INTERNET users in Bishop's Waltham are helping BT to accelerate the roll-out of high-speed broadband communications across the UK.

Bishop's Waltham exchange will next month become one of the first in the country to be equipped with ADSL broadband equipment through BT Wholesale's broadband registration scheme.

Broadband services will go live at Bishop's Waltham on December 12, making it one of the first ten exchanges in the country to be equipped with ADSL through the scheme.

ADSL broadband uses existing BT phone lines. It operates at between ten and 40 times the speed of standard Internet connections, eliminating the frustrating delays while large files and graphics download.

Lizzie Beesley, BT's regional director for the south-east, said: "We are now at the stage where demand and customer interest are dictating our investment decisions. Bishop's Waltham is an early example of how well this approach is working."