Borgue residents have hit out at the news that they’ll have to wait another year to receive superfast broadband.
The area had been due to see its system upgraded by the end of the year as part of the Scottish Government’s multi-million Reaching 100 per cent (R100) programme.
But the target date has now been pushed back by another 12 months – and it’s not the first time that has happened.
Raymond Midgley, from Nun Mill, said: “We’ve been told we’ll have it in 2021, then 2022. Now the website says it’ll be towards the end of 2023.
“We have been suffering for seven or eight years.”
The system in Borgue itself was upgraded two years ago, with properties receiving speeds of up to 50 megabits.
However, houses further from the village struggle with slow speeds with Mr Midgley’s barely above four megabits.
John Shields, who lives at Kirkandrews, installed a 4G hub that uses a phone signal, offering faster speeds – but at twice the normal price.
He said: “It’s not just the internet – the mobile phone signal and radio signal around here are pretty poor as well.
“A lot of people rely on the internet to communicate with the outside world.”
The website for the Digital Scotland superfast broadband roll out indicated Borgue would be upgraded by the end of 2022.
However, that has now changed to “in the second half of 2023”.
And Mr Shields said because the community is scheduled to receive a rollout, they are not eligible for vouchers that would provide financial support to obtain faster internet by another method, leaving them “stuffed”.
Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson has written to Openreach to express his concerns.
He said: “It would appear there is an unreasonable delay to the original timelines and, frankly, this is not acceptable as it is only right that my constituents have access to a reliable and efficient broadband facility.
“Ultimately, it is the Scottish Government who are responsible and it has failed miserably to roll out the R100 scheme anywhere close to the timelines that they
promised.
“I have already raised the broadband delays at Holyrood and will continue to press those responsible to ensure residents and businesses in Galloway and West Dumfries enjoy superfast broadband sooner rather than
later.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “To accommodate an additional 1,149 premises in the south of Scotland, the Scottish Government has re-modelled its plans with Openreach.
“The re-modelled contracts will provide access to a future-proofed and resilient connection for decades to come.”
