As one of the leaders of the parliamentary and local campaign to bring broadband coverage to the Bracknell constituency, and particularly to Finchampstead, I am pleased to announce that BT have finally publicised proposals to increase local coverage and access to Fibre Optic Broadband.

Throughout the campaign, I have worked tirelessly to improve broadband coverage in rural areas and so I was delighted to learn of this latest development during my meeting with senior BT officials about the provision of super-fast broadband in Finchampstead.

BT has informed me that work will now commence shortly on the Eversley Exchange, which serves Finchampstead, as part of BT’s £2.5bn fibre upgrade programme.

Barring any unforeseen technical problems, the Eversley Exchange will be able to accept orders by the end of June 2012.

To find out when the exchange is accepting orders, visit the following link: www.superfast-openreach.co.uk/where-and-when/.

It is expected that the majority of residents will benefit from the upgrade, but there is a possibility that some may be unable to access fibre services if the cabinet is too far from their home or if topography issues or developments costs prevent the cabinet from being upgraded.

However, these cabinets will be reviewed in case circumstances change.

In the meantime, I encourage constituents to register their interest with their service provider, who will inform them when services become available.

As 10 per cent of the world’s information technology businesses are based in the Thames Valley, it is unacceptable that Bracknell constituents – and particularly IT professionals – have suffered for so long without proper broadband provision and I am committed in ensuring that progress is made.

As Michael Noak, a local campaigner for broadband and IT management consultant, said “as a major regional hub for IT and technological companies, Finchampstead is an area that has long suffered slower internet rates than Congo.”

The internet has changed the world – we cannot allow anyone in the UK to be left behind!

However, since last week’s announcement, I am hopeful that the work undertaken by BT and the government to provide Fibre Optic Broadband will improve the situation in the Thames Valley and Finchampstead considerably and allow business and individuals in my constituency to thrive.

Nevertheless, if any of my constituents have any questions or comments regarding this situation, I would encourage them to attend my Question and Answer Session on Thursday, July 5, at 7.30pm at Finchampstead Memorial Hall in The Village, Finchampstead, Wokingham, RG40 4JU.

The session will be attended by a senior official from BT who will be able to provide additional information on this exciting development.

Ultimately, I am delighted to see that our combined voices have finally been heard and that faster broadband delivery will be delivered to the great majority of the constituency in the near future.

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