Ultrafast broadband coming to three Fife towns

The once-in-a-generation, full fibre broadband upgrades are bringing St Andrews, Cardenden and Kinghorn some of the fastest, most reliable broadband anywhere in Europe.

The upgrades will allow local people to connect multiple devices at gigabit-capable speeds and help businesses trade online and compete for decades to come.

The first 2,000 properties across the three towns are among more than 100,000 across Fife which now have access to Openreach’s full fibre network.

But while half the Kingdom’s properties can now upgrade, thousands have yet to make the move.

Fibre technology provides more reliable, resilient and future-proof connectivity, with fewer faults; more predictable, consistent speeds; and enough capacity to easily meet growing data demands.

It boosts every online experience, from seamless streaming and gaming for households to smooth video calls, banking and customer interactions for businesses, with much less buffering or slowdown at busy times.

Local people can visit openreach.co.uk/ultrafastfullfibre to register for updates and, as the build progresses, check their addresses to see when services are available from their chosen provider.

Robert Thorburn, Openreach Partnership Director for Scotland, said: “We’ve got a lot of work either under way or planned across Fife, so we want to let local people know what to expect.

“We’re looking to upgrade as many homes and businesses as possible while our teams are working locally, so residents will spot more engineers, technicians, equipment and vans.

“We work hard to build safely and limit disruption. Wherever we can, we use our existing network of ducts and poles to avoid roadworks, digging and disturbance.

“But there may be places where we have to put in new poles or underground ducts and cables if it’s the only way to include some people in the upgrade.”

He added: “Full fibre is the UK's most reliable broadband technology, so when it arrives in communities, it opens up massive digital opportunities. Research shows that connecting everyone in Scotland would bring a multi-billion pound productivity boost too.”

Openreach’s new ultrafast full fibre network now passes more than 1.4 million Scottish properties. The company plans to build to 25 million UK homes and businesses by the end of 2026, with an ambition to reach up to 30 million by the end of the decade.

You can find out more about the benefits of full fibre broadband and register for build updates on the Openreach website.