A CONCERTED effort is ongoing in Lauder to get every resident and business to register their interest in upgrading broadband speed.
The campaign is being led by the community council to ensure the town gets superfast broadband as part of a south of Scotland scheme.
Community councillor Iain Lyle said: “We’ve had various meetings with Scottish Enterprise, who have said that on average just two per cent of premises have registered, but through local activities in Lauder we have got 39 per cent registered.
“The next stage is to keep the impetus going in Lauder, and 50 per cent is now a realistic and achievable target,” he added.
The scheme to bring superfast broadband to 85 per cent of the population in the south of the country is being managed by the South of Scotland Alliance, a partnership between Dumfries and Galloway Council, Scottish Borders Council and Scottish Enterprise.
The towns and villages to get improved broadband speeds, and those to receive it first, will be decided by the level of demand.
A decision based on these factors is to be made this summer, with work on upgrading fibre to the cabinet starting in the autumn.
Throughout the south of Scotland more than 2,000 individuals have registered, of which 264 are in Lauder, and over 700 businesses, 75 in Lauder.
Mr Lyle said this showed the level of demand for improved broadband in the town, but he has urged more residents to register.
He said: “The supplier will prioritise their work to where demand is located. With this in mind we need to continue to tell friends, neighbours and relations within the Lauder area about the sign-up initiative.”
Register at www.surveymonkey.com/s/SOSBroadbandRegistration