MP Harriett Baldwin today welcomed news that BT has progressed work on a number of crucial Malvern broadband cabinets. The news came at a summit which the MP hosted with a senior director from BT as well as representatives from Malvern Hills District Council, Malvern Hills Conservators and Worcestershire County Council. The meeting was told that 27 out of 55 cabinets have already been upgraded, that work to upgrade the cabinet serving Enigma Business Park has started and plans are now in place to upgrade a further twenty cabinets this year and early next year. Harriett hosted the meeting to attempt to find out how superfast broadband will be delivered to 90 per cent of households across the region by 2015. The Government has allocated more than £3 million to Worcestershire County Council to make sure rural areas get proper broadband connections and the county council has added an extra £8 million to the fund. Harriett commented: “I am pleased that we were able to have a constructive meeting with BT and I do feel that we are now making progress. “Half of Malvern has now been upgraded and 93 per cent will be covered by the commercial rollout. “Broadband is one of the largest items in my postbag and I was eager to get all the key people together in one room to make a plan to solve this critical issue. “It was interesting to hear that where cabinets have already been upgraded to superfast broadband, take up is lower than the national average. “I would urge people to register an interest with their internet provider to make sure that the message gets through to BT that the demand is there. “Where it is not commercially viable to upgrade, the County Council needs to be aware of the interest.”