BT to roll out fibre broadband to Innerleithen

BT is set to roll out its fibre optic broadband service in the small Scottish Borders town of Innerleithen, one of the winners of the telecoms giant's Race to Infinity competition.

The community was one of ten to succeed in the UK-wide contest, which aimed to identify the locations with the highest levels of demand for super-fast broadband.

More than 360,000 votes were cast during the competition, which ran until the end of December 2010.

According to BBC News, the first residents and businesses in Innerleithen are now able to sign up for fibre broadband from BT, which will allow customers to download a full feature-length high-definition movie in around ten minutes.

James McClafferty of BT said the town "thoroughly deserved" to benefit from faster broadband after locals showed how keen they were to receive next-generation access.

"It has the power to transform every aspect of people's lives - from education to entertainment - and helps make flexible working much more viable," he added.