Broadband infrastructure in Scotland: public review

3. Outcome of the Open Market Review (OMR) – Scotland

This Public Review is being launched using supplier data collected through the Scottish Government’s Rolling Open Market Review (OMR), updated in February 2022 to include Gigabit infrastructure coverage^[6]. The most recent rolling OMR data is from October 2022.

The OMR indicated that commercial coverage for gigabit-capable broadband would reach approximately 1,642,928 premises (classified Black or Grey) and would therefore leave the remaining 1,281,434 (classified under review or White) premises without access to gigabit-capable broadband. These figures cover all of Scotland with the exception of the IHCRD procurement area referred to above and in terms of gigabit capability.

Note that following changes to the UK Government Subsidy Control advice since our February 2022 OMR, our treatment of data will be amended in line with that advice for gigabit assessment under this PR.

The outcome of the OMR is shown within the map (Annex D) and associated postcode list published alongside this document and shows the Subsidy classifications determined for each postcode within Scotland (apart from the IHCRD procurement area). Supplier data submitted during the OMR has been incorporated into the OMR outputs using a methodology that protects commercially sensitive supplier data.

For presentational purposes only, postcodes have been used when mapping the proposed eligible areas for this Public Review (note we will only subsidise build to premises which have been designated as White - postcodes are not used to determine intervention areas for subsidy).

For the purpose of mapping only, postcodes have been classified as follows:

1. A postcode is White if any ‘White’ premises are present; else

2. A postcode is Under Review if any ‘Under Review’ premises are present; else

3. A postcode is Black if all premises in the postcode are classified ‘Black’; else

4. A postcode is Grey if all premises are ‘Grey’ or there is a mixture of ‘Grey’ and ‘Black’ premises

The outcome of the OMR is summarised in terms of ‘White’, ‘Grey’, ‘Black’ and ‘Under Review’ postcodes and premises in the table below.

Reminder: Figures above are for the whole of Scotland, apart from the IHCRD procurement area.

It is possible to provide Suppliers (upon request and subject to the relevant data sharing agreements being in place) a UPRN list, showing the Premises which have been designated as ‘White’ & ‘Under Review’ following the OMR. Please contact gigabitomr@gov.scot to request this information.