, however, said the scheme was never a particularly good fit for Shetland.

He said “hopefully the budget will be diverted to a more appropriate funding mechanism”.

The government said it is currently overseeing more than £700 million of broadband investment, with a “continued focus on delivering future-proofed gigabit-capable connectivity to homes and businesses across Scotland, including those in some of the country’s most challenging locations”.

The Project Gigabit scheme, funded by the UK Government, is targeted at premises which fall outwith the R100 contract and commercial activity from Openreach.

More than 13,500 premises are thought to be eligible in Orkney and Shetland for the Gigabit scheme. Gigabit speeds are 1,000Mbps.

But Shetland News revealed in August that the award for the Orkney and Shetland contract had still not been awarded, despite going out to tender in 2024.

It is expected to be awarded later this year.