A CAMPAIGN to introduce technology which will enable swifter and more efficient Internet connections in Ferryhill is gathering pace.

The town currently has no access to broadband services through the telephone exchange.

The broadband system enables much more information to be downloaded more quickly.

Ferryhill resident David Bolton says that the town is being penalised by only having narrow band services.

He said: "If you are downloading a big file you could get cut off half-way through, which is a real pain."

Mr Bolton has also spoken to small traders in the town, who say they would benefit from a broadband service because it would be quicker and save them money.

Now he is urging Ferryhill people with Internet access to register their interest in broadband services with BT.

He said: "I was looking at the BT site and there is a page for broadband. You put your postcode in and that is all that is needed to register your interest.

"Ferryhill is a large community and it seems a little bit silly that we can't take advantage of the services available."

BT spokesman Paul Dorrell welcomed the campaign and said the company would give it as much support as it could.

He pointed out that broadband services were already available to everyone via satellite, but that was expensive.

He said that about two-thirds of homes and businesses in the country were connected to a broadband exchange and BT was hoping to extend the service.

But any modernisation of exchanges must be done on a commercial basis and a registration scheme has been set up to assess demand.

Mr Dorrell said: "We are very keen to support action groups, but people have got to stand up and be counted. If people don't tell us they want it, we won't know.

"The door is open. We would be happy to talk to anybody in County Durham about working together in an area where there is a demand."

He said BT was also working in partnership with other companies and looking at other technologies with a view to improving coverage.

To register an interest in broadband, visit www.bt.com/ broadband. There have been 106 registrations in Ferryhill to date.