West Somerset consumers are being left in the slow lane by BT's slow-speed approach to installing faster broadband, the area's Conservative MP has claimed.
Ian Liddell-Grainger says he is furious that BT is concentrating immediately on delivering enhanced services to the area around Bridgwater while consumers in West Somerset will have to wait months for higher speeds to become available.
Now he is raising the matter directly with Communications Minister Ed Vaizey - and is also seeking a meeting with BT chairman Sir Michael Rake.
Mr Liddell-Grainger said it was ‘totally unfair' that BT should be adopting a two-speed approach to rolling out improved broadband.
"The point about it is that enhanced broadband is a lifeline for rural businesses - the ones that are often disadvantaged by reason of distance or by poor road or rail communications," he said.
"In my book BT should be improving services initially where they can do most good, and in this instance that is clearly West Somerset."
Mr Liddell-Grainger said he would be making both the Minister and the BT chairman aware of the frustration being felt by those at the western end of the constituency.
"Along with other local authorities Somerset County Council has put up millions to secure better broadband services - but the deal is for the whole of the county to be covered as rapidly as possible, and that does not appear to be happening.
"BT seems to be concentrating on doing the easy bits first - and the more one moves away from centres like Bridgwater the less urgency there appears to be in delivering improvements.
"I am not prepared to see thousands of my constituents relying for months to come on second-rate services when other parts of the county have already been brought up to speed."