BT has forgotten us, claims angry Shropshire villager
A resident in rural north Shropshire has claimed they have been "forgotten" after battling to get superfast broadband for months.
Marcus Watkin, from Fauls Green, near Whitchurch, has written to North Shropshire MP Owen Paterson after becoming increasingly frustrated about the broadband coverage in the area.
Mr Watkins said: "In Fauls where we live it seems to be the 'time that BT forgot' because we have atrocious connection speed which is non-fibre. I have been told there is no chance we will get fibre broadband because we are too far from the Prees exchange.
"Most of the areas around here, including Hodnet, Higher Heath and Wollerton have fibre broadband.
"I have been fobbed off by BT for many years about this and they have told me we 'may get an upgrade (not fibre) at the end of 2018'.
"This isn't really acceptable in this age, and I have written to Owen Paterson to ask for support."
Mr Paterson replied: "I am sorry to hear of the difficulties you are experiencing in Fauls Green.
"I have forwarded a copy of your letter to the chief executive of BT asking for his comments and shall write again when I have received a response."
Mr Paterson, who has campaigned for several months on behalf of constituents with poor mobile and broadband connections, recently welcomed the news that the Government plans to legislate on the digital economy, which will include measures to ensure people have access to faster broadband.
A law enshrining the right to broadband will mean that up to a million people in rural areas, who have long suffered terrible coverage, can demand a better service. It aims to bring internet connectivity in line with the right to get electricity, telephone and postal services.
A spokesman for BT said: "BT is committed to making superfast fibre broadband as widely available across the Shropshire Council area, as quickly as possible.
"Inevitably, there are some locations where fibre broadband has not yet reached, but the multi-million pound Connecting Shropshire programme, a partnership between Shropshire Council and BT, continues to extend that reach even further.
"Already, more than 52,000 homes and businesses have benefited from this work with many more to follow, right through to 2018.
"Further fibre coverage is planned in the Prees and Fauls Green area during the later stages of the programme ending Spring 2018."
