TAVISTOCK will find itself 'a digital desert' a town councillor this week claimed, if it fails to get chosen by BT for superfast fibre broadband investment.

Telephone users on the 01822 telephone exchange are being urged by Cllr John Sheldon from Tavistock Town Council to get behind a campaign in an attempt to secure 'superfast broadband' for the area.

The Government has outlined plans so that every community in the UK will gain access to super-fast broadband by 2015. The private sector is to deliver broadband to two thirds of the UK. Other, mainly rural, areas will receive public funds to build a 'digital hub' with a fibre optic internet connection. Comparable rural towns like Launceston are already benefiting from the upgrading but individuals and the business community in the Tavistock area could be in danger of missing out on the fibre optic 'revolution' if its exchange is not selected for upgrading.

Cllr Sheldon told the Times: 'This is a new campaign following on from the BT Race To Infinity at this time last year, when Tavistock was 17th out of UK 2,495 telephone exchanges.

'It was also the largest exchange in the highest position. The pressure is now on as BT start to choose the final telephone exchanges that will get superfast fibre broadband.

'Last Monday BT added another 178 Telephone Exchanges to its fibre optic roll-out plan. Needless to say, Tavistock Telephone Exchange was not in it.

'It is important to realise that Tavistock is outside the funding that Devon was awarded in May 2011 and there are no expectations without the town's effort to get anything.

'Without securing superfast broadband Tavistock will find itself a digital desert.'

BT Group ends its £2.5 billion investment at the end of 2014, rolling out superfast fibre broadband to 66 percent of the UK, but time is running out to get on the Superfast Broadband plan.

Mr Sheldon is asking people to send a blank email to [email protected]">[email protected] for instructions to help boost demand to bring the superfast facility to the area.

He would also like people to spread the message to their friends to get behind the campaign.

He said: 'Please register at all three web locations, depending on your browser and settings these will auto fill. All telephone numbers that you have access to should be used to register interest. Please encourage all family and friends to register a 01822 number.'

To join the campaign: Enter the following in your browser to register interest in superfast broadband. 2 and 3 will check your number and then allow you to register interest.

Cllr Sheldon said all links were without obligation and had been tested to comply with the Data Protection Act in that they do not produce unwanted correspondence.