Broadband campaigners are spitting feathers after reporting that their recently ADSL-upgraded exchanges don't appear to be working.

Net users in Leek and Irby - which had their exchanges converted to ADSL last week after drumming up enough local demand for broadband - are reporting problems trying to connect to ADSL.

And there are reports that the problems are not isolated and that as many as ten recently-enabled exchanges are also suffering connection problems.

A statement on the broadband4leek campaign Web site says that its exchange is suffering "a major problem".

"So far, everybody I know who's activated is suffering service outages. Something at BT's end is broken, whether it be equipment in the actual exchange, or something else," it said.

A similar message on the broadband4irby.co.uk site urges those who cannot get their ADSL service to work to escalate the problem to their ISPs.

Industry sources have told The Register that there does appear to be a problem although no further details are known at present.

A spokesman for BT said he was unaware of any problems but would investigate. ®