TOWN MP Karen Lumley was given a rare insight into the communications network in Redditch and beyond.

On Friday, May 20 she was given a tour and met BT staff and engineers from BT Openreach, who install and maintain the local network on behalf of all providers.

Mrs Lumley also met members of the team working on the roll-out of high speed fibre optic broadband for the Superfast Worcestershire programme, which is being led by Worcestershire County Council and BT as part of the Government’s Broadband Delivery UK programme.

She was shown inside an underground cable chamber and a new fibre optic cabinet, and the visit was rounded off with a tour of the local telephone exchange.

Mrs Lumley said: "Improving communications is key for everyone in this modern age.

"It was fascinating to see first-hand how the different aspects of the network work and to learn how it all comes together."

Ian Binks, BT’s regional manager for Worcestershire and the West Midlands, added: "The availability of faster fibre broadband is critical to all aspects of society, whether it’s small businesses using better internet connectivity to create wealth and jobs, or students and children using the web to help in their studies.

"Building and maintaining the network is a huge and complex task, so it was great to be able to give Karen Lumley MP a glimpse of the important work that is going on."