BT announced today that faster broadband is now available to a further 11,000 homes and businesses in Dorset.


Lyme Regis, Wareham, Milton Abbas and Child Okeford are among the latest 36 communities in the South West to benefit from upgrades as part of the roll-out of BT’s next generation broadband service delivered over copper lines.


The BT investment will make available download speeds of up to 20 megabits per second (Mbps) – more than double the fastest speed previously available from BT.


Peter Speroni, Superfast Dorset programme manager for Dorset County Council, said: “This is great news from BT.

"I really welcome the news that another 11,000 homes and businesses in this county are now able to take advantage of a technology, which will play a key role in our economic growth and future development.


“More than ever, high speed communications are crucial in the fast-moving and changing world that we work and live in and I’m looking forward to the benefits this faster broadband will bring to Dorset.”


Jon Reynolds, BT’s South West regional director, said: “Faster broadband  will deliver important  benefits for people across the region, whether they are running a business, working or studying from home, doing the weekly shop online, downloading films and TV programmes or keeping in touch with friends and family around the world. 

" It can all be done better using faster broadband.


“That’s why BT is determined to bring faster speeds to as many homes and businesses as possible, and we are keen to work with the public sector to find solutions for even the most challenging locations.”


This investment in the copper network is in addition to BT’s £2.5 billion roll-out of fibre-based broadband, which will bring even faster speeds to around two-thirds of UK premises by the end of 2014.