More than 800,000 premises across Scotland can now receive fibre broadband through the programme, with the technology going live in places like Lairg, Melvich, Birsay, Gairloch and Ollaberry for the first time. The new high-speed network has also been extended to more homes and businesses in many other communities.

Each week the programme, one of the largest broadband infrastructure projects in Europe, reaches more remote and rural areas, passing another 34,000 households and businesses across Scotland in the last six months.

Delivered through two projects – led by Highlands and Islands Enterprise in its area and the Scottish Government in the rest of Scotland – funding partners include the UK government through Broadband Delivery UK (BDUK), BT Group, local authorities and the EU via the European Regional Development Fund.

Across the Highlands and Islands more than 860 new fibre street cabinets are now live and hundreds of miles of cable have been laid by engineers from Openreach, Scotland’s digital network business.

Cabinet secretary for the rural economy and connectivity, Fergus Ewing, said: “To know that more of Scotland than ever now has fibre broadband available thanks to both the programme and commercial coverage is fantastic news. We are on target to reach 95% fibre coverage by the end of the year, with the programme progressing further and still extending coverage in places like Invergordon and Boat of Garten.

“I am aware that there are areas where there is still no superfast broadband. Work has started to get us there with publication of a public consultation on how best to “reach 100%”. This consultation outlines the number of premises - over 280,000 - which currently cannot access superfast speeds. While many of them already have access to some level of connectivity, often it is at slower speeds, so these premises will be the focus of our ambitious target to reach 100% superfast coverage.”

Stuart Robertson from Highlands and Islands Enterprise added: “Fibre access in our region has increased from only 4% of premises when the project started to around 86% today.

“We’ve reached more homes and businesses than initially planned within the contract, and roll out is continuing partly as a result of strong take-up. There’s further to go, but every place we reach brings the benefits of better connectivity to our Highlands and Islands communities.”