Open Market Review: Superfast and Gigabit broadband infrastructure in Scotland - request for information
The Scottish Government is developing a procurement approach for funding contracts to suppliers delivering gigabit-capable wholesale infrastructure in Scotland. This Open Market Review will be used to produce a draft intervention area that may be targeted for public intervention.
In March 2021, the UK government announced an ambition to deliver nationwide gigabit-capable broadband as soon as possible, recognising that there is a need for government intervention in the parts of the country that are not commercially viable. They have committed a total of £5bn to ensure that all areas of the UK can benefit. This will be spent through a package of coordinated and mutually supportive interventions, collectively known as Project Gigabit, with an initial intervention of £1.2bn targeting at least 85% gigabit coverage of the UK by 2025 and nationwide gigabit-capable broadband by 2030.
As part of Project Gigabit, the Scottish Government is working with UK government to develop a procurement approach for funding contracts to suppliers delivering gigabit-capable wholesale infrastructure in Scotland. This procurement approach will be a successor to the Digital Scotland Superfast Broadband programme and work in parallel with the current R100 programme.
This Open Market Review will be used to produce a draft intervention area that will inform the Scottish Government of eligible premises that may be targeted for public investment in any future intervention exercise and replaces the current NGA rolling Open Market Review.