Partnering with Neos Networks last year the council – as part of the UK Government Department of Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS)-funded Local Full Fibre Network project - connected 34 buildings across Perth including three council data centres. The £2m project was also part-funded by the Tay Cities Deal.

The full fibre network, built in Perth city centre and extending out to the west of Perth, uses some of the council’s own 10km of duct laid to connect traffic lights and CCTV, together with Neos Networks duct. This network of duct and fibre, extending to over 20km, gives other network operators the opportunity to gain access to connect local businesses and residential homes to gigabit-capable broadband in a cost-effective manner.

The council and Neos Networks have reciprocal Indefeasible Rights of Use (IRU) agreements over the use of the duct and fibre for the next 20 years.

Councillor Andrew Parrott, convener of the council’s Environment, Infrastructure and Economic Development Committee, said: “We are committed to making Perth a thriving and dynamic city and having world-class digital connectivity is a key part of this. We are very happy to be working with Neos Networks to open up our respective duct and fibre network infrastructure to the market to enable this to happen.”

Peter Hatherley, business services director with Neos Networks, added: “We are very pleased to be working with Perth & Kinross Council to extend the network we built last year in Perth to provide a gigabit-capable digital future for the community. With our network and POPs in the area, we are very excited to see the benefits that our deployed full fibre connectivity can bring to the region.”