BT announces super-fast broadband winners

BT has announced the six winning communities in its Race to Infinity competition, paving the way for the areas to be some of the first in the country to receive its super-fast broadband services.

Baschurch in Shropshire, Blewbury in Oxfordshire, Caxton in Cambridgeshire, Innerleithen in the Scottish Borders, Madingley in Cambridgeshire and Whitchurch in Hampshire will all receive 40 Mbps internet connectivity by early 2012.

More than 360,000 votes were cast online in the contest before the December 31st deadline, which originally set out to find the five most popular areas.

Due to the high number of votes for six locations, however, the communications company decided to extend this total by one.

John Buckley, campaigner for Whitchurch, said: "Our success in the Race to Infinity is great news for Whitchurch. It will make the town a better place for home working and as a business location."

Last month, BT announced it had rolled out high-speed services in Connah's Quay, north Wales, as part of its plan to deliver this level of connectivity to two-thirds of the country by 2015.