News Release

13th April 2005

FRADLEY AND HAMSTALL RIDWARE BROADBAND

There's good news for businesses and home-owners in Fradley and Hamstall Ridware who have been waiting for broadband. Michael Fabricant was told by BT's Chairman, Sir Christopher Bland in December last year "Residents in Fradley are connected to one of our smaller exchanges and it is not included in our planned enablement programme. We have approximately 565 small exchanges in a similar situation to that of the Fradley exchange". But now, following sustained pressure, Advantage West Midlands have told Michael that they will help fund the upgrading of the Fradley exchange and will enable Hamstall Ridware too.

"This is good news indeed", says Michael. "Although BT have enabled larger exchanges like Lichfield and Burntwood and recently, Abbots Bromley went on line too despite some initial technical difficulties, there was little hope for Fradley and small villages like Hamstall Ridware. Now, Advantage West Midlands will be investing around £5 million of taxpayers' money to enable less economic exchanges to broadband. At a time when rural areas are under financial pressure, access to broadband becomes even more important to sustain the economic viability of the area.

"I am told that upgrading exchanges throughout the region will begin in October. I will be pressuring Advantage West Midlands to start early in Staffordshire" adds Michael.