Homes and businesses in 71 towns and villages across the county are due to have access to high-speed fibre broadband by the end of the year.

After years of campaigning, people living and working in towns and villages including Acle, Banham, Haddiscoe, Hemsby, Snetterton and Wymondham will be able to access new high-speed services between October and the end of the year after Norfolk County Council and BT announced the next areas to benefit from their Better Broadband for Norfolk programme.

Work is already underway to install the new fibre broadband infrastructure and it is anticipated that a further 16,200 Norfolk premises will be able to receive better broadband services.

The roadside fibre broadband cabinets that are being connected to the new network serve very localised areas, so in each location only some parts of the towns and villages will be able to receive faster broadband speeds.

The drive for better broadband in Norfolk began in December 2010 when a bid was launched to win the initial government funding, which was secured in May 2011.

That sparked the EDP's Say Yes to Better Broadband campaign, which generated 15,000 registrations to prove the commercial demand for the upgrade and tempt a commercial partner to invest in the project. The contract with BT was signed in December 2012.

George Nobbs, Leader of Norfolk County Council, said: 'This roll-out of better broadband if going to make a real difference to our towns, communities and local businesses. The 71 new localities will find a very tangible difference to their broadband speed – as those people in places like Croxton, who've already got and experienced the new service, have told me.'

Bill Murphy, managing director of next generation access for BT Group, said: 'High-speed fibre broadband is a very exciting step forward for these communities. It will provide a major boost for local businesses and households. Whatever you do online you can do it better with fibre broadband. The fact that rural communities, are among the first to benefit from this partnership demonstrates our collective determination to get this exciting technology to more challenging locations, which fall outside the private sector's commercial plans.'

The areas set to benefit are:

• Acle

• Attleborough (including Station Road Trading and Haverscroft Industrial Estates)

• Banham

• Beighton

• Belton

• Berney Arms

• Besthorpe

• Bradwell

• Browston

• Bunwell

• Burgh Castle

• California

• Carleton Rode

• Crownthorpe

• Deopham

• East Harling

• Eccles

• Fiddler's Green

• Filby

• Fishley

• Forncett St Peter

• Freethorpe

• Great Ellingham

• Hackford

• Haddiscoe

• Halvergate

• Hardingham

• Hargham

• Hemsby

• Herringby

• Hingham

• Hopton

• Kenninghall

• Kimberley

• Little Ellingham

• Martham

• Mautby

• Morley St Botolph

• Morley St Peter

• Moulton St Mary

• New Buckenham

• Old Buckenham

• Ormesby St Margaret

• Quidenham

• Rockland All Saints

• Rollesby

• Runham

• Scoulton

• Scratby

• Silfield

• Snetterton (including Oakwood Industrial Estate)

• Southburgh

• South Burlingham

• Southwood

• Spooner Row

• Stokesby

• St Olaves

• Suton

• Tacolneston

• Thrigby

• Upton

• Wattlefield

• West Caister

• West Harling

• West Somerton

• Wickhampton

• Wicklewood

• Wilby

• Winterton-On-Sea

• Woodrising

• Wymondham (including Fitzmaurice and Bridge Industrial Estates)