Selby will finally be plugged into the digital era next month with the opening of a new £1 million high-tech telephone exchange.

The new exchange in Porthome Road, which will replace the existing electronic system, will be like going from vinyl records to compact discs, said BT spokesman Mervin Straughan.

He said: "The lines will be much clearer and there will be a host of new free services for our 12,000 customers in Selby."

The big switch-on planned for March 11, to be performed by Mayor of Selby, Winnie May, will also be a significant milestone for BT.

Selby, along with a similar project in Essex, will be the last two exchanges in the country to go digital.

Mr Straughan said Selby found itself at the bottom of BT's £30 billion investment programme in digital software because its electronic exchange was seen as state-of-the-art technology when it was opened in 1980.

He said: "It's simply a case that the rest of the country has had some catching up to do."

BT came under fire last year from town councillors, who complained that Selby's antiquated analogue exchange was costing jobs by putting local businesses at a disadvantage.

Coun Dave Carmouche said BT should not have to be dragged screaming and kicking into the late 20th century, given its massive profits.

Mr Straughan said BT was spending millions of pounds a day on installing modern exchanges and networks.

New facilities would include call diversions, three-way calling, caller display and call return, as well as call barring and call waiting.

The digital exchange would also enable BT to trace malicious and hoax 999 calls within seconds.

Selby MP John Grogan, who has been lobbying BT for the new exchange, said today it would provide faster dialling, clearer calls and a range of value-added services, including voice mail.

He said: "My constituency offices in Selby and Tadcaster are a good example of how businesses will benefit.

"They will now be able to operate more effectively as calls can be diverted from one office to the other, or even to my office at Westminster."

The 12,000 customers who will go digital next month all live in Selby town with 01757 numbers between 290000 and 291999, and from 700000 to 709999. BT says surrounding villages and Tadcaster are already on digital exchanges.

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