‘Neighbours get fast internet – but not us’

PART of a dale village is due to get superfast broadband in the coming weeks, sparking anger among those who will be missing out.

People in Startforth were promised they would get fibre broadband this month, but BT was forced to abandon the project because the cost of moving a cabinet proved to be too expensive. Now people in lower Startforth have expressed shock that their neighbours in High Startforth, which is further away from the exchange, will be getting a fibre connection.

One resident who runs and internet-based company and who will miss out of the connection, said: “High Startforth, which is behind me and much further from the exchange, is getting fibre in the next week or two, while ours is still cancelled.”

However, a BT spokesperson said High Startforth is covered by a different cabinet.

She said: “There are two cabinets covering Startforth. The Startforth location which is about to be upgraded is part of the second phase of the Digital Durham roll-out and is served by cabinet 4.”

She added that the decision not to push ahead with

the upgrade of the other cabinet was not taken lightly

and the position had not changed.

She added: “Discussions are ongoing with partners to consider whether there are other ways of providing improved broadband speeds for

residents served by this cabinet.”

Meanwhile, hundreds of homes are being built in the lower Startforth area next to the prison.