Super-fast broadband for Edinburgh and Glasgow

10:21 24th March 2009

BT has announced it will be providing a super-fast broadband service of up to 40 megabits per second (Mbps) in Edinburgh and Glasgow by next year.

Around 34,000 web users around Stockbridge and New Town in Edinburgh and in areas around Glasgow University will have access to heightened connection speeds when fibre cabling is deployed in both regions.

Having access to the faster speeds will allow people to pursue resources such as online computer training courses or home learning.

Steve Robertson, of BT Openreach, said: "Once again, Scotland is at the forefront of one of the most important projects to take place in recent years. It will play a vital role in the UK's future as a knowledge-based economy."

The average connection speed in the UK currently stands at around 2Mbps, although internet service providers are under pressure to invest in super-fast broadband on a nationwide scale.

Virgin Media recently launched a 50Mbps service, but the cost of nationwide next-generation networking is estimated at nearly £30 billion.