THE mayor of a Suffolk market town has called on residents to back a bid to get “super-fast” broadband access to the internet.

BT’s retail arm has launched a scheme called Race to Infinity in which it has pledged to upgrade the five telephone exchanges which nationaly get the most votes.

The winning exchanges will be upgraded to fibre broadband in 2012. Peter Goodchild, mayor of Sudbury, last night called on residents to get involved.

Mr Goodchild said he was making his call to action “with the needs of the townspeople and businesses uppermost” in his mind.

He said: “The top five exchanges to receive the most votes will be upgraded by 2012 at the latest. I’ve already registered, and my vote was number 234, with some communities in Cambridge already topping 1,000, we need more people to join me.”

He urged residents in the area to “drive up the numbers demanding this service for Sudbury and district” and to ask friends, family and colleagues who live or work in the CO10 postcode area to lodge their votes.

Gavin Patterson, BT Retail chief executive, said: “The Race to Infinity is an opportunity for the country to make its voice heard.

“BT will have rolled out fibre to more than four million homes by the end of 2010 but it’ll still have more than 12 million premises to pass by 2015. We want to hear from towns and villages across the UK and so I would encourage people to take part and register their interest.”

Those wanting to take part should visit: http://www.raceto infinity.bt.com