WORK is starting in Galashiels to give residents and businesses access to “some of the fastest, most reliable broadband anywhere in the UK”.
The “once-in-a-generation full fibre upgrade” will allow thousands of people to connect to gigabit-capable speeds, according to Openreach.
Work on the new ultrafast broadband network will start this week, according to an Openreach spokesperson, with the upgrade expected to reach the majority of homes and businesses in the next 12-18 months.
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Steve Morrison, chief engineer for the Borders, said: “We’re all set to bring ultrafast broadband to Gala and we want to let local people know what to expect.
“This is a major infrastructure upgrade, so there will be more engineering teams around town, but we're working closely with Scottish Borders Council to keep disruption to a minimum.
“Wherever possible, we’ll use our existing network of ducts and poles to avoid roadworks and disturbance. But there may be places where we need to install new ducts, fibre cables and poles because it’s the only way to make sure local households can be included in the upgrade.
“We’ll be using the latest technology, like tiny underground cameras that inspect ducts for blockages, to avoid digging up the streets where possible.”
Full fibre broadband provides more reliable connectivity, with fewer faults and more consistent speeds.
Openreach is building a new full fibre network across Scotland, with Galashiels one of 300 towns, villages and cities to be upgraded.
Thousands of residents in Peebles already have access, according to the spokesperson.
Meanwhile, investment is planned in 16 other Borders locations such as Hawick, Melrose, Selkirk, Coldstream and Duns, the spokesperson added.
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Mr Morrison said: “We know that connecting everyone in Scotland to our fast and reliable service would result in a multi-billion pound economic boost.
“Galashiels is part of our balanced build approach, which includes more than 200 rural Scottish towns and villages.
“We want to make sure that progress is evenly spread and that people in all parts of Scotland can work from home efficiently and build opportunities in their community.”
Borderers can register on the Openreach website for updates and check their addresses to see when services are available from their chosen provider.
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