(Telecompaper) The Scottish Government has announced a GBP 264 million investment to roll out fibre broadband to hundreds of thousands of households and businesses across Scotland. The project will be delivered by BT, which is investing GBP 106.7 million in the partnership. Together with a GBP 146 million partnership announced earlier in 2013 to bring faster broadband to the Highlands and Islands and commercial investment plans by the private sector, the new project will ensure that 85 percent of Scottish properties have access to fibre broadband by end-2015 and around 95 percent by end-2017. Initial priority will be given to rural small and medium sized businesses (SMBs) to encourage economic growth in hard to reach areas.