More than 2,100 homes and businesses in Southwold are now accessing high speed broadband for the first time.

Seven green cabinets, serving properties in 174 postcodes including Reydon, have been upgraded so that people who work and live in the area can access faster broadband speeds.

Before the upgrade, some properties were only able to access slower speeds, but now most will receive 24 megabits per second (Mbps) or more.

The work is part of a multi-million pound partnership between Suffolk County Council, BT and the Government to make high-speed fibre broadband more available throughout Suffolk, especially in rural areas.

Mark Bee, leader of Suffolk County Council and chair of the Better Broadband for Suffolk programme, said: “This is a real and tangible demonstration of exactly what we set out to achieve with the Better Broadband for Suffolk programme.

“We’re making modern broadband services available to people living and working in areas that otherwise wouldn’t have the kind of access you get in large urban towns and cities.

“Like many more areas of Suffolk to come, Southwold and Reydon now have the kind of internet access that residents and business owners want and deserve.”

Southwold mayor Simon Tobin said: “We’re absolutely delighted by it.

“We have been wanting it for a number of years and the town council have welcomed it with open arms.”

So far, more than 14,000 properties across the county have been given access to high speed fibre broadband.

Suffolk County Council has committed to ensuring that by the end of 2015, every property in Suffolk has access to broadband speeds of at least 2Mbps, with 85% of homes and businesses being able to benefit from superfast speeds of 24Mbps or more.

The green cabinets are in Halesworth Road, Lowestoft Road and Covert Road, Reydon, and in High Street, Southwold, along with St James Green, Blackmill Road and The Drive.

Suffolk Coastal MP, Therese Coffey, said: “I’m delighted that superfast fibre broadband is now available in Southwold & Reydon. This is great news for residents and essential for local businesses.”