LONDON -- BT today declared that 100 per cent broadband coverage of every UK community is achievable by 2005 if industry and government pull together. This would put the UK in a position to lead the world.

BT currently makes mass market broadband available to more than 80 per cent of households - more houses than are connected to mains gas - and the company is set to upgrade exchanges serving 90 per cent during next year. That achievement already puts the UK at the leading edge of G7 economies.

Today BT announced that it was extending its demand registration scheme for ADSL broadband by setting triggers for a further 2,300 exchanges, serving two million homes and businesses. The scheme drives BT's rollout programme by matching supply to demand: BT sets trigger levels for communities to aim for and upgrades the exchange when registrations for demand hit the trigger. Today's development means 32 exchanges will be upgraded immediately.

Ben Verwaayen, BT Group chief executive, said: "BT's registration scheme has been a world-leading success in focusing new investment where there is demand. We have clear momentum and this, together with our latest understanding of technology and costs and the growing enthusiasm for regional partnerships, means we can take a new approach to broadband investment. We are now in a position to extend trigger levels into the furthest parts of the UK.

"When all these exchanges are enabled more than 991 per cent of UK homes and businesses would be connected to broadband exchanges.

British Telecommunications plc (BT)