BT Announces Fiber Front-Runners

LONDON -- BT has announced the five front-runners as its nationwide “Race to Infinity” competition, for communities to demonstrate demand to fast track super-fast broadband, enters its last month.

People have been voting online in their thousands in the unique race, launched on October 1 this year, which gives people the chance of their area being one of the first to enjoy fibre optic broadband. The five areas with the largest percentage of votes by December 31, 2010 will win the chance to bring super-fast BT Infinity broadband to their area.

The top five leading the field now, are:
1. Blewbury, Oxfordshire
2. Caxton, Cambridgeshire
3. Castleton, Newport
4. Madingley, Cambridgeshire
5. Whitchurch, Hampshire

Following closely on their heels are Burley in Wharfedale in Bradford, Sutton on Sea in Lincolnshire, Market Drayton in Shropshire, Malvern in Worcestershire and Barrow in Furness in Cumbria.

More than 290,000 votes have already been cast right across the UK, from the most northerly parts of Scotland to the south of England, with households and businesses keen to take part in the BT survey.

The five winning areas will be upgraded by early 2012 at the latest. BT is also pledging to engage with any community not winning the competition where at least 75 per cent of homes and businesses have voted for super-fast broadband.

BT Group plc (NYSE: BT; London: BTA)