An 18-year-old entrepreneur is setting up a business which could see him competing with communications giant BT and bringing broadband to mid Essex villages.

Graham Wager, of Broadway in Silver End, admits to being a bit of a computer whizz and was disappointed to discover his village was too rural to receive broadband, the new faster access to the internet.

The former pupil of The John Bramston School, Witham, said, faced with "nowhere to go" because he couldn't receive cable either, he decided to set up a system for himself.

Mr Wager said: "I only really wanted the connection for leisure uses, like online gaming, but have friends in other parts of the country that have set up their own systems, so I thought I would too."

He said his broadband connection, which would be 20 times faster than normal, would be set up in his Witham office - via a wireless system using a radio - so would bypass BT.

He is hoping to supply Silver End, Kelvedon, Terling and Witham town. He has set up a website to gauge interest at www.kaladel.co.uk

Published Friday, January 31, 2003

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