Rural broadband hope

CONSIDERING both Exeter and Plymouth already have six competing broadband providers offering high speed connections, BT's announcement about its 21st Century Network comes late to the party and does little to help the digital divide ("Devon cities head the broadband revolution", April 23).

The Exeter and Plymouth exchanges have benefited from Next Generation broadband for over two years (TalkTalk "unbundled" Exeter in November 2006 and Plymouth the next month). So BT's investment might increase urban choice but it leaves the region's rural areas woefully lacking – especially Devon, which doesn't benefit from EU funding in the same way as Cornwall.

The added competition at these exchanges should be welcomed, but it remains the case that rural areas are regarded as unprofitable by the main telecom operators (including BT), which will have a detrimental effect on countryside economies.

In Rutland, England's smallest county, my company has shown it is financially viable to unbundle very small rural exchanges not targeted by the large companies. We have gone even further in the village of Lyddington (population 300) where the community has raised funds for us to deliver the UK's first symmetrical services from a street cabinet.

So it is very possible for rural areas with demand for next generation broadband to have it delivered by smaller operators with community support.

Dr David Lewis Managing Director, Rutland Telecom