Why does my exchange not even appear on the list!!...

Question

I live in Blackburn / Darwen.  Not too far from the town centre really, but I get a paltry 0.8mb connection speed for my internet.  We're not even on the list to be done at the moment, how can I change this. My whole street is crying out for a faster speed, and I can near or noth guarantee if anyone provided us with a faster connection, we would all sign up!!!!!! Virgin said it was going to cost too much so they wouldn't do anything. It's not as if we live 'out of town' in a rural area.  It's sooo annoying!
So, what can I do to bump us on the list for faster internet?

Answer 1

Currently there are roughly 5500 exchanges and 80,000 cabinets in the UK.
90% of the UK is covered by about 1800 of those exchanges.
Now BT has said that the currentl FTTC plans will cover about 65% of the population in the UK which is most like down to somethhing like 900 exchanges.
BT has said previously that they would cover 90% of the UK if the BDUK money of £800million would be given to BT.
Now BDUK UK being a government run quango went and did the "normal" thing for a quango and instead of getting the job done the started to hand out money to individual councils who then will decide how that money will be spent.
Estimates show that admin costs alone have bit £100million into that £800million budget and most likely will see an awful lot of people losing out on broadband upgrades.
BT's CEO today was banging the drum again apparently meeting with the Prime Minister and pledgeing 90% FTTC if the UK government gives them £800million.
I can see lots of positve noise coming from the government with no real commitment.