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Norfolk broadband campaign backed by older internet users
Silver surfers are supporting an initiative that aims to significantly improve broadband connectivity in Norfolk.
Several silver surfers have taken the opportunity to use the broadband connection at Poringland Library to research their family trees as part of Norfolk County Council's Join Up January initiative, reports the Eastern Daily Press.
The scheme gave visitors the opportunity to use the library's subscription to ancestry websites and high-speed broadband service, which is not available in many parts of Norfolk.
However, the Say Yes to Better Broadband campaign - jointly run by the local authority and the newspaper - is aiming to bring an end to this lack of quality internet access by delivering super-fast 30Mbps download speeds to as much of the county as possible.
Any areas that are still not served by next-generation broadband networks will be able to receive minimum speeds of 2Mbps by 2015.
Some £30 million of public money has already been allocated to the initiative, but the campaign is looking to attract additional investment by highlighting levels of demand for super-fast broadband across Norfolk.
Commenting on the problems caused by poor or non-existent broadband access, 65-year-old Sally Spruce said: "It is so frustrating when you are looking something up on the internet and it all stops so you have to start up again."
Community librarian Jean Archdeacon explained many members of the group had taken up researching their family history as a hobby, leading them to develop an interest in receiving faster broadband.
"Faster broadband will help every aspect of people's lives, whether it's at work or at home. The library service is no different to anywhere else in Norfolk," she added.
Just 28 per cent of Norfolk properties are currently able to receive super-fast broadband, according to the latest figures on the matter from Ofcom.