HOMES and businesses in Wotton-under-Edge are able to get faster broadband today after work to install new equipment was completed.

The installation is part of the Fastershire collaboration between BT and Gloucestershire and Herefordshire councils to get fibre broadband installed in the two counties.

Completion of work in Wotton-under-Edge means that more than 2,400 homes in the town can now access the better service.

Engineers had to overcome a series of challenges to extend the roll-out to the town with 200 metres of underground ducting needing to be replaced.

More than 1km of fibre optic cable and seven new road-side cabinets also had to be installed around the town centre with much of the work being carried out overnight.

Matt Lloyd, BT’s project manager for Fastershire, said: “Rolling out faster fibre broadband in Gloucestershire is a huge and often complex engineering operation.

“The unusual challenges we faced when trying to complete the upgrade of Wotton-under-Edge is a good example of everyone’s commitment and determination to get the job done, while keeping disruption to local residents, shoppers, motorists and visitors to an absolute minimum.”

Councillor Mark Hawthorne, leader of Gloucestershire County Council, said: “We look forward to making fibre broadband more widely available in Wotton-under-Edge over the next few weeks.

“The Fastershire project, with our partners BT, is providing access to download speeds of over 30Mbps in Gloucestershire.”

For more information about the roll-out visit www.fastershire.com, Fastershire’s Facebook page: facebook.com/Fastershire or on twitter: @Fastershire.

To upgrade to the faster broadband residents or businesses will have to place an order with an internet service provider to have it installed.