SUPERFAST broadband is soon set to cover 97 per cent of Wiltshire.

But pockets of the county are still missing out on faster broadband connections because houses are not connected to the improved areas being made.

A signal black hole was also brought up as Cllr Jacqui Lay labelled land around Purton, Brinkworth and Cirencester a Bermuda Triangle with unreliable internet, tv and phone signal.

Wiltshire Online Programme has been running for several years with a goal from central Government to have superfast broadband in 95 per cent of the country.

Wiltshire Council discovered that in some areas, BT was rolling out its service to a larger area, which means the council could save money to avoid doubling up connecting the community.

That money is being reinvested into homes with separate cables stretching several miles back to the exchange, instead of being linked like the majority of houses through local cabinets, which have recently been upgraded.

Cabinet member for communications Cllr John Thomson said: “The challenge of having overbuild is that we have money freed up, by not spending in areas we thought we’d have to spend. It means we can provide fibre direct to houses to help the people who feel they have been left behind. We are going to have 97 per cent coverage across Wiltshire. The problem is how we finish the last 3per cent."

Tuesday's overview and scrutiny committee heard people in new housing estates were being locked into one internet provider through clauses in their contracts.

Some new build home owners have recently found that their homes are secured into one internet provider and have been left unable to choose a more affordable option, councillors heard.

Cllr John Hubbard: “Some residents at Eastern Way in Melksham are buying new builds and being told only to buy from one service provider. Even years later people are tied to a monopoly of poor quality and inflated prices.”

Cllr Lay said: “In a new estate in Purton 700 houses have had problems getting broadband. They were told they can only use one provider, however some have managed to change providers.”

Cllr Thomson has written to central government to call for the issue to be addressed. If you been affected by poor internet contact julia.corbett@newsquest.co.uk.