Rural communities to go broadband

More rural communities in the East of England will soon have access to high-speed information technology.

The broadband service is expected to help businesses in eight communities in Suffolk, Norfolk, Cambs and Herts to compete with companies in larger towns.

The new exchange is a joint initiative between East of England Development Agency (EEDA) and British Telecom (BT).

An EEDA spokesman said the project would bring the region a step closer to 100% broadband availability.

'Leading the way'

The broadband exchanges will be enabled in Burnt Fen, Higham and Linstead in Suffolk; Brandon Creek and Nordelph in Norfolk; Six Mile Bottom and Knarr Cross in Cambridgeshire and Broadland in Hertfordshire.

EEDA board member John Snyder said: "As a result of this project these rural communities will no longer be dragging behind the rest of the region, but leading the way."

BT's regional director Peter McCarthy-Ward said: "BT has already brought broadband to about 97% of people who live and work in the east as part of its £1.5bn UK-wide investment programme."

The new service is expected to be available from the end of October.