BT announces south-west broadband project

BT has revealed that 14,000 more homes in the south-west of England will have access to faster broadband connections from next Spring.

The company has announced that several villages will benefit from its latest next-generation copper broadband rollout plans, including Marlborough, Burton-on-the-Water, Teignmouth and Warminster.

According to the firm, homes and businesses will have access to speeds of up to 20 megabits per second and the scheme will see two-thirds of south-west premises upgraded.

John Reynolds, BT's south-west regional director, said that the benefits of faster broadband cannot be overstated.

"As the rollout of faster broadband gathers pace in the south-west, internet users will increasingly be able to choose the service that suits their needs best," he added.

Ofcom recently announced that it is to force BT to lower broadband charges for internet service providers, which it claims will benefit those who live in rural areas of the UK.

The watchdog has said BT needs to reduce its rates by 12 per cent below inflation, a move which has been welcomed by price comparison site uSwitch.com.