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With speeds of 2.8Mbit/s, the residents of Halkirk, Scotland, struggled with unreliable connectivity and limited access to the digital world
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Highland Broadband harnessed Adtran’s open, intelligent XGS-PON fiber platform, delivering Gigabit speeds to homes and businesses
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Deployment provides ultra-fast, AI-optimized Wi-Fi 7, showcasing the commercial potential for fiber expansion in isolated, rural areas
HALKIRK, Scotland, April 09, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Adtran today announced that Highland Broadband has transformed internet connectivity in Halkirk, Scotland, a village previously identified as the UK’s slowest broadband location in a 2023 study by Broadband Genie. Built on Adtran's open, intelligent XGS-PON fiber access technology, the new network delivers Gigabit speeds to homes and businesses, removing the digital barriers that once held the community back. Until now, residents faced slow, unreliable connections that limited education, remote work and economic opportunities. By bridging this gap, Highland Broadband is proving that rural fiber expansion is both achievable and commercially viable, using a scalable, future-proof network to bring lasting digital inclusion to underserved communities.
"At Highland Broadband, we’re committed to delivering world-class connectivity to Scotland’s furthest away communities," said Colin Woodward, managing director of Highland Broadband. "Halkirk’s transformation proves that no town is too small or too far away to benefit from full-fiber broadband. Leveraging Adtran's technology and the support of its team, we’ve built a network that provides Gigabit speeds and ensures long-term, high-quality internet access. This deployment expands opportunities for residents and businesses, enabling education, commerce and digital services that were previously out of reach. It demonstrates that high-speed fiber can succeed even in the most challenging locations, setting a blueprint for future rural broadband expansion."
Highland Broadband’s network is powered by Adtran’s XGS-PON fiber access platform, delivering speeds up to 10Gbit/s to meet growing demand. The deployment features Adtran’s 631 ONTs for ultra-reliable connectivity with future-ready scalability, along with 8733 Wi-Fi 7 residential gateways that provide seamless whole-home coverage. With AI-driven insights from Mosaic One, Highland Broadband can remotely monitor and optimize network performance, reducing costly truck rolls. Automated provisioning and bandwidth management ensure efficient scaling while maintaining reliability. These capabilities make rural fiber broadband both achievable and cost-effective, enabling Highland Broadband to efficiently expand connectivity across Scotland’s most remote communities.