The work on the North Tamerton telephone exchange is part of a project to bring broadband to up to 99.8% of the region's population.

The South West Regional Development Agency (RDA) has invested �1.3m to upgrade 19 rural telephone exchanges.

The work means outlying businesses will now be able to get access to high-speed internet connections.

Situation reversed

Actnow, a project to assess the demand for broadband in Cornwall, carried out a survey in 2005 to find out how many people wanted broadband in the North Tamerton area.

Nigel Ashcroft, of Actnow, said: "We found a high level of demand for the high speed internet service."

Businesses and residents in North Tamerton will be able to access broadband within five days of the exchange being upgraded on 22 February.

Mike Dru Drury, from North Tamerton who ran the local campaign for broadband, said: "This beautiful rural area hosts a quantity of small businesses.

"Initially, it was not regarded as commercially viable to upgrade the exchange but thanks to all the support we have received, the situation has now been reversed."