BT announces super-fast broadband next phase

The next phase of BT's national broadband roll-out programme will provide high-speed internet connectivity to 41 market towns, the telecoms company has announced.

BT revealed two of the locations will be Oswestry in Shropshire and Stourport in Worcestershire, where more than 11,000 and 9,000 homes and businesses will be affected respectively.

Those customers will have access to 40Mbs online speeds by spring 2012 as part of its ongoing £2.5 billion plan to deliver fibre-broadband to two-thirds of households and enterprises in the country, the company explained.

John Dovey, BT's regional director for the West Midlands, said the plans showed the communications firm's commitment to extending high-speed connectivity to a variety of places the region.

"Fibre broadband has the power to revolutionise the way we use the internet. It has huge implications for the way we live, learn and do business, with massive opportunities for entertainment, education and entrepreneurs," he added.

The announcement comes after nearly a third of broadband customers in the UK told an ISPreview.co.uk poll they are unhappy with their current connection speed.