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First locations to receive ultrafast connectivity by end of 2017.
Virgin Media UK on Monday committed to connecting approximately 240,000 Scottish premises to fibre-to-the-home (FTTH).
The Liberty Global-owned cableco has already pledged to extend its broadband network to an extra 360,000 premises in Scotland under its £3 billion Project Lightning in-fill programme. At least two-thirds of that total will now receive an FTTH connection, the company said on Monday.
"Scotland will benefit first from our plans to accelerate the rollout of fibre broadband. This private investment will give people in Scotland the broadband boost they deserve and help to drive economic growth. We urge local councils and landlords to work with us to ensure this expansion happens as quickly as possible," said Virgin Media CEO Tom Mockridge, in a statement.
More than a third of the additional premises are due to be connected by the end of 2017, Virgin Media said.
55,000 premises in Ayrshire plus 70,000 premises in Fife will be the first to benefit, the company said.
In addition, 10 rural villages will also be connected. They were selected under Virgin Media’s ‘Supercharging Local Communities’ competition, which encourages local residents and businesses to vote for their community to receive high-speed connectivity as part of Project Lightning.
"We want Scotland to become a world class digital nation. A key part of this is future-proofed digital infrastructure that will boost connectivity. That is why we are committed to providing superfast broadband for 100% of premises in Scotland by 2021," said Fergus Ewing, cabinet secretary for the rural economy and connectivity.
"Commercial investment has a role and responsibility to play in delivering that commitment. I welcome Virgin Media’s announcement that two-thirds of their build in Scotland will be fibre-to-the-premise (FTTP), providing genuinely world class infrastructure capable of delivering ultrafast connectivity," he said.
