AFTER years of campaigning, residents in North Swindon could soon be spoilt for choice when it comes to superfast broadband.

Despite being relatively new properties, thousands of homes have only had access to slow internet speeds.

However, BT have recently started a trial in the area and Virgin now says it is expanding into the area.

Several residents living in the Redhouse area who have previously declared an interest have received an email from Virgin, promising speeds of up to 200mbps.

The email reads: “We’re expanding our network. We’ll do all we can to connect your home so you can have supercharged entertainment, although every now and again we come up against an obstacle that stops us from doing so.

“But don’t worry, we always do our best to get around them.”

The company has said nothing official on the move other than to say it hopes to be able to provide more information in a few weeks.

In February, BT Openreach began a trial in the Haydon Wick area to test demand for fibre broadband. It was deemed a success and an extension of the trial was announced shortly after.

A spokesperson for Openreach said: “We’re delighted with the success of the Haydon Wick fibre to the premises trial.”

“With network build complete 485 homes now benefit from some of the fastest speeds available across the whole of the UK.”

North Swindon MP Justin Tomlinson has been a long believer in a fibre solution for the North and is working with both companies.

He said: “I am working with local councillors and residents while continuing to have extensive and detailed meetings with senior representatives of BT and Virgin.

“I remain confident we will see quite significant investment right across the Northern Sector. We will continue to push for a clear answers as quickly as possible.”

The developments with fibre come at the same time as progress is being made with the Swindon Borough Council-backed wireless solution, giving potentially three options to residents.

A deal was signed with UKB Networks to provide superfast broadband to 20,000 homes across the town currently without.

There have been objections to the move in the north but Nicholas James, CEO of UKBN, says a compromise over the location of the masts needed for the scheme has been reached,

In May, he said: “I hope that residents support this revised plan so that we can get superfast broadband up and running in North Swindon as soon as possible.”