BT claims thousands to benefit from broadband rollout

BT says more than 101,000 more West Midlands homes and businesses will have access to faster broadband by the Spring of next year.

Twenty-four more regional communities are among the next to be included in the
latest roll-out plans for BT’s next generation copper broadband service.

The company said the investment makes available broadband speeds of up to 20 megabits per
second (Mbps) – more than double the maximum speeds previously available to most customers.

The 24 West Midlands communities are among more than 300 UK exchanges
included in the latest phase of the programme announced yesterday.

By the Spring of next year around 80 per cent of West Midlands premises are
expected to have been enabled.

John Dovey, BT’s West Midlands regional director, said: “This is another important
step forward for the region. Faster broadband can help businesses become more
competitive and greatly improve the online services available to families and homeworkers.

“BT is the only company consistently investing in a mixture of faster broadband
technologies both in and outside the region’s major urban areas.

“As the roll-out of faster broadband gathers pace, internet users will increasingly be
able to choose the service that suits their needs best.”

The latest 24 West Midlands communities to be included in the roll-out are: Alcester,
Bidford-on-Avon, Claverdon, Hurley, Kineton and Southam in Warwickshire; Aldridge,
Smallbrook exchange in Birmingham; Gnosall, Hednesford, Kinver and Penkridge in
Staffordshire; Inkberrow and Ledbury in Hereford and Worcester; and Church Stretton,
Cuckoo Oak, Dawley, Donnington, Harlescott, Highley, Newport, Oakengates, Pontesbury
and Whitchurch in Shropshire.