THE BroadbandMedstead campaign is looking at the new year with optimism, thanks to its surprisingly strong registration figures and a beneficial change in policy by BT.

Though many in the outer villages believe broadband to be an unachievable goal, the BroadbandMedstead campaigners announced this week that registrations have reached 228, which represents 65 per cent of the trigger level, set at 350.

And as an added new yearÕs bonus, BT has announced that it has scrapped the Ôpre-order phaseÕ of its registration programme, which could effectively cut the process by up to six weeks.

ADSL broadband is a high-speed digital internet connection capable of carrying data over existing telephone lines at up to 500 kilobits per second, 10 times the speed of a conventional telephone connection. This allows for much faster downloading, smoother video and audio streaming and quicker MP3 loading.

Other benefits of ADSL are that it is always switched on, eliminating the wait to connect to the web, and that it does not affect the service of the phone line, allowing calls to be made and received while online.

The BroadbandMedstead campaign represents an effort by internet users in the villages of Medstead and Four Marks to promote the benefits of broadband internet services, in the hope that enough local people will sign up for the services to persuade BT to enable the local telephone exchange with the appropriate ADSL technology.

Not only does the campaign promote the services, it also co-ordinates other local efforts, gives information and advice to those seeking the best way forward, and provides constant updates to all its members.

The BroadbandMedstead campaign was inspired by the success of the BroadbandAlton campaign, which used the same methods to finally achieve their goal in November 2002. AltonÕs Broadband connections will go live on February 28.

Though AltonÕs campaign was very successful, the BroadbandMedstead campaign is different in that its exchange serves considerably less premises than the Alton exchange, even though its trigger level is the same. It is for this reason that many believed the Medstead campaign to be doomed from the start.

Richard Care from the BroadbandMedstead campaign, gave The Herald an update on how things were going in the BroadbandMedstead camp. He said: ÒWe are two thirds of the way there, and we only need just over another 100 registrations to reach our trigger level.

ÒOur final push will take a number of forms. We have designed a poster that will be going up at numerous locations in the area early in the new year, and we will be handing out flyers that incorporate the URL of our website.

ÒOur current position would be much better if it werenÕt for the pessimism of some local people. People think that Medstead and Four Marks will never get broadband, and they are all very surprised when we tell them that we are two thirds of the way there already.

ÒThis seems to make peopleÕs ears prick up, when they realise that our goal is not impossible, and hopefully our success so far should turn itself into a few more registrations.

ÒWord of mouth has really helped our cause in Medstead and Four Marks, and can evidently continue to do so. I would urge anyone with an interest in broadband to keep the dialogue going and spread the word as far as possible.

ÒThe prices are getting more reasonable and the hardware is getting cheaper: You can now get broadband services for around £20 a month before VAT is added, and this can only help.

ÒA key selling point that I think hasnÕt been pressed enough is the fact that you can use the phone at the same time and there is no need to install a second phone line. BT has merely been promoting the speed aspect.

ÒMany people I have spoken to say that being able to use the phone when the kids are on the internet is their main reason for getting broadband.Ó

The BroadbandMedstead campaigners were pleased to hear that BTÕs much-maligned registration programme has been simplified to make the process quicker and easier.

BT press spokesman Jason Mann explained: ÒWe have streamlined the registration scheme so that it now works in two stages rather than three.

ÒUnder the old system, prospective customers had to register their interest in broadband services with their ISP, and once the trigger level had been reached, the ISPs had six weeks to get these pre-registrations conformed to make pre-orders. It was only when the appropriate amount of pre-orders had been received that the installation process would begin.

ÒWe have now done away with the pre-order phase, meaning that pre-registrations need not be confirmed manually before the installation process begins.

ÒThe pre-order phase existed to protect us against people placing fake orders in an effort to reach the trigger level faster. We have now improved our integrity measures and placed safeguards in the system, so that we can do without the pre-order phase. We are confident that our new procedures are robust and that they will work.

ÒThe new system means that in theory, the process will be sped up by anything up to six weeks.

ÒThe reason we have taken this step is that it will benefit both the ISPs and the customers who want broadband services. This is good news for everybody.

ÒConcerning our role in the Medstead campaign itself, we welcome any campaign that actively promotes broadband services, and there are steps we can take to help out. We have literature that we can distribute to local campaigners, and this has happened at some other places throughout the country.Ó

Mr Care commented: ÒBroadbandAlton had one or two problems in the final stages of their campaign because they had to struggle with the pre-order phase that came after the pre-registration phase. Now that BT has scrapped the pre-order phase, our task will be that much easier.

ÒMy message to local people would be that although we donÕt have broadband now, it is achievable. It really does only require another handful of registrations. By my reckoning, we are looking at the middle of next year to have our broadband services online, thatÕs how confident I am.Ó

The BroadbandMedstead website can be found at http://www.broadbandmedstead.co.uk">www.broadbandmedstead.co.uk.