£50m boost for Highland Broadband’s fibre roll-out – Daily Business

Rural businesses will be among the beneficiaries of a £50 million investment in Highland Broadband’s ultra-fast broadband network.

Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes unveiled the new capital secured by the Edinburgh and Inverness based company which has already connected around half of all the rural premises throughout the Highlands to full fibre infrastructure.

The new funding includes £40m from Alpha Real Capital with the other £10m from Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB).

The new funding ensures that Highland Broadband remains on track to extend its reach to more than 150 towns and villages.

Ms Forbes said: “This is a significant success story for Scotland. The roll-out of Highland Broadband’s network has made a real difference to people and businesses in rural areas, supporting jobs and boosting economic growth.”

Gavin Rodgers, CEO of Highland Broadband, added: “Raising this capital ahead of a series of important projects means we can focus on operational delivery rather than sourcing further finance.”

Brad Bauman, Head of Alternative Credit at Alpha Real, said: “The highly differentiated business model, quality of the platform and the experienced management team attracted us to provide this funding for digital infrastructure in rural Scottish communities.”

SNIB executive Andy Clapp said: “Highland Broadband has moved from strength to strength, while delivering tangible benefits to rural communities in Scotland.”