Essex Councillor calls for fibre optic broadband technology

A Parish Councillor from Essex has hit out at schemes intended to roll out fibre optic broadband in the UK.

Ted Saridja claims that areas such as Stanford Rivers - where he is based - have suffered neglect on the part of the government and service providers as they are repeatedly excluded from rollout projects.

With speeds of just 1.5Mbps in the area, it pales in comparison to cities and towns that have been granted access to superfast speeds of around 80Mbps.

Speaking to the Ongar Gazette, Mr Saridja complained that his connection is so poor, it can take days just to download a short video clip or audio file. He went on to explain how he feels it is unfair that rural areas are left so far behind those with next-generation services.

He said: "It isn't right in this day and age to have some areas of the country so far behind the rest. There are people who rely on the internet to work from home."

A project that aims to increase fibre optic coverage throughout Essex is currently being negotiated between Essex County Council and BT.