The Scottish Government and BT have expanded the reach of their rural broadband capacity upgrade scheme. The project, which was originally announced in December 2009 and aimed to improve capacity at 71 largely rural telephone exchanges, has now been expanded to cover a further 8 locations.

The move has become essential because exchanges in seven areas - Dumfries and Galloway, Lochaber, Skye and Wester Ross, Argyll and Bute, Moray, Caithness and Sutherland and the Scottish Borders - are currently operating at or approaching full capacity. The situation has caused many residents of related towns and villages to experience poor performance.



It was announced in December that 71 exchanges would be upgraded in Argyll and Bute, Ayrshire, the Scottish Borders, Dumfries and Galloway, Forth Valley, the Highlands and Islands, Lanarkshire, Lothian, Moray, Orkney, Renfrewshire, Shetland and Tayside. The first of these upgrades is expected to be complete in March this year. Credits to Thinkbroadband for spotting the link.