Broadband

Update – April 2025

During the 1st 3 months of 2025, OpenReach made fibre connections available to a good number of properties in the Rafford area.  Householders were then invited to contact a service provider to get up and running.  This work is ongoing.

The installation of ducting is in progress in the Edinkillie area.

In the meantime, the alternative local provider External Reality, has put further expansion of its fibre network on hold for the moment.

Previously – September 2024

OpenReach R100

We have all seen Openreach works, installing ducting and cables throughout Finderne.  The outstanding question for many is “When will we be connected?”

In August, in response to a query on R100 completion dates, in August FCC received an email from Duncan Nisbet, (Digital Infrastructure Stakeholder Lead, Scottish Government), saying that ” . .  the completion dates (in the digital Scotland Address Checker) for both phases in Finderne would be updated by end August.“

Nesbit also said “We expect the majority of properties in each phase to have service available by March of next year, however for the reasons described in the video linked below, the website will report these as due for completion by the end of June. This allows for any challenges encountered during the build and commissioning phases. As you are aware, build has already started and we expect we will see the first properties in these phases having service available by the end of next month, with build continuing across the phases into Spring 2025”

for full text of email -> R100 email from D Nesbit – August 2024

External Reality

External Reality, a local company, have provided a fibre broadband connection to a number of properties between Altyre and Lower Rafford, and had plans to also offer connections in Upper Rafford.  However in a recent meeting with FDT, the External Reality representative had said that, in Upper Rafford, they would only be connecting with one property in the north end of the village at the moment.  The poor state of the ducts in the middle of the village makes it uneconomic for them to go further.  However, this will be reviewed if the situation with the ducts changes.

Previously . . . . . . . 

A major concern that has been expressed over recent years is the speed of Broadband available in the Finderne Area.

There is a wide range of knowledge within the community about this subject, so we have developed a guide, to try to help people understand the following:

    • how Broadband speed is measured,
    • what they need,
    • what is available, and
    • how to get it.

Click here to open the FCC Broadband Guide

To summarise: the options for improving broadband speeds are dependent on your location, and what the demand is at a property.

To check if the Scottish Governments R100 scheme will bring a fibre connection to a property, or if a voucher is available, then check here https://www.scotlandsuperfast.com/

In order to make the information we have available to the community, the FCC held an open meeting in Rafford Village Hall on 25th October 2023.

For notes on the meeting click here –> Broadband Update meeting – October 2023

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