According to local rag News and Star today, Carlisle is the worst in the country for internet speeds with more than 54,000 people still trapped in the broadband “slow lane”.
New figures quoted by News and Star for internet connections reveal 54,221 people (64.7 %) of people in Carlisle – live in officially defined “low-speed” areas.
This is the highest percentage of people in all of the 650 parliamentary constituencies, apparently.
The figures were revealed just days before the Government announces a second wave of trial areas to receive help to expand superfast broadband connections across the country.
Culture minister Ed Vaizey, following this week’s launch, reassured local Internet users by telling MPs: “Where is Carlisle? Is it in Wales? Or near Newcastle? I think I went through there once on the way to Dublin!”
Needless to say, local internet bloggers were on their computers to register their disgust within hours once their 56k dialup had connected.
One user Tweeted “I think Ed Vaizey should get himself up here to see how hard it is to surf porn in Cumbria. Frequently I download an image and the dialup hangs up just before the cleavage is revealed!”