BT confirms 21 new fibre optic broadband exchanges

BT has confirmed the latest UK exchange areas that can now benefit from its rollout of fibre optic broadband.

Shortly after announcing that its super-fast broadband service is now available to ten million homes and businesses across the country, the telecoms giant revealed that another 21 exchanges are now reached by the technology.

Of these, 20 are located in England, with Canvey Island, Dover, Nantwich, Norwich West, Thame and Welwyn Garden among the communities to benefit. The remaining exchange to feature in the upgrade programme is Bathgate in Scotland.

The company is investing £2.5 billion as it attempts to deliver fibre optic broadband to two-thirds of UK properties by the end of 2014 and has supported this effort by recruiting hundreds of new engineers over the past year.

Ian Livingston, chief executive of BT, commented: "The UK is making great progress with fibre broadband.

"There are more than half a million customers already using the service and more than 60 internet service providers trialling or offering services."