Fibre broadband is taking its time to get to the Scottish Borders.
An interactive map reveals that exchanges due to receive fibre broadband by the end of 2017 now have to wait until June 2018. An extra 6-month delay.
Exchanges set for improvements at the end of 2017 were Camptown, Smailholm, Gordon, Whitsome.
All of the above exchanges currently do not have fibre broadband available.
Exchanges in the Scottish Borders where no fibre broadband is available and have no date set to remedy that are: Cappercleuch, Yarrow and Steele Road.
However, as recently reported, fibre broadband can have a detrimental effect on broadband speeds. Meaning that waiting on fibre broadband does not necessarily mean waiting on superfast broadband.
Questions over the roll-out of superfast broadband have intensified as a result of a recent report that highlighted challenges over the roll-out of superfast broadband by 2021. Challenges included where the ‘long line issue’ and procurement exercises required.
Rachael Hamilton MSP said: "The Scottish Government points towards fibre broadband as a measure of progress, yet that progress has been delayed by 6-months for many, and as some already know, may not even result in faster broadband.
"Now reports have come out that rural houses and residents face serious challenges in getting superfast broadband by 2021. In short there is no certainty the SNP Government can deliver superfast broadband for the Borders.
"What is clear is that these recent reports and delays are not reassuring. It is time the SNP Government gave the Borders assurances that we will see superfast broadband and an action plan of how it tends overcome the challenges to do that."