Nearly half of businesses lack superfast broadband

Just 57% of premises in the county have access to superfast broadband, despite a pledge from the Scottish Government for 95% of homes and businesses to have superfast broadband in 2 years’ time.

The figures compare poorly to neighbouring Midlothian where 66% of homes have superfast broadband and 88% in Edinburgh. East Lothian has one of the worst figures in Scotland, better than only more remote local authorities like Orkney, Shetland and the Highlands.

The Scottish Government’s Digital Superfast Broadband Programme aims to make fibre-based broadband available to 95% of all premises by March 2018.

Superfast broadband is measured by attaining download speeds of between 20 and 30 MB p/s.

Scottish Conservative candidate, Rachael Hamilton said: “With barely half of premises in East Lothian connected to superfast broadband the Scottish Government has a big job on its hands to meet the 95% target. Unless real strides are made I struggle to see how this will be achieved. It is disappointing to learn only Scotland’s islands and remote highland communities have a poorer connection.”