For anyone not up to date on internet news, R100 is a Scottish Government plan to bring high-speed internet to 100% of homes in the country. Standing for Reaching 100%, the initiative is based on the idea that faster broadband is a modern necessity. Initialised in 2022, progress is slow but ongoing across Scotland, including, of course, our home of Edinburgh. The implications for business are immense, already setting the stage for what could become the new norm in how companies and their customers interact.
Edinburgh’s Standing
As many advantages as we enjoy living in Scotland compared to the other UK nations, fibre accessibility has always been an issue. While we’re experiencing a constant upward trend, full fibre availability in the nation reached only 71% of residents in 2025. This is compared to Wales with 78%, England with 79%, and Northern Ireland with an impressive 95%. Of course, any progress here is good progress, with better internet speeds introducing myriad opportunities for businesses.
Heading into the latter half of the 2020s, Scotland’s rapid development initiatives in R100, like GoFibre’s rollout in North East Scotland, are currently adding accessibility to well over 100,000 people a year. Satellite also plays an important part in this development, covering more than 15,000 households and growing via platforms like Starlink.
Leaning on New Potential
In the modern day, the reliance we have on digital devices is only becoming more pronounced. We practically always have digital systems with us, and whether this is a smartphone, a laptop, or both, this provides avenues for businesses to interact and explore. A savvy business in Edinburgh needs to understand that every one of their clients will be online. The question is, which method of interaction is best suited to each business, or each individual?
Figuring this out means starting from casting a wide net. Who are the most common demographics? If they’re younger, then social media platforms like Instagram could prove more effective methods of contact. Older or less tech-focused users might not be interested in this platform and instead turn more to simple SMS messaging. In either case, R100’s goal means developing a plan to cover as many online bases as are relevant, while concentrating resources on those which matter most.
Streamlining these forms of contact is also possible with newer business omnichannel marketing software. These systems provide rapid access to multiple approaches like WhatsApp, push notifications, emails, and voice messaging, each of which can be selected and customised. This type of software takes out much of the busy work, even providing suggestions based on user data and established patterns.
While moving some portion of businesses into the online sphere has always been important, the development of R100 makes this approach more crucial than ever. If the idea is to get everybody connected, then businesses should have plans to reach every potential customer. Being proactive here is an approach that every company should take seriously, whether you’re located within Edinburgh or work with Edinburghers from a distance.
