BT's Waterlooville fibre broadband rollout hailed by MP

Meon Valley MP George Hollingbery has welcomed the launch of BT's fibre optic broadband service in Waterlooville.

The company is set to upgrade the broadband services received by around 18,000 homes and businesses in the Hampshire town over the next few weeks.

Nearly 540,000 Hampshire properties will be able to benefit from super-fast broadband connectivity by spring 2013 thanks to BT's rollout programme.

Mr Hollingbery said the investment is "very good news" for Waterlooville and stated it will have a positive effect on "people of every age and background".

He added that the technology "has the power to transform every aspect of life, including lifelong learning and the way we all work and play".

The announcement comes in the same week that TalkTalk called on Ofcom to investigate BT's wholesale prices for fibre optic broadband access.

Speaking to the Guardian, TalkTalk chief executive Dido Harding warned that the infrastructure will struggle to attract customers unless the charges are reduced.