Broadband speeds in Stretham are lagging behind other villages because of a “particularly challenging” problem with the way hundreds of homes are connected.

Connecting Cambridgeshire had hoped to pave the way for superfast broadband in the village last year but engineers have come up against problems and the date for completion has been pushed back to as late as September.

According to Connecting Cambridgeshire, which is managing the roll-out of superfast broadband across the county, up to 750 homes are connected to exchange only lines, instead of via telephone cabinets.

It said: “The Stretham exchange is a particularly challenging exchange to upgrade and whilst Openreach have been working in the area during 2014 it will require continued work through 2015.

“This is because around 750 homes in the village are connected directly via the Stretham exchange on exchange only lines rather than through a telephone cabinet which is more common.

“Openreach are working to bring superfast broadband to the houses connected on exchange only lines, however, it is taking longer than the original timescales because of the number of properties connected directly to the exchange.

“Openreach are reviewing what is the best type of technology to bring better broadband to the village.

“The exchange only line technologies are usually only used in small patches and to bring it to this many houses is requiring more work than previously anticipated, which is affecting the timescales.”

Stretham resident Vivien Adams called for more to be done to help get Stretham up to speed.

She posted on ShapeYourPlace: “The problem apparently is that all lines in the village are connected directly to the exchange rather than to the green cabinets and this is proving difficult to connect, why I don’t understand.

“We are a small village and no one seems to be taking up our cause, please can somebody help, can East Cambs Council bring any weight to bear?”