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| Bid to improve rural broadband speeds | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Almost £18m is to be invested in broadband services in Scotland to improve speeds in rural areas. | Almost £18m is to be invested in broadband services in Scotland to improve speeds in rural areas. |
| The money is part of a £440m UK package aimed at delivering access to superfast broadband. | |
| The cash comes from "efficiency savings" and money returned by BT as part of the UK government's broadband rollout scheme. | |
| Ministers said it was "imperative" Scotland had the technology it needed for the future. | Ministers said it was "imperative" Scotland had the technology it needed for the future. |
| Under a 2010 deal, the UK government paid BT to roll out superfast broadband in hard-to-reach areas where providers had said it was not cost-effective to install broadband infrastructure. | Under a 2010 deal, the UK government paid BT to roll out superfast broadband in hard-to-reach areas where providers had said it was not cost-effective to install broadband infrastructure. |
| Multiple devices | Multiple devices |
| As part of the agreement, if more than 20% of premises in those areas bought superfast broadband, BT had to repay some of the subsidy. | As part of the agreement, if more than 20% of premises in those areas bought superfast broadband, BT had to repay some of the subsidy. |
| Across Scotland the take-up rate has been 26.30%, leading to a payment of £17,843,000, the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport said. | Across Scotland the take-up rate has been 26.30%, leading to a payment of £17,843,000, the UK Department for Culture, Media and Sport said. |
| The funding will be spent through the Broadband Delivery UK scheme. | The funding will be spent through the Broadband Delivery UK scheme. |
| Ministers set up the programme so that by the end of 2017, 95% of UK premises would be able to buy superfast broadband - defined as 24Mbps. Such speeds enable families to stream TV on multiple devices at the same time. | Ministers set up the programme so that by the end of 2017, 95% of UK premises would be able to buy superfast broadband - defined as 24Mbps. Such speeds enable families to stream TV on multiple devices at the same time. |
| UK government minister for Scotland, Andrew Dunlop, said the extra investment would connect even more Scottish homes and businesses. | UK government minister for Scotland, Andrew Dunlop, said the extra investment would connect even more Scottish homes and businesses. |
| Clawback payments | Clawback payments |
| He said: "Good connectivity is essential for the way we live our lives - whether that is doing business, teaching our children, or paying our bills. | He said: "Good connectivity is essential for the way we live our lives - whether that is doing business, teaching our children, or paying our bills. |
| "The UK government is committed to delivering faster, better broadband for Scotland, and this extra £18m of investment will connect even more Scottish homes and businesses. | "The UK government is committed to delivering faster, better broadband for Scotland, and this extra £18m of investment will connect even more Scottish homes and businesses. |
| "It is imperative Scotland gets the technology it needs for the future, which is why the UK government has already spent £120m rolling out reliable broadband across Scotland, supporting families and helping businesses thrive." | "It is imperative Scotland gets the technology it needs for the future, which is why the UK government has already spent £120m rolling out reliable broadband across Scotland, supporting families and helping businesses thrive." |
| BT has faced criticism for the speed of the rollout and the quality of the broadband coverage. | BT has faced criticism for the speed of the rollout and the quality of the broadband coverage. |
| However, the UK government and BT said it was a "win-win" in that more households were taking it up, triggering clawback payments that would help other premises access faster broadband speeds. | However, the UK government and BT said it was a "win-win" in that more households were taking it up, triggering clawback payments that would help other premises access faster broadband speeds. |
| "We're delighted that the success and efficiency of our delivery will mean hundreds of thousands more homes and business could get faster broadband than originally expected," a BT spokesman said. | "We're delighted that the success and efficiency of our delivery will mean hundreds of thousands more homes and business could get faster broadband than originally expected," a BT spokesman said. |
| The government has not set a timeline for when customers will benefit. | The government has not set a timeline for when customers will benefit. |