INTERNET users have been urged to join a campaign to bring ADSL Broadband services into local villages.

At present only a handful of the villages which surround Bordon are able to receive Broadband - a high-speed digital internet line that is capable of carrying data at ten times the speed of a conventional modem.

Broadband services allow for faster downloading, smoother video and audio streaming and quicker MP3 loading.

Another major benefit of Broadband is that it is always switched on, eliminating the wait to connect to the web, and does not affect the service of the phone line, allowing users to make and receive calls while online.

However, to receive Broadband services premises have to be located within approximately five kilometres of the nearest telephone exchange, which must be fitted with the appropriate ADSL (Asymmetric Digital Subscriber Line) technology.

And BT is not equipping all of its exchanges with the essential equipment, costing £250,000 per upgrade, arguing that there is a lack of demand in some areas of the country.

This means that rural villages with smaller populations, and even some areas of large towns and cities, are missing out.

But Headley Down resident Peter Moxham is hoping that the residents of local villages will be able to force BT into providing the service by registering for it.

The telephone company has promised that it is reviewing the demand for each exchange and, should there be an increase in interest, it will set a Òtrigger levelÓ.

This means that it will put a figure on the number of people needed to register an interest before it will provide the service.

For the Headley Down exchange, also used by residents in Headley and Arford, the trigger figure is 350.

So far 112 people connected to the exchange have registered an interest.

Liphook and Bramshott residents are in the same situation, needing 350 people to register an interest, and so far 106 have done so.

Grayshott, which is connected to the telephone exchange at Hindhead, has 141 people registered, but a bigger threshold to pass of 400.

But many of the other villages around the area still do not know the size of the task they face as BT has not yet set a trigger figure and will not do so until sufficient initial interest has been shown.

Among the villages which do not have a threshold figure are Blackmoor, Greatham, Selborne, Passfield, and Bucks Horn Oak.

Mr Moxham said: ÒThere are so many people around here that canÕt get Broadband but would like it.

ÒIt is ridiculous that when BT are trying to get customers back that they would make this so difficult for us.

ÒAll that we need people to do is for them to log on to BTÕs website and register an interest so that we can meet their target figures.

ÒWe need to get a publicity campaign going or else we will be waiting forever until some of their figures have been reached.Ó

People who register an interest in receiving Broadband do not have to take it up or be a BT customer and, once the service is provided by BT, can purchase it from a different provider.

But the road to the information super highway is not even running smoothly for some of those residents whose nearest exchange has been converted.

BordonÕs exchange has been re-equipped to provide the Broadband service but some residents in surrounding villages - including Kingsley - who are connected to it live too far away from it to receive the service.

Instead they have to wait until BT develops new satellite technologies before they can hook up to Broadband.

For more information or to register your interest log on to BTÕs special Broadband website at http://www.broadband1.bt.com">www.broadband1.bt.com.