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<p>The government has made good progress in the constituency of Linlithgow and East
Falkirk, with over £50 million of central government funding allocated to the Rest
of Scotland project area. As a result, superfast coverage in the constituency now
stands at 97.3% - up from 46.5% in March 2012 and compares favourably to the UK average
of 96.5%. Full fibre coverage stands at 11.8%, above the Scottish average figure of
8.8%. In total, the government has invested over £100 million in improving Scotland’s
broadband infrastructure.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>There are three government
funded Local Full Fibre Networks (LFFN) projects taking place in Scotland - Tay Cities,
Shetlands Council and Highlands Council. Almost £12 million of central government
funding is being invested to upgrade public sector assets with gigabit-capable infrastructure.
These upgrades will then stimulate the market to invest commercially in the surrounding
communities.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>The Scottish Borderlands area is also
a priority for the government’s £200 million Rural Gigabit Connectivity programme,
which is upgrading public sector sites in rural areas with gigabit-capable networks.
This programme also offers vouchers for rural customers, which can be used to contribute
towards the cost of installing gigabit-capable infrastructure.</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>In
addition, the government has pledged £5 billion to deliver gigabit-capable broadband
to the most difficult to reach areas of the UK, including communities in Scotland.</p>
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