The Scottish Government has launched an upgraded version of its broadband coverage checker, designed to give residents more detailed information about which broadband services are available at their address.
The refreshed tool – available at broadbandchecker.service.gov.scot – now includes clearer details on broadband access and publicly funded rollout programmes. It’s intended to help people in both rural and urban areas see if they can already access fast broadband, or if their community is due to be included in an upcoming upgrade.
While the improvements are welcome, some users may find the information still limited. The checker doesn’t yet provide estimated delivery dates for planned full fibre coverage, meaning it can be difficult for households to know when gigabit speeds might actually arrive. This has been a long-standing frustration for rural communities who’ve waited years for upgrades promised under national or local schemes.
Scotland currently benefits from two major government-backed broadband programmes. The Reaching 100% (R100) project, worth £697 million, is being delivered by Openreach and aims to connect a further 113,000 hard-to-reach properties by March 2028. Alongside this, the Project Gigabit programme – through contracts awarded to GoFibre and Openreach – is targeting another 139,000 premises with a combined UK investment of around £288 million.
Both initiatives are part of a wider effort to bring gigabit-capable broadband to every part of Scotland, closing the digital divide between cities and more remote areas. As coverage expands, tools like the upgraded checker should make it easier for residents to understand how far progress has reached in their region and whether they can already order faster speeds.
If you’re unsure what’s available where you live, you can also use the Fibre Compare postcode checker to find and compare the latest broadband deals in your area – helping you make sure you’re getting the best speed and value possible.
