13-08-03

4 down and 1 to go with Maybury broadband success says Barrett

John Barrett, Scottish Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West, today welcomed the news that the Maybury area of his constituency has now reached its trigger level for terrestrial broadband.

Broadband is a high speed internet connection that allows households and businesses to access services on the internet up to 10 times quicker. British Telecom had set a trigger level of 300 interested parties before they would consider making terrestrial broadband available through their local exchange.

Following campaigns by local people and organisations, this trigger level was met this week. British Telecom has now pledged to upgrade the local telephone exchange which will give people living in the East Craigs, North Gyle and Drum Brae areas access to broadband facilities.

The news comes after a announcement two weeks ago that the Kirkliston / Ratho exchange would be upgraded following a similar campaign. It leaves Corstorphine as the only area of Mr Barrett’s West Edinburgh constituency without access to terrestrial broadband. Queensferry and Davidson’s Mains exchanges have already been or will soon be upgraded.

In a statement, John Barrett MP said:

“This is excellent news, coming so soon after the success of the campaign to bring broadband to Kirkliston and Ratho. I know it will be particularly appreciated by the local businesses in East Craigs and Drum Brae which can now benefit from quicker communications with their customers, suppliers and better access to their websites.

“This leaves Corstorphine as the only telephone exchange which is not broadband enabled. I will be working hard with local people and organisations in the weeks to come to bring the interest up to the 300 trigger level so that my entire constituency can get access to the benefits of broadband.”

ENDS